5H2DK was QRV from Moshi, Tanzania (KI86qq) Oct 2nd to Oct 26th 2012. I was also QRV from Kilingi Primary School, Sanya Juu (KI86mt), Tarangire National Park (KI86af) and Karatu near Ngorongoro National Park (KI76tp) as 5H2DK/P using a portable setup Oct 18th to Oct 25th. I operated on SSB only.

The main setup included an ICOM 706 mkIIG boosted with an SG-500 to emit full 100W, permitted, A3S tribander (10/15/20) 11m up and multiband dipole for 12/17/40 m bands, feeding point 11m up. The portable setup included the ICOM 706, an AH-4 wire antenna tuner, a 6m telescopic fishing stick or 8m wire on branches of trees.

40m was a disappointment due to heavy local QRM at Key's Hotel Bokomu Road, Moshi (KI86qq). The very first evening Oct. 1st I succeeded to reach Bosnia on 40m with only 70W out and the 6m fishing stick mounted to the balcony at ground level. Next day I installed an 11m telescopic vertical on top of a 15m tower and hoped to make success on 40m. However, the dream was spoiled by the local QRM of S9+20dB from the FM radio studios next to the basement of the tower. Next I erected the beam and installed a multiband dipole with feeding point just under the beam at 11m, at 25m distance from the noisy tower. When the beam pointed towards the radio studios (Japan, Australia) local QRM increased by 30dB (S5), compared to S0 when pointing towards Europe and Americas at 10m band. QRM level at the 40m dipole was S9, S9+. That enabled limited 40m operation at good conditions. Later I discovered that an inverted V dipole for 40m can be installed behind the next building some 50m away from the noisy tower. The feeding point was eleveated to appr 15m by my 11m telescopic mast tied to a tree as high up as possible. Dipole slope angle was appr 120deg. The new dipole was appr 2 S-units less noisy QRM level (S7) (for the first time I was able to hear atmospheric QRN), but the reports from Europe were not as good as with the previous dipole. I also tried to lower 40m noise level using Beverage antennas. There was space for a 60m long Beverage in N-S direction and another 100m long in E-W direction. The former was more noisy than my dipole, the longer one was less noisy, but I couldn't conclude how it worked because of lack of Japanese and Australian stations.

I found that quite a few stations made multiple contacts on the same band, why, as I uploaded my log, over a crapy Internet connection, as soon as possible after each pile-up. Stations making duplicates steal air time from those, who may be looking for their first one. In addition the duplicaters increase the pile-up noise, which slows down the QSO rate and makes life harder for the DX operator. There was even quite a few stations making duplicates during the same pileup - rude behavior. Next time, I have to use a contest log that can show duplicates on the fly without need for mouse clicking.

Logs at http://www.saunalahti.fi/arnyl/log.html

QSL info: via buro or direct via my home call OH2NNE (see QRZ.com). I prefer $ for return stamp. The QSL return stamp $s, received so far, were converted to 121 school books for Kilingi Primary School, Sanya Juu. Thanks for your contribution. The logs 5H2DK and 5H2DK/P have been uploaded to LoTW and Club Log.

Thanks to everybody for making my expedition a success.