Wednesday 27 February 2013

another good day on 20m

as well as Iceland, and a bunch of good solid European stations I stumbled over the last couple of minutes of a CW contest with a few us contacts.  nothing as exciting as a new state, but two new entries in my top 20 distance chart.


UR5FEH Ukraine
OK2BLR Czech Rep
UY2RA Ukraine
N4ZZ USA TN
N8BJQ USA OH
N3JT USA VA
DJ4OQ Germany
RJ3DA Russia
W1OG USA MA
I1QQC Italy
WF1D USA NH
I5GJK Italy
YO6ZS Romania
HA3OD Hungary
IK8ARJ Italy
UA4PNT Russia
UT7NY Ukraine
TF3JB Iceland
EA5BYP Spain
EH7DAM Spain

and the distance list now looks like:


ZL2IBF New Zealand 11381
N2PW USA AZ 4936
N9RV USA MT 4257
K1AY USA FL 4179
N4TB USA FL 4119
K4WI USA AL 4109
PT0S St Peter & St Paul Rocks 3943
NQ4I USA GA 3934
K4TCG USA TN 3899
N4ZZ USA TN 3882
W0EWD USA IA 3871
KC9KBB USA IL 3869
KT9T USA MN 3705
K4DY USA NC 3704
W0AIH USA WI 3636
K4MA USA NC 3604
N8BJQ USA OH 3585
NY4A USA NC 3542
NY4A USA NC 3542
NQ4E USA VA 3459

Tuesday 26 February 2013

Weekend?  wall to wall contesting again, so only a few contacts....


OF3I Finland
HG1DX Hungary
W2LE USA NJ
WX3B USA MD
9A4U Croatia
YT4A Serbia
RM3Z Russia
LY2DX Lithuania
LZ1ND Bulgaria
HF2013MAX Poland
YT1A Serbia
EW6GF Belarus
YT2ISM Serbia

Monday....

a few bits & bobs, nothing TOO shocking......


DL2RTU Germany
YU2NZ Serbia
IW2NBW Italy
DL3RDM Germany
DL9MN Germany
UR5TKM Ukraine
I3UK Italy
YO3AMM Romania

today?

well, nothing doing but playing on 20m CW...

notable moments?

well, Morocco,  only the second time there..... North Carolina, comes is at #9 in the distance chart, and 3 Serbian stations back to back, not until the 3rd did I notice that they all had the same surname.... I'm guessing father and two sons, all working from the same radio.....


OK1PL Czech Rep
DJQMN Germany
OM3CAZ Slovak rep
SP6LK Poland
DK6NI Germany
I1ZB Italy
EA2BVK Spain
DK6HW Germany
CN8GL Morocco
OH3TT Finland
K4DY USA NC
OK1DDB Czech Rep
OZ3PI Denmark
RW4WN Russia
E72GF Bosnia & Herz
YU15OTC Serbia
DG3MA Germany
YU1KL Serbia
YU1MA Serbia
YU6A Serbia
LZ1XL Bulgaria
F5TXA France
LZ2TW Bulgaria
I4CKC Italy
DL8MGD Germany
F6CHQ France
YT1KS Serbia
OE5WLL Austria
YO0BMO Romania
DL2RTU Germany
9A3GG Croatia
IK5ZWU Italy
UT5BW Ukraine
OE7WRH Austria
DL1MMK Germany


Friday 22 February 2013

a few QSOs today, one of the Antarctic activity week stations from Spain, a Bulgarian special station and one from Ohio.


IT9FGH Italy
UY1CI Ukraine
IK1GPK Italy
DL3EEJ Germany
YO2BBD Romania
DL1DEJ Germany
RG3K Russia
LZ969SCP Bulgaria
HB9EBT Switzerland
KC8VZV USA OH
DJ0YZ Germany
YU7SOL Serbia
SP3JFK Poland
AO7WAP Spain

KC8VZV from Ohio sneaks in at #19 on my top 20 distance QSOs


ZL2IBF New Zealand 11381
N2PW USA AZ 4936
N9RV USA MT 4257
K1AY USA FL 4179
N4TB USA FL 4119
K4WI USA AL 4109
PT0S St Peter & St Paul Rocks 3943
NQ4I USA GA 3934
K4TCG USA TN 3899
W0EWD USA IA 3871
KC9KBB USA IL 3869
KT9T USA MN 3705
W0AIH USA WI 3636
K4MA USA NC 3604
NY4A USA NC 3542
NY4A USA NC 3542
NQ4E USA VA 3459
NR4M USA VA 3433
KC8VZV USA OH 3428
N8AGU USA OH 3425

Thursday 21 February 2013

a few QSOs in the morning the almost a pileup this evening!

