HF diario: March 2014

Sunday, 30 March 2014

VK9MT - Mellish Reef

VK9MT - Mellish Reef - DX Pedition 2014 QRV!

20/17/15/12/10M - good signals , workable :) Massive pile-up at the start even during WPX Contest.

Managed one QSO on 28Mhz CW wide split up approx 9 ... ATNO for me!

VK9MT signal recorded shortly after QSO

Saturday, 29 March 2014

Chasing DX in best condition ever seen on HF

This is my first Solar maximum on HF .... and condition is amazing. Can you imagine SWL VK/ZL stations on 28Mhz at 22:00 local here via L/P? Can you imagine work Chatham Island on 28Mhz at 20:00 here and work JA on 18Mhz at 22:00 or QRP stations from USA on 21Mhz using 5W and showing up on my radio 599+ ? or Austral Islands on 20m CW in the morning 599+ and Wallis and Futuna Island on 18Mhz at 7:00AM here via S/P and L/P with same signal 599? This is what we have now enjoy!

Monday, 24 March 2014

Telegraph news ...

Quite busy with some other stuff and no much time on the radio but did some nice QSOs anyway.

1) FG/F6ITD Jean Pierre from Guadalupe - in my log as new one on 80m. Rapid QSL on LoTW for this and few QSOs. Guadalupe is not difficult to work from EI but to get QSL on LoTW is different story.

2) ZL7AAA - QSO with Chatham Island on 40M SSB! I still cannot believe but it is true :) Contact logged in the morning at full daylight here using dipole. My Wimdom dipole installed to hear and work OC and is doing great job. NA and Caribbean not bad too .... rest of the World .... hard , very hard ... ;)

3) VP2V/SP9FIH first contact with British Virgin Island on Phone ... 17M SSB

4) ZL7AAA - another Chatham Island QSO in my log .... Done on 20M SSB using CW spilt. SWL the same operator from ZL7 yesterday on 14Mhz and worked out his split ....

5) W1AW/5 - ARRL HQ station , managed two QSOs from New Mexico as new WAS on 40/80M

6) EA6NB - Jaime and .... New DXCC on 12M. I have list on my radio for needed workable countries on 24Mhz so far. Balearic Island was one of them .... Still hunting for Sweden ... :)

7) TX6G - British Invasion on Raivavae - Austral Island and great style of operation. It is pleasure to work and SWL them on the bands. So far .... low bands 160/80 very weak .... very.

8) Uzbekistan on LoTW! Hard one , many stations from this country on Air but .... try to get QSL! This is first story .... almost every single OM from Uzbekistan is using QSL Manger in Russia .... and they are not dealing with Bureau so much and electronic confirmations .... There is ONE station which I had luck to find who is using LoTW .... QSO in RTTY , 15M. I will try to ask him for SKED QSOs. Finger crossed.

9) Indonesia on 30/40 confirmed YB4IR/P Raharjo! Great Iota

10) FW5JJ - Jean-Jacques - from Wallis and Futuna Island. He is active on the bands but for me it is hard to catch him on bands where I need it. Last night bit of luck .... spotted his CQ on RBN Network. Signal very weak. Almost the same like noises on the band. Few stations from DL gave him a call with success ... Decided to try as well. After few attempts .... got my call replied 599! New DXCC on 17M, the only "thing" is JJ logged me as EA9KC .... for such weak signal that type mistake can happen. I hope he will fix that entry in his log.

Thursday, 20 March 2014

Rock on the bands!

It is a pleasure now working DXs on the bands. Condition is great. Welcome Papua New Guinea and P29NO in my log on 28Mhz as new DXCC on 10M. I was waiting for good opportunity to work him on ten meters.
Group of SP stations are now QRV from Anegada Island on British Virgin Islands using home calls and one missing slot (except 160M) sorted! It was 30M QSO done this morning. Done last night on RTTY as well. Last missing slot will be Phone ....
TX6G Right people in right place at right time! English Team started their show from Austral Islands. No needs here much , except .... yes .... 80M/160M I wish and I will try .... Amazing condition on 10M today! I was able to listen them for about 4h with strong signal! Previously remember 30 minutes short openings .... not now! 28Mhz rocks! Lower bands like 40/30 .... dream signal! Logged .... easy ....
New DXCC worked on Top Band! ZB2CN Bert QRV again from Gibraltar Rock .... maybe one and only LoTW user from this entity.
8P9NX - Peter from Barbados in my log and hope for 17M QSL on LoTW soon.
9N7AA Andy worked as new DXCC on 30m!

