Few more direct QSL cards

H7H - Nicaragua 2013 - Great signals on 8 bands!

TX5D - Austral Islands - new on CW and on many bands 10/12 included!

FO/KH0PR - IOTA OC-094 - Napuka Atoll - Always great to work.

FO/KH0PR - IOTA OC-238 Reao Atoll - QSO managed on 28Mhz! Just 21 EU stations managed 10m QSO.

Last QSL arrival

Some nice QSL received during Christmas Period. It is now good time to sort QSL cards. 

3D2GC - Fiji - great double QSL card from Stan LZ1GC and his latest activity from Fiji.

5J0R - San Andres sorted on 8 bands and 3 emissions

CE0YHO - Jose , native operator from Easter Island. New on phone mode for me.

J34J - Great Japan DX-Pedition from Grenada. Pleasure to work and pleasure to deal with QSL Manager. Great example how DX-Pedition QSL has to be managed. Well done!

TO2TT - finest Italian job! Great Team from many years and high DX-pedition skills. Looking forward for another TT! Ciao!

Stormy December

Storm over British Isles 26 December 2013

Last few days wind was horrible! Last two weeks Ireland was battered by very strong winds. My antennas are OK. But yesterday noticed some problems when tried to work A63RI IOTA DX-Pedition from AS-124. SWR on my 2ele Delta was very high. Also something wrong was with my rotator. After investigation found problem. Antenna coax was damaged by the wind also rotator cable had similar problem. Cables were touching my shed`s roof. Metal pieces on the roof did that damage.

Damaged coax and rotator cable.

Had enough cable to make them bit shorter without replacing them but looks like my antenna coax need to be replaced soon. Noticed some water inside.

K9W Wake Island - CFM on LoTW

K9W Wake Atoll 2013

Great surprise on LoTW today. K9W electronic QSL arrived. Many thanks for BIG New ONE! 296
DXCC country confirmed on HAM bands. Great DX-Pedition TOP Class DXers and All QSOs to remember!  Still waiting for paper QSL ordered via OQRS on Clublog.

DX-Pedition of the Year 2013

Just voted! DX-World DX-Pedition of the Year 2013 pool is ON now. 2 votes maximum. I have my 3 favourites this year. But only 2 can get my votes. So here it is.

1) TX5K - Clipperton - worked on 8 bands / three emissions with back-up radio in my shack. DXA real time log! Just great!

2) K9W - Wake Atoll - 6 bands / 2 emissions - great hunt on higher bands (10/12)

3) VU7AG - Lakshadweep Islands - at last professional job from VU7! 8 bands / 3 emissions 

I will do some statistics for 2013 later here. With my personal AWARD for one of MOST WANTED operators on HF who gave me EI9KCs QSO of the 2013 year :)

Wind!

Very strong wind is now in Ireland. We were very lucky last time when 2 very strong winds destroyed several places in Europe. This time EI is main target. Hold your antennas!

300 - 1 = .... 301

This is some crazy mathematics here.  300 - 1 = .... 301  What does means ?

300 it was number of my worked countries few days ago (by the Clublog)

Today by the Clublog I am on 299 ....

Why ?

5A1AL Abubaker and his recent activity from Libya is not valid for DXCC. No licence.

So 5A1AL doesn`t count for awards at the moment. 

This is why Clublog removed my QSOs with Libya from my statistics.

I am not interested to get DXCC awards for now.

And my own statistics shows 301 countries worked.

What doesn`t count?

EZ8BP - Turkmenistan - Vlad has no valid licence ....

5A1AL - Libya - Abubaker - same story ....

I have to accept it, even as I said ... not interested in DXCC awards at the moment. But I am licensed HAM radio operator and I should only work licensed operators ... This is not 11m.

I hope to get my 300`th valid country soon ;)

Today "in my box"

Nice package received from Allan W6HGF!

KG4HF - Guantanamo Bay 6 bands and modes CW included CFM!

J8/W6HGF - 15m CW

FP/W6HGF - 20/30m RTTY

Many thanks Al!

Not in log or busted call-sign.

Doesn`t happen so often but it does.

"If you have opportunity work us again" - UFF if you are working rare DX you might not have 2`nd chance to manage 2-way QSO. For example T33A Banaba Island opening on 15m in Ireland on just one mornig! So how to repeat QSO when you call in their log book is busted or your are not in log?

At the moment I am dealing with few DX-Pedition when my call-sign is busted or for some reason I am not logged.