OK, 6 or 7 stations back to back with a few cases of two, or at one point three stations all calling me at once.  not a competition so no need for multipliers, and and no impressive DX, but nice all the same!


I1QQC Italy
IZ0UIN Italy
DK6OR Germany
DK2WM Germany
9A3GG Croatia
SP3DGV Poland
IK7PBS Italy
YU7LS Serbia
IK1WNO Italy
IZ0FYX Italy
S51NP Slovenia

Wednesday 20 February 2013

tuesday and wednesday.... only 2 QSOs on Tuesday, but things picked up on Wednesday.

I heard a couple of US stations, but couldn't get back to them.  I heard UA5C on 80 m and couldn't answer him, but I got him later on 40.  AO1ICE I had QSOed on Monday on 20m, and repeated the contact on 40 this evening. and HB9FAI/P pops up yet again!


PF13ANT Netherlands
RA1QV Russia
HB9AZX Switzerland
YU15OTC Serbia
HB9FAI/P Switzerland
UA4LF Russia
IT9XUA Italy
YU7BPO Serbia
YU5D Serbia
ON5SE Belgium
DK2SC Germany
DF1IAQ Germany
OE7EHH Austria
UT4UH Ukraine
PA0ATG Netherlands
DL4ZBY Germany
F8BJK France
EU6KA Belarus
OK2LA Czech Rep
UA5C Russia
AO1ICE Spain

Monday 18 February 2013

What a difference a day makes!!

all weekend the 20m band was full of American stations eager to work anyone outside the states.

today?

well, to be fair, conditions were pretty flat, but I did clearly hear 2 Californian stations in QSO with Europeans, but nothing for me.

then I heard someone ending with a very weak station, who's call I didn't catch.  I called him anyway and he answered to hear a GI4 /P station.  VERY low in the QRN so I couldn't really chat and find out where he was portable, but at least it was a contact.

two stations were ICE  stations as this is apparently Antarctica awareness week......

the first on this list was actually last nigh after I'd updated the log.


Sunday 17 February 2013

another day of the arrl dx competition.

started on 80 and got a response from Madiera on 80m.

then up to 20 for the afternoon and a bunch of US contacts and one Canadian.

after scanning the band several times and not hearing any US stations that I hadn't already contacted, I tried up to 10, and got one QSO there.


CR3A Funchal
K4TCG USA TN
NQ4I USA GA
NY4A USA NC
K0ZR USA VA
W4RM USA VA
K3LR USA PA
N9RV USA MT
N2PP USA NY
NR4M USA VA
W3LPL USA MD
K1AY USA FL
K5ZD USA MA
VE3YAA Canada ON
N8AGU USA OH
K4WI USA AL

New states?  MT, AL, GA, & TN

So, since this week?.......

12 new US states.....

and the top 20.....

16 of the entries were this week......

not bad at all!!


ZL2IBF New Zealand 11381
N2PW USA AZ 4936
N9RV USA MT 4257
K1AY USA FL 4179
N4TB USA FL 4119
K4WI USA AL 4109
PT0S St Peter & St Paul Rocks 3943
NQ4I USA GA 3934
K4TCG USA TN 3899
W0EWD USA IA 3871
KC9KBB USA IL 3869
KT9T USA MN 3705
W0AIH USA WI 3636
K4MA USA NC 3604
NY4A USA NC 3542
NY4A USA NC 3542
NQ4E USA VA 3459
NR4M USA VA 3433
N8AGU USA OH 3425
W8PT USA OH 3414

Saturday 16 February 2013

Thursday & Friday.

quite a few QSOs......

nothing spectacularly out of the ordinary......


RA1TU Russia
I8GMG Italy
YO3JD Romania
IK2CGH Italy
SM4TU Sweden
DL2HWH Germany
F5TCI France
SV2CQB Greece
LZ13FDAY Bulgaria
OK1AVG Czech Rep
EA3CW Spain
DC7HP Germany
IK2RMZ Italy
F3WK France
F5MPS France

Saturday?

well, a whole other story!!

it started with my first DX on 80m.  W1MK in MA.  not a bad feat as I'm still sitting on static to at least s9.

then, after a couple of "local" QSOs,  I got caught up in a contest.  its US against the world, so every US station is calling and listening, while everyone else in chasing the US at the same time.