Monday, 17 March 2014

YB4IR/P - IOTA DXPEDITION 2014 ENGGANO ISLAND OC-204

YB4IR/P Imam was active from OC-204 Enggano Island. Managed two contacts with him. 30m and 40m ... both contacts as new DXCC on these bands. New IOTA as well! Many thanks!

Sunday, 16 March 2014

Italian job from .... Zambia

The 'Italian DXpedition Team' strikes again. This time Zambia as 9J2T. I have Zambia worked and confirmed on high bands CW only so here main focus was on low bands. 9J2T is doing great job on high bands. But on low bands they are very low ... Not the first time and to reach them on 80 / 160 you need good receiving system, otherwise just no chances. Just few days left to work them and last night I worked them on 30m! It was not easy. I had to repeat my call few times. Looks like they had strong noises because I was trying few times when they called CQ and they didn`t hear me. Anyway .... Zambia sorted.

Saturday, 15 March 2014

Chatcham Island

Chatham Island worked on HF at last! Great memories with this DXCC I have .... 14 years ago when I was active CB`er and when small one-person DX-Pedition was announced I`ve took few days holidays to work this Island on the end of the World ... Done in just few hours I remember ... Anyway is not rare but also is not so often on HF as well. Last few small activity from Chatham wasn`t noticed by myself. It was like PSK32 only or something like that. Never mind .... Yesterday was a day to log Chatham for a first time on HF! 28Mhz RTTY in the evening! I still can`t belive how it was possible but it was. .... ZL7/OE2SNL is active now, he is a member of the ZL7AAA forthcoming DX Pedition ... Condition is good at the moment. Looking forward to work Chatham Island soon on different bands and modes too ....

Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Mind the Gap!

While I`m wating for Chatham Island DX-Pedition ZL7AAA and Mellish Reef VK9MT for ATNO I am trying to feel the gaps in my log and ....

1) Worked ON7DU Belgium on 12M as New One on 24Mhz .... yes Belgium thanks Johan!.... still need Sweden :)
2) Guadelupe FG/F6ITD on 40M - Jean Pierre - thanks for new band!
3) HK0/UA4WHX - San Andres and Providencia - always welcome in my log. Thanks Vlad!
4) D2QR - Sergey - New on Digi - I am not big fan of digi modes but 100 DXCC is my target ....
5) 4S7LXG , 4S7DFG , 4S7FRG - Sri Lanka 2014 DX-Pedition - big chance for LoTW QSL at last from Sri Lanka and good opportunity to work this country on missing bands .....
6) ..... and BIG NEW ONE on CW! Today worked my 296 DXCC on CW! ...... When I`ve finished QSO with Sergy D2QR on RTTY another station gave him a call .... beautiful signal! .... Decided to send HIM an e-mail for possible SKED QSO! Very quickly got reply! One hour later 2-way QSO completed! On CW, yes for New One, also for possible 17M QSL. I had this country on 17M but no QSL .... It will be not fair for me give his call-sign here. I don`t want this station to get unwanted e-mails etc ,,,,.

Sunday, 9 March 2014

Extraordinary contact on 12M

This is 5W1SA Atsu from Samoa recorded last night on 12M via L/P. Amazing condition on 24Mhz noticed. Did not monitored 28Mhz as BERU Contest is on the bands but WARC frequencies can be useful for DX`ers. Great surprise this contact with Atsu was for me. Both Samoa worked now and confirmed on 12M. Propagation is great at the moment. The only thing is to be there at right moment , right time. My focus is still on 12/17 to get some new DXCC so far 14 new ones worked in short time on 24Mhz. GL