1) K9W - 20M SSB - logged as EI9KF - I will leave that as have SSB on the other band and 20mCW is sorted.

2) XR0ZR - QSO on 17m not in log .... one missing band ....

3) W8A - On 40m/15m logged as EI8KC - on 40m QSO repeated on 15m not. QSO on 17m not in log ....

4) 3DA0ET - QSO on 40m RTTY logged as EA9KC 

5) VU7AG - QSO on 17m logged as EI9KAB - had a chance to repeat and now is correct. QSO  12mCW logged as EI9KAC - had no chances to repeat did RTTY instead.

Grenada by JA Team

J34J Team (picture from their website) http://www.ndxa.net/j3/

I had Grenada confirmed on few bands but some new slots still needed. J34J great Team from Japan gave me opportunity for new bands and modes. Thanks for great operation.

I will remember 10m SSB , good fun, no always I can hear Japan stations on SSB.

Needed one slot on Phone with Grenada as new DXCC on Phone.

Lakshadweep islands on 80!

When last activity from VU7 was SWLed by my station they had very little signal or no signal at all. VU7AG was announced few weeks ago I think it was in October. Never mind. Just one QSO for New One will do I was thinking .... A friend of mine told me they cannot used PA there. So far VU7AG logged on 7 bands 80m included! Massive signals on low bands. It was not easy to work them as pile-up is heavy but some luck will do a job. Listen pile-up , that is the trick. Just one band missing 12m. Good Luck to All!

Welcome Lakshadweep islands #300

Agatii Island on Lakshadweep.

Welcome VU7AG  Lakshadweep islands as my 300 DXCC worked on HAM bands! At last good TEAM is on VU7 and I had pleasure to make few contacts with them already. Thanks a lot! 

EI1Y

"New Contest station was born" said Oleg EI7KG just few minutes after CQWW CW 2013 Contest.

Last weekend I was a member of EI1Y!

A lot of work was done to put EI1Y on air some of work just last minute ! 2 days before contest 2`nd tower was finished. EI1Y is a home QTH of Michal EI3KG and EI5JQ Adam. EI1Y is a contest call of Papa Lima DX and Contest Group EI0PL.

Our Team on EI1Y did fantastic result as a first timers!

6445 QSOs

5 bands DXCC ;) - more details about EI1Y score later.

EI7KD and EI3KG operated RUN station.

EI2JD / EI5JQ / EI9FBB / EI9KC operated Mults station.

It was good fun to be on Mults station with EI Top DX`ers! Our job on Mults station was to find as many new CQ zones , DXCC countries on several bands as possible. And we did very well.

Almost 50% our QSOs with USA ..... each for 3 points ;)

American Samoa Day - in my log

At last! American Samoa logged as new country. W8A - they busted my call on 40mCW (EI8KC) and it was a chance to correct it - now is OK. Another station logged from American Samoa was Hrane YT1AD using his USA call-sign KH8/N9YU on 20mCW. Then fine QSO with W8A on 15mCW ... and on the end QSO with David KH8/WD5COV on 20mCW. When W8A log was updated by the end of the day .... checked .... my QSO with W8A on 15m busted again .... they logged me as EI8KC .... ufff .... same mistake. I hope it can be sorted out.

Wake Island on 10/12 for final ....

Did not expect to work Wake Island on 10m and 12m. Last day , last day of K9W gave me 2 new bands! Great opening on higher bands and two QSOs via L/P. It was not easy ... CQ Zone 14 and Ireland/UK had most difficult to get them on higher bands. Split was wide on CW up 1 to up 9. It was "easy" to listen split but the find clear patch was a trick. 1h spent on 12m and 1.5h spent on 10m to make it! ... Last day ... very lucky. Few days ago SWL` them on 80m! Finally Wake Island worked on 6 bands from my QTH. Good thrill and DX-Pedition to remember!

XR0ZR - Juan Fernandez

Not easy and not so difficult from my location. Welcome XR0ZR in my log as NEW DXCC on HF. Juan Fernandez Island worked already on 3 bands. This is my 298 country worked and 244 on 28Mhz. 290 on CW / 272 on SSB. To be honest expected stronger signals. 10m was not too bad but 12m weak , 17m weak too .... 20m QSO was on noise level quality. QSOs managed when they called EU. Otherwise North America wall is too big.

