14DA115 Muriel and I leave home at 08:30 local time, heading for the little town of Portets where our target of the day is located……the Ile de Renon.

We arrive there without any problem and immediately start to settle the portable station for Part 2 of the IWI-Kend. 

The Bambi antenna is quickly erected and then the power generator is hidden behind a small group of trees to slightly stop the noise.

The weather is perfect — not a single cloud can be seen anywhere and it’s already 23c at 09:30.

Time to switch on the radio, a Kenwood TS-450, and we hear a few voices on 27.555 MHz USB.  

We make our first call as 14DA/33-037R from our small river island and then QSY to 27.470 MHz which was is planned frequency. 

The first station in the log is 14RD027 Paul who is from the area.

Unfortunately, we have a 9++ QRM on this frequency due to some Italian CB operators chatting on AM with 1000+ watts so it’s impossible to copy the low stations.

We exchange a few SMS with Phil 028 who is activating another IWI, telling us that he’s experiencing the same problem on 27.480 MHz.  

This frequency is calm for us so we propose Phil to swap our monitors which he agrees.

Here we go again with many stations calling our IWI-Kend station and lots of stations from Poland being logged. 

Then, much to our surprise, we hear Phil 14DA028 quite low on the frequency but workable. 

Later on in the day, however, he was 5/9 and it was great to have regular chats with him!

Propagation then opens up even more and we soon work all Europe which we are both very thankful for.

A quick lunch break between 12:00 and 13:00 because we’re hungry and then it’s back on the transceiver for some more IWI DX 😉

Suddenly, while monitoring 27.555 MHz, we can hear 2 division calling and for a second can’t believe it! 

A moment later, 3DA012 Roger makes the log and a few other US stations can be heard here and there.  

Then we clearly hear 2DA155 Rod calling on the same frequency but it seems he cannot hear us.

Later in the afternoon, a bad station, probably from the same area, comes on the frequency and fakes having a QSO with a pretend buddy, covering everyone who is attempting to work us.  As soon as we stop transmitting, he does the same. 

As soon as we call on 27.480 MHz then he speaks again 🙁

The band being very noisy with a lot of Italian stations monitoring in AM and FM below 27.460 MHz and above 27.640 MHz, we got permission from the IWI-Kend boss to monitor 27.540 MHz which is one of the only clear frequencies on our side.

Then a few minutes later, another SES station comes and calls without even worrying about our activity. 

Fortunately, many stations monitoring our frequency shout that the frequency is already in use and he is soon gone after some big QRM.

Finally, we stop at 19:00 local, the last station in the log being 1ET029.

LOG STATS

In summing up, 108 stations are in the log for 14DA/33-037R from 17 divisions.

These include Italy (1), Brazil (3), Germany (13), France (14), Switzerland (15), Belgium (16), Greece (18), Netherlands (19), England (26), Ireland (29), Spain (30), Portugal (31), Austria (35), Denmark (47), Scotland (108), Poland (161) and Croatia (328).

DA-RC members in the log include 3DA012 Roger, 13DA007 Simon, 14DA007 Chris, 14DA024 Fabrice, 14DA028 Phil, 14DA049 Fred and 328DA010 Tom.

Other IWI stations worked include 14DA/62-011R, 14DA/49-015R and 19AT/ZI.

In spite of hot WX which reached upwards of 38c and inflicted bad sunburn, it was a great experience for us on our first IWI activity.

Thanks everyone for calling and see you from our next activity!