G6PZ England
W1MK USA MA
GM3YOR Scotland
OK7K Czech Rep
IR4M Italy
K2AX USA NJ
KB3WD USA MD
N4TB USA FL
W2XL USA NY
W0EWD USA IA
K2XA USA NY
W4RM USA VA
K1LZ USA MA
N2PW USA AZ
W1WEF USA CT
K2NV USA NY
NQ4E USA VA
WK1Q USA CT
NY4A USA NC
W1CSM USA MA
K4MA USA NC
W0AIH USA WI
N3RS USA PA

so, summing up......7, YES, SEVEN!! new US states  AZ, FL, IA, WI, NC, VA,  & MD,

AND MY TOP 20 DISTANCE CHART?

ONLY ELEVEN NEW ENTRIES!!!!!!


ZL2IBF New Zealand 11381
N2PW USA AZ 4936
N4TB USA FL 4119
PT0S St Peter & St Paul Rocks 3943
W0EWD USA IA 3871
KC9KBB USA IL 3869
KT9T USA MN 3705
W0AIH USA WI 3636
K4MA USA NC 3604
NY4A USA NC 3542
NQ4E USA VA 3459
W8PT USA OH 3414
W4RM USA VA 3404
5N4EAM Nigeria 3372
KB3WD USA MD 3338
AF3R USA DE 3308
RC9O Russia 3297
K3MD USA PA 3274
N3RS USA PA 3268
K2NV USA NY 3260

Wednesday 13 February 2013

2 days and quite a few nice cw qsos. is it fair to single any out?

well, KT9T today is my first contact in Minesota, and at 3705 miles, is in at #4 on the distance charts!  seems like every week brings in another chart placement!


OK1AY Czech Rep
HA2AL Hungary
DJ1WW Germany
OM3LL Slovak rep
OZ2BAL Denmark
OE2013SLH Austria
EM70LL Ukraine
HA5FA Hungary
HA1KF Hungary
IW2NBW Italy
OK1ACO Czech Rep
OE2013J Austria
DF1KAG Germany
IK6CMH Italy
PF100ZOO Netherlands
EA7AWW Spain
OE5WLL Austria
DJ7AS Germany
DL7MA Germany
OK5JM Czech Rep
I2RTF Italy
LA8IG Norway
YO4BRD Romania
DL9LM Germany
RU3ZL Russia
KT9T USA MN
F6GSI France
IK5DVT Italy
F6UIG France
I1QQC Italy
ES2NO Estonia
E72GF Bosnia & Herz
HA3HF Hungary
UZ3UV Ukraine

Monday 11 February 2013

3 days of bits and pieces......

at 2399 miles, ra9ky looks a fair distance, but only #33 in my best ever list......


LZ3LD Bulgaria
OK1XGL Czech Rep
RA9KY Russia
EA1PF Spain
YT6T Serbia
EW8EW Belarus
RD3BV Russia
DL1OD Germany
YU1DW Serbia
YO6DMK Romania
UT1PO Ukraine
OH6MM Finland
F6BSQ France
YO2BBX Romania
IK2CGH Italy
HB9AQF Switzerland
HA2RQ Hungary
RA1TJ Russia

I've been working on a slinky spring antenna for 80m.  today I rigged it indoors with no balun.  QRN was 2 s points higher than the long wire outside....  not a clue if this is a good thing!  I'm not going to try mounting it up on the eves until I have a 1:1 balun to compare.  the torroid is ordered......  More details to follow.

Friday 8 February 2013

decent day on 20m.

one of the Austrian Ski stations called me rather than working the usual pile ups.... cool!

then I was called by KZ1H from USA MA loud and clear.  then Vo1DM who I had real difficulty hearing, but full credit to him, he kept on trying til I got it.


DL7ARH Germany
HA0HH Hungary
DF6RI Germany
OE2013V Austria
DL8OAY Germany
F6IWD France
IK3DRO Italy
DL3FBD Germany
EC7DWP Spain
R3DQ Russia
LZ2TW Bulgaria
IZ1XTG Italy
YO9HXQ Romania
KZIH USA MA
VO1DM Canada
HA6NW Hungary

Kz1h made it to 23 in the distance chart, but vo1dm was #11


ZL2IBF New Zealand 11381
PT0S St Peter & St Paul Rocks 3943
KC9KBB USA IL 3869
W8PT USA OH 3414
5N4EAM Nigeria 3372
AF3R USA DE 3308
RC9O Russia 3297
K3MD USA PA 3274
AA3B USA PA 3252
N2NC USA NJ 3206
VO1DM Canada 3199
K2WCT USA NJ 3184
K2QBV USA NY 3152
K2TQC USA NY 3147
K2WY USA NY 3096
K1PUG USA CT 3085
KB2UZY USA MA 3052
K1SM USA MA 3007
K1RAW USA MA 3000
KB1VXH USA MA 2996

Thursday 7 February 2013

learning CW

My morse is progressing.  I'm gradually getting better, but still a long way to go.

something I've noticed.

listening to slow morse takes a lot of concentration.

listening to morse where the letters are sent quickly, but with spaces is far easier than when the same numbers of letters were sent per minutes but just slowed down.

there is a station that i've QSOed a couple of times now and it's a total nightmare, because the sending is really slow.  THAT isn't the problem.  the problem is that the DAHs are a second long, and the DITs were 3/4 of a second. it was a nightmare to try to read.  a couple of weeks ago I had a QSO with anoher station that was sending at about 5 words a minute, widely spaced, sharp letters and it was a dream to read and I complimented that guy on his crisp, easy to read CW.