T33A Banaba Island 2013

Just logged .... on 30m CW .... brand NEW DXCC ! T33A Banaba Island. He was calling and calling CQ and he had no takers .... I was trying to get Them on 30m earlier on but without luck. They were on 10.115 and split was up 8-9 sometimes .... First day .... no worries. Then they went QRX on 30m for about an hours. When returned , changed QRG to 10.114Mhz CQ CQ T33A, T33A up ... No cluster spot so far! When I was calling up1 I did not get any reply. Signal fantastic, no other station were calling! I was up 1 and CQ CQ T33A, T33A up ... decided up 2 ... One shot ;) EI9KC EI9KC 599 TU 73 EE! :) Here is their signal recorded shortly after QSO. T33A is using DXA2 similar software like on TX5K Clipperton in March 2013

I am very happy with my 30m dipole. Once again gave me NEW DXCC. Pacific location is what that antenna like BEST! Good Luck!

DX of DX - Marion Island ZS8C

The Prince Edward islands are South African territory, but are considered a separate DXCC entity because of their distance from the mainland. The group consists of two islands, Prince Edward and Marion. As Prince Edward is uninhabited, Marion is the DXer’s only hope of a contact with this country ... [source] And ... EI9KC is more than happy to log ZS8C Carson as NEW DXCC !!! Managed to make 2-way QSO today on 28Mhz! DX of DX and my 296 DXCC worked on HAM bands. I was not sure 100% because on top of my station station with similar call-sign was calling him as well it was IT9KCD , sound similar and with very weak signal from Marion Island I was not sure. But when Italian station finished his QSO I gave Carson another call and he confirmed ... EI9KC you are in my log. Happy days! Thanks Carson! Many thanks!

ZS8C Carson`s log is now on Clublog online search 

K9W - Wake Island - on 40m CW

This is recording from my shack shortly after my 2`nd QSO with K9W Wake Island! This time managed 40mCW with dipole on the tree .... Great! Similar time to my yesterday`s QSO around 6:00PM here in EI. Did not expect to work them on 40m! Happy days! My station and K9W we were both on .... grey line .... GL!

Wake Island - DX like a dream ....

Wake Island DX-Pedition 2013 started QRV yesterday. I was thinking how to get them and what will be best time to hear them and where of course. This is one of the hardest location from EI to work. Straight over North Pole. When they started I had pleasure to listen them from .... Australia  by using WebSDR radio receiver from VK land link here. And I was surprised how Scandinavian stations are working them during the day on 40m ... Anyway ... We are not Scandinavia and job has to be done ... Antenna for high bands is down, strong wind and gusts today.

We are on opposite side at the moment. When day is here, night is on Wake ,  Grey line is almost the same. Just a bit but closer. We might get condition like during CQWW SSB when K9W will be workable on 28Mhz I wish! But for now middle bands only. During the day here I was listening them from my QTH on 30m. Sometimes signal was good , but pile-up - say nothing ! Half CW portion for 30m was covered by pile-up. Signal was small. Job for dipole on 30m ? Do not thing so ... But happy with SWL ;)

Their operating frequency by the band plan for Wake Island Dx-pedition is 10.103Mhz. For most of the time they were on 10.104 which was better because 10.103 is very noisy and covered by radar QRM. When night was over there on Wake and day was over here in EI K9W was on 10.103 noisy frequency ... but they had no-pile-up! I don`t know what they are using for 30m there. Signal was very tiny. Plus radar QRM no-workable. Decided to use all available filters on my transceiver ... it helps. But after that their signal did not sound like Morse Code ... It was like drum :) Who cares ? Could hear Them! And work them! To be honest .... easy ..... And I did it! New DXCC - Wake Island in my log! On my favourite band!

San Andres 2013 DXpedition

5J0R San Andres 2013 DXpedition is now QRV on the bands. I had just one QSO with this entity on 20m CW. Early wake-up today to catch them on lower bands. This location is no so difficult here in West Europe so I had a hope to log them on 80m. It was hard to break the pile-up but I did it. Pile-up heavy because it was their first night on the air. So far loged them on 80/40/30/20/17/15 ... looking forward for 12 and 10 ...

A lot is going now on the bands .... K9W , K9W , K9W ..... is a target now! Good Luck to All!

