Krish, W4VKU will be active as VU7A from Lakshadweep Islands, IOTA AS - 011, 5 - 10 December 2023.
He will operate on 160 - 6m, SSB, FT8.
Recent DX Spots VU7A
VU7A Log search QSL via W4VKU.
Ads for direct QSL:
Krishna Kanakasapapathi, 102 Brook Creek Dr, Cary, NC, 27519, USA.

VU7A Lakshadweep Islands 12 December 2023

Update Dec 12, 2023:
It is about 10:45Z now (Dec 12) and in an hour or so, the Hexbeam will come down. 60m has no more chance at this point. The TS480 antenna port-1 is now showing high SWR from that 60m antenna with the coax that appeared to be faulty. A VNA sweep indicates a high SWR point at the 60m location to 90m length of the cable. At any rate, the good news is, the second antenna port of the TS-480 still works, so no loss of a working station. So folks that worked 60m on Dec 11th, you got lucky :) and atleast my effort was not in vain to build that bamboo lashed 60m vertical.
Tonight will be 30/40/75-80/160 and 1 higher band at night. Tomorrow (Dec 13) morning, around 0200Z, will go QRT and will bring down the verticals and start packing up. Have about 3 hours for the gear to leave the premises and board the ship.
This is intense to keep everything running and not make mistakes, keep the antennae working optimal and then responding to folks on log issues, band requests etc. Its fun, but tiring with around only 3 hours of sleep a day for the past week. So will be using the next couple days to recover and then head to VU4 and do it all over again.
I am a bit cautiously optimistic and would like to set the expectation that, VU4 is a different animal, esp for the NA-East. Its a tough path. But i am hoping to do the best.
VU7A.

VU7A Lakshadweep Islands 11 December 2023

Update Dec 11, 2023:
Today, moved the 60m vertical wire off from the 80/160 vertical. Lashed 2 bamboo poles and ran the wire to build a 60m vertical. The good news is, the vertical tunes nice, when near the antenna. But the 450Ft of spare LMR400 that was deployed for this antenna, seems to have some sort of invisble damage. The cable was used in VU4KV last, in 2014. The coax shows a SWR of 1.7, when connected to a dummy load at the other end. Also, there are numerous reflections, when swept with the analyzer. The net net is, the SWR is over 2.1 to 2.5. Going to try to run it tonight. Not too hopeful about the performance, but worth a try. Given the interest for 60m, need to send another roll of coax, the 12m fiberglass pole and the holder to hold the pole in the beach on 15th night by aircargo to VU4.
It also appears that some QSO's are not showing up, despite even manually uploading individual QSO's to clublogs from within MSHV log menu( after someone notified me of their missing QSO). I will reupload the entire files, if the issue persists.
VU7A.

VU7A Lakshadweep Islands News 9 December 2023 Part 2

Spent a good part of the day, trying to bring the antenna down and then up, with the rain/rolling storms flirting around and wasting valuable time.
It appears that the Vertical wires for both 80 and 160 were in close proximity at the high voltage part of the vertical.
I had a steel pulley installed, so could rope down the 80/75m wires to tune. This pulley appears to be the culprit, causing an induction and heating issue. The CQ spiderbeam (Steel clad copper), basically just melted away at just VU legal limit. I was wondering about the voltages in my Inv-L at full FCC legal limit in W4. At any rate, the wire has been twisted and soldered. Also, the stainless steel pulley has been offset by a large nylon pulley block that i had, So that block basically secures to the pole now and the steel pulley is attached to the nylon pulley as an offset. So this should keep the high voltage parts of the 160 and 80 apart.
VU7A.

VU7A Lakshadweep Islands News 9 December 2023

The MSHV error logs as well as the N1MM SSB logs were once again uploaded, in case some QSO's were quarantined when the internet went down. The wireline network here is glitchy. At times, had to resort to hotspot off the mobile device, in order to restore connectivity. This is important, so that, no slims can disappoint the community, with livestream running.
Yesterday, we did some 20m SSB. My voice has recovered some. So will try to do some more SSB today and on.
The 160m vertical(Spiderbeam wire with 4 top hats), seem to have got cut about 2 feet below the top hat. This is copper clad steel and i am surprised. At any rate, the 80/160 vertical is coming down today for repairs. May attempt to get 60m too on it, while at it. Assuning that there will be no painful interaction. The issue being, running 60m will cannibalize the ability to run 80/160, since i do not have the filter for 60m, since did not plan to run 60m originally :)
Departure from VU7: The ship leaves on 13th. The gear will need to be packed and ready by 0400Z. This would mean, the Hex comes down the prior evening of 12th(its basically just unused at this point). The other antennae will come down, shortly after the sunrise gray line closes(0200z). That will leave us with about 2 hours to pack it up from 0200z
I will have another couple days on the island and still debating if i should retain 1 station. Will figure something.
When 160m is restored, will run 1817/1836, till the HL stations are able to work and then will switch to 1817 simplex for the rest, since the sun would have already rise east of VU7 and the band closed.
80m, i do need to move away from the CW part of the band. MSHV will need to be updated for the frequency 3567.
80m QRN is at S7. 50m QRN is around the same with some inverters on the island causing a lot of QRN. SSB not allowed in VU on 50m. 160m still has the Loop on the ground connected and will run the 30/40/80/160m stations from dusk to dawn. The other stations will run any of the higher bands, during the time, depending upon, which way the prop goes.
QSL - Card is yet to be designed and printed. On purpose, did not share specifics, since folks will send a request and then expect a response, as soon as i get back to W4. It will take me some time. Will open OQRS. But please have patience. My morning Qth is pretty busy too and will hit like a hammer in Jan 2024, but i will try to do justice to get the cards out ASAP. Everyone that needs one will get one, thats my promise. You may need to keep on it with me.
Thank you all for the valuable feeback. Trying to accommodate as many of your requests.

VU7A Lakshadweep Islands News 6 December 2023

As of 1300Z today VU7A (W4VKU), Krish, internet so he can now use Club Log’s livestream. He has four antennas up at the moment. They are the hexbeam, vertical for 160/80, vertical for 40 and 30 meter and the DXCommander for 20-10 meters. All of the FT8 work will be made on the verticals for short and long path. If your QSO is not in the log you need to try again.

Krish now has five stations up and going. And no he’s not in “fire and forget mode” as “lots of babysitting is needed” do to “so much RF interaction, despite a lot of ferrites”. On the flight from the US to India Krish picked up an “upper respiratory infection”. He was on antibiotics. He voice is well and he plans SSB soon.

Agatti Island, Lakshadweep Islands. Author - V. Praveen.