Ah well, enough rant for one day!

not a huge time on the radio today, so only a few HF QSOs:


F8CHT France
HB9JCI Switzerland
I1YRL Italy
RU3ZL Russia
S58MU Slovenia
DL2JKK Germany
SP2CQF Poland
DL3JFA Germany
DK3OZ Germany

Wednesday 6 February 2013

Nice wee day on 20m today.

19 QSOs one new country with San Marino, and another Mass. station, which at 3007 miles counts as DX regardless of your measurement method.... another continent or over 3000 miles......


F8AWE France
F6UIG France
OK2LW Czech Rep
EA2BHK Spain
SM5RV Sweden
DL7SO Germany
DL0VK Germany
HA2MY Hungary
K1SM USA MA
EW1MM Belarus
F6IJU France
DG4FDQ Germany
SM7CFF Sweden
Z37HWX Macedonia
F8FJG/QRP France
SP6CJE Poland
OE2013SLH Austria
F5NIH France
T77C San Marino

and that means the top 20 looks like.......


ZL2IBF New Zealand 11381 CW
PT0S St Peter & St Paul Rocks 3943 SSB
KC9KBB USA IL 3869 SSB
W8PT USA OH 3414 SSB
5N4EAM Nigeria 3372 SSB
AF3R USA DE 3308 SSB
RC9O Russia 3297 SSB
K3MD USA PA 3274 CW
AA3B USA PA 3252 CW
N2NC USA NJ 3206 SSB
K2WCT USA NJ 3184 SSB
K2QBV USA NY 3152 SSB
K2TQC USA NY 3147 CW
K2WY USA NY 3096 SSB
K1PUG USA CT 3085 CW
KB2UZY USA MA 3052 SSB
K1SM USA MA 3007 CW
K1RAW USA MA 3000 SSB
KB1VXH USA MA 2996 SSB
W1KBN USA MA 2986 SSB

Tuesday 5 February 2013

two days, 23 QSOs.

4 on Monday, 19 on Tuesday

most on 20m, but a couple on 40 and 80 as well.


HB9CIC Switzerland
SE6Y Sweden
YU15OTC Serbia
EW1TZ Belarus
DM4SW/M Germany
OK4RQ Czech Rep
DJ7OM Germany
DK0DW Germany
HB9DAX Switzerland
DL1DUS Germany
DF5WBA Germany
IZ3PYE Italy
HG66MALEV Hungary
F6EAZ France
LZ13FDAY Bulgaria
DK3IV Germany
HA5RO Hungary
IZ0AEZ Italy
IZ8BRI Italy
E74A Bosnia & Herz
DF1DV Germany
EC7DWP Spain
G0NXA England

Sunday 3 February 2013

up early today and on the radio before 06:45

a contest was already under way so I looked up whay exchange they wanted (call, signal rept and IYU zone) so I jumped in.

and my first QSO was a new country.  yay!!

in fact all of my 5 QSOs were former Iron curtain countries.......


4L8A Georgia
HA5UA Hungary
UA1AFT Russia
UR5IXA Ukraine
RK4FM Russia

Saturday 2 February 2013

the parts for my next attempt at a 80m antenna arrived today.

4 slinky springs, and a drum of para cord to hold it up.

details to follow!

QRN on 80m is a nightmare.  nearly always 59 or higher.

so today I tried switching a few things off, and I discover that when I unplug the old PC that sits about half a metre from the FT101B, the QRN drops by two points.

further investigation needs to follow!

2 days worth of QSOs include my longest QSO on 80m using the long wire, (DK1WU) as well as a few others.  weekends are awful for those of us who aren't into contesting!


I8GMG Italy
G3XWD England
S51WO Slovenia
OK1AHV Czech Rep
YO2DFA Romania
OK1HCC Czech Rep
DJ7ER Germany
EA1PF Spain
DL3RMU Germany
IZ2XZM/QRP Italy
UX1BZ Ukraine
LZ1QI Bulgaria
G3WMV England
DK1WU Germany
DL3KAS Germany
HB9FAI/P Switzerland
HA6NL Hungary
UX7U Ukraine