CQ WW SSB 2013

Had a pleasure to spend few hours on the radio during CQWW SSB 2013. During windy condition and other important commitments I`ve made 400 QSO on 21Mhz. 85 countries and 25 CQ zones. Great fun it was when my antenna was just 3m above the ground level and I was able to make some interesting DX including Hawaii Islands, Japan, China, Alaska. Not always had a chances to break a pile-up. Didn`t log many stations. 99% of my activity I was calling other stations. Did some CQ as well but not impressive , made about 10 QSOs. Enjoyed when I was chasing for example ON stations and when finally logged heard "thanks for new one". ;) 85 DXCC scored with my antenna pointed at 315 I did not use DX Cluster to look for Multipliers but I was sending spots when heard some of them. Noticed wonderful opening on 28Mhz  during this contest looks like it was one of the strongest on 10m during this solar circle.

Job has to be done ...

Busy day at EI0PL Club station. Adam EI5JQ will participate this weekend in CQWW SSB 2013 Contest and we had to do some antenna job at his QTH. Second antenna had to be erased for Multiplier station. On the picture Adam EI5JQ doing antenna job. 

Meanwhile when we had some spare time bands were monitored for DX.

I had pleasure to log several Japan stations on 20m CW , Palau on 20 as well, Marianas Islands on 20 

and South Korea on 14Mhz too. On 40m nice DX from West Malaysia. 

Dx of the day was FW5JJ Jean-Jacques worked on 15mSSB. His QTH is Wallis Island.

At the moment he is using G5RV and 100W only and good antennas in EU are needed to copy his signal. Did some record of his station using my phone.

285 DXCC worked on CW

I had little hope to catch Al Danis W6HGF as KG4HF on CW. When he was active on CW it was always too late for EU or too early. Tomorrow KG4HF is going QRT ...  he was very active on the bands from Guantanamo Bay but mainly on DIGI modes. I had pleasure to log him on 6 bands all RTTY. CW was on the dream list. And it happened tonight! . / .. / ----. / -.- / -.-. / in the log CW mode on 12m! Great .... it is my 285 DXCC worked on morse code. Slow WPM speed but no worries. I had to remember his RTTY style of operation to find best split option. Done at up 0.5 ;) Thanks Allan!
BTW his fast QSL on LoTW gave me 200 DXCC confirmed on 30m band!

3 new ones on 30m in one night

Great achievement on 10Mhz last night. So far my favorite band on HF. No much time for the radio during the day but no worries 30m is in good shape during the night. And my first new one was

TI5/N3KS - Costa Rica (CW)

Then had hard battle to get into the log of TN2MS - DAGOE MERCY SHIPS DXpedition to the Republic of the Congo ... around 1:30 local time they had good open window to North America and it was very hard to break the wall. I had few QSO with them already, no much pressure on higher bands with this DXCC but on lower welcome. My antenna is covered from Africa side and it is not easy to make it through. But I did it! (CW)

And the last one .... GITMO .... KG4HF Al Danis.

He is doing great job from there. Bit late showing up on low bands but it was worth to wait for him. Signal was not strong. I was only able to receive and decode some single letters but 2-way QSO was made! (RTTY)

Night to remember. 220 DXCC worked already on 30m. 199 confirmed

Last new DXCC confirmed on 30w was Azerbaijan and QSO with Vlad 4K9W great CW Op.

Good condition on higher bands.

Higher bands are in good shape last few days .... 10m and 12m are wide open. In the morning Japan are coming with great signals and in the evening West Coast are strong too. Hawaii Islands are logged in the morning on 28Mhz via long path and Easter Pacific Ocean are strong in the evening. Next weekend CQ World Wide DX Contest SSB 2013 - I hope bands will stay open for the greatest competition on HAM bands. Be ready ! 

Mozambique - filling the gaps ....

C82DX is now QRV. I had few QSOs with Mozambique confirmed and few new band slots are welcome. For some reason they are not so strong on higher bands. Managed few QSOs already. Happy to see them on 30m in my log. Africa is not easy with my 30m dipole .... few days ago struggled TO2TT without luck .... this time C82DX lucky logged .... most of the time by watching their style of operation in split.

Aloha on 80m - confirmed!

Big New One received today : QSL. KH7Y Fred confirmed QSO on .... 80m! Not easy one on 3.5Mhz! Especially with dipole on the tree .... Many thanks Fred

Iota Contest 2013 Results ....

