Thomas, F4HPX
“I found an advertisement from Valdas 5B4AOF on the QRZ.COM site: “DX Holidays in 5B” and immediately thought of HF contests when I heard in France several contest stations from Cyprus that scored very high or often won contests.
The geographical position is very favorable here because Cyprus, although being one of the European Union countries, is attached by ITU to the Asia zone, which automatically plays the role of a multiplier.
Moreover, it is an island, and the sea around helps lower the departure angle of the waves, thus favoring DX contacts. After seeing the description of his station, I contacted Valdas by email and was able to book a short stay in a small bungalow that also contains his radio shack.
I have to say that the station is well equipped and well organized, allowing SO2R with two transceivers/two amplifiers with complete automation of antenna selectors and bandpass filters. The antennas on towers promised good performance.
Valdas explained well the operation of the station, and I became autonomous within minutes. Quickly, a call on a band generated a pileup coming from Europe, and it was a pleasure to be chased like a DX instead of chasing other DX.
Everything worked perfectly, I was able to contact all continents with disconcerting ease, and I received very often unsolicited reports about good modulation and signal strength of 59 to 59+20 and thousands of kilometers from here.
The station is located 450m above sea level.
I was very happy with this “DX” part and Valdas’ warm welcome on site. I think I will return, maybe to participate in an important international contest.
For the “Holidays” part, Cyprus also offered many historical sites to visit, and the weather at the end of September was very pleasant: blue skies every day, temperatures around 30°C, and the warm sea inviting for swimming.
Greek cuisine is to enjoy too in the many restaurants in the coastal towns.
In one sentence an experience to be repeated!”
————————————————————————————————————
Dmitry RA3CO/PZ5DX, P3CR in WAEDX SSB 2024
“I recently operated from Valdas’ and his club maintained Ham Radio station in Cyprus as a guest in WAEDC SSB contest using their club station contest call P3CR and it was an excellent experience.
Overall Experience: The station is well-maintained, offering everything needed for a smooth and successful contest effort.
Equipment: The setup includes two high-quality transceivers, a Yaesu FTdx3000 and a Kenwood TS590SG, both of which performed flawlessly. Valdas’ station automation is top-notch. Any antenna can be connected to either radio, filtering is great. During my SO2R operation (albeit low power), there was no inter-station interference—everything worked seamlessly.
Location and Setup: Situated on a quiet hill in a rural area, the location offers good take-off angles for most directions. There is a slight elevation to the north, but it didn’t significantly affect signal strength. The station features two multiband antennas: a 2-element quad for 20-10 meters (including WARC bands) and a multiband Optibeam for 40-10 meters. Both performed well.
Host and Support: Valdas is an attentive and helpful host. I had no technical issues, and he regularly checked in to ensure everything was running smoothly. He kindly kept me fed and produced an awesome iced tea with coconut milk during the contest.
Value for Money: The accommodation and the access to the shack was an excellent value, considering the quality of equipment, location, and support.
Contest Performance: Despite a solar disturbance during the contest weekend, the station performed reliably, and I managed to submit a score that is a claimed Asian all-time record for SOAB LP.
Amenities: The accommodation is new and comfortable, featuring a radio room and a living quarters with a couch and a small kitchen. While the shack can get warm during the day, separate air conditioning for the shack and living area keeps everything comfortable. The internet connection was stable and reliable.
Recommendation: I highly recommend this station for both casual and serious contesters. The combination of excellent equipment, a quiet location, and Valdas’ support makes it an ideal choice.”
————————————————————————————————————
Yuri VE3DZ, P3D in CQWW CW 2023
“I am very happy to be the first one to give 5B4AOF (P3C) station a serious “ride” in one of the most important Contests – CQ WW DX CW.
Station is engineered pretty well to suit either SO2R or Multi-Single operation. “Double L” band decides and automatic antenna switches, and band pass filters by VA6AM makes it really simple and productive. With more low band antenna improvements the station should play real well.
The owner of the station Val 5B4AOF is very experienced HAM. Him and his lovely XYL Araya are great hosts.”