EJ1Y - IOTA Contest Team 2013 from EU-006 Inish More Island

From left to righ:

EI9FBB / EI9KC / EI5JQ /  SP9NWN / SQ7NNM / EI4GK / EI3KG / EI7KD / SP7IDX

Provisional Results from IOTA Contest 2013 are published now on RSGB IOTA Contest Page. So far EJ1Y - Papa Lima DX & Contest Group on 7`th position - IOTA DX-Pedition - Multi Operator 24h High Power Category. With 2078 valid QSOs - 440 Mults And 6983300 points. Great results!

See you next year from EU-007 Great Blasket Island for IOTA 2014! 

Guantanamo Bay

Not so often we can hear station from Guantanamo Bay on the bands. Direction is not so difficult from EI but pile-up is always guaranteed. Yesterday was first day when KG4HF - Al (W6HGF) showed up on 12m RTTY. I am not big fan of digi modes but to work new DXCC on the bands there is no choice .... KG4HF worked on 12m and few hours later QSL on LoTW! Great! It was my 2`nd QSO with DXCC and first QSL on LoTW. I will always remember QSO when I was calling CQ and KG4EM gave me a call on 20mSSB. I like style of KG4HF, rapid ClubLog / LoTW while he is still there. Few more days left I hope to catch him on another bands. Good Luck.

Austral Islands on 28Mhz !

Yes ... Austral Islands again ... after few days waiting for good condition on 28Mhz today logged at last ... TX5D on 28Mhz ... Uff was not easy , good EU pile-up, wonderful signal. Great location for DX on 10m, great QSO, great DX-Pedition. Thanks for your time for EU Lads! At the moment missed Austral Islands on 20/17m TX5RV will be soon QRV from Raivavae so there will be a chance another time.

Beverages needed

4 more days left with TX5D. Tried to catch them on 28Mhz but condition was not good last night on 10m. Today early in the morning they were active on 80mCW. Heard them , very weak signal too weak to manage 2-way QSO. Beverages for low bands are needed if I want to work small remote places with average 80m antenna. In my QTH at the moment there is no room for such antenna system ... Had a pleasure to give them a call on 40m instead and get reply EI9KC 599 on CW. Operator on the other side asked for EU shortly after sunrise in EI.

Austral Islands on 12m

Last night when TX5D showed up on 12m CW I had no chances to get them .... NA wall was too strong. Operator on the other side did not call EU and opening wasn`t long. Maybe it was longer but when they started 12m bands closed soon in my QTH. This evening decided wait for them .... when I went back from work they were active on 17m CW but I had no signal at all. About 17:30 UTC they went QRT -  breakfast ? Looks like. I knew it they will be back - but which band? AT 18:49 first spot on 20mSSB - no chances for me that time .... I knew it CW operator will be shortly on the air and he was !!! As usual robot - spotter W3LPL (Bull %^%$^^&%&%^ skimmer!)- decoded them on 12mCW and sent cluster spot. I had few moments only! And I took it! 2`nd station logged was EI9KC :) Workable opening was shorter than yesterday - 3 minutes , maybe less. Then strong QSB .... Thanks for FB DX!

Austral Island on CW .... done!

TX5D Suitcase DXpedition is now QRV on the bands. When they started in PSK31 mode ... I had nothing to do. But they promised CW as well ;) When their signal showed up on 30m in my location it was very strong real 599 on my 30m dipole. Glad to make QSO making Austral Islands new DXCC worked on CW.

QSL by The Bureau busy long day ....

EJ0PL - EJ1Y - QSL Front 

EJ0PL - EJ1Y - QSL Back

This is QSL card from EJ0PL 2013 IOTA DX-Pedition from EU-006 Inishmore Island. Card is now printed and almost all Direct QSL cards are replied (posted last week) and today was "QSL by The Bureau" day. We had to answer all OQRS request made via

Great service for QSL cards management and log on-line.

Several hundred cards were overprinted with QSO details.

We also had to answer few hundred QSL cards received recently for 2012 year for DX-Pedition from EU-103 Saltee Island

EJ0PL QSL Card from EU-103 Saltee Island 2012 operation.

Around 1000 cards were prepared today to be posted "By the Bureau" 

 

All printed cards ready to by stamped "Verified by EI5JQ" QSL Manager of EJ0PL

Uff

In the mean time we monitored bands to chase for some DX .... it was busy day to be honest .... I had to pleasure to log about 100 QSO today.

Enjoyed great 10m opening towards North America

As we were busy from 6AM this morning a lot of DX contacted today!

Stay tuned and expect your EJ0PL card soon!

EJ0PL card were printed by 

OQRS by 

73 de EI9KC