Chesterfield Is.

TX3X Chesterfield Islands

Uff it was challenge! One of the hardest DX to work so far! Needed as All Time New One! First opportunity I had on first day. Signal on 20M was great, both CW and SSB but I wasn`t able to break the pile-up ... using one of the strongest antennas in EI @ Papa Lima! Next few days I wasn`t near radio at all. Busy with other commitments. I was watching DX-Cluster to make some plans when and how to work them in poor condition on the bands ....

Day & Nigh Poor - all HF bands

Solar activity SFI: 81 - Magnetic activity K: 5 

On top of that Aurora hits Norther Europe , etc. 

One morning when I switched on radio I had to check antennas are still on the masts as bands were so quiet. How to work Chesterfield ? How ?

On Tuesday was nice opening in EI on 20M and several EI`s worked them on that band but I was at work.

DX-Cluster spots TX3X on 20M

CQ CQ no takers ....UFF !!!

One of my plans was .... to take day off from work on Wednesday ...

Arrived @ Papa Lima QTH early before SR , all prepared. Waiting.

NIL on low bands , NIL on 20M , the rest are closed here.

Finally 20M CW. TX3X was there. 14.023 magic QRG occupied by so many of us these days.

Signal weak but workable. Easy to say workable but they did hear our part of EU that moment.

Huge EU pile-up. Mostly East EU. No hope. Spotted EI6IL in the pile-up , no joy either.

Few hours without luck. 

That was 7`th October .... 

Then TX3X Team published their update #9

5. We are not hearing some parts of EU.

Almost gave-up. They will go QRT on 12 October. It will be nice to work them just on one

band , one QSO. Still few days left. I had to make some arrangements to be able give a try next morning. It was worth it!

Thursday 8`th October arrived @ Papa Lima early as usual. 

waiting ....

waiting ....

waiting ....

All prepared , all ready to go. SR passed , no sight of TX3X on any bands.

Then ... 1h after SR here RBN gave us info:

40M RTTY !

Let`s check .... wow .... I can read their print. CQ TX3X TX3X TX3X up 5-10

One shot! They got me! EI EI ? EI9KC EI9KC EI9KC

I had to repeat few times more. Started loosing them ... only 75% of RTTY print was

readable that time ... but I`ve got my magic EI9KC 599 EI9KC on return!

Wow that was something! I don`t know if any other EU station worked them that time , that moment on 40M. EI 1h after SR but I spotted some Dutch station calling on same QRG I was using.,

Anyway ..... after that never ending JA WALL stared the have fun ...

@ Papa Lima chasing TX3X

I don`t want to blame them for "poor knowledge" of propagation , etc. So many comments was on DX-Cluster already. Appreciate it that they are there for us one way or the other. 

No much time left that Thursday , I had to go ... few more minutes .... then .... 

G4EZT        14185.0 TX3X           + up 5 eu lonely 

One call .... EI9KC 5/9

Wow , wow , wow 

Two bands in one day!

This is my record of TX3X shortly after my QSO on 20M SSB

Chesterfield - SORTED!

CW QSO will be nice ....as this is my favourite mode , 308 DXCC worked on CW , there is still hope ....

Friday 9`th October

Same story as yesterday and day before. 

Bands quiet , SFI low , K index high ...

Waiting.

TX3X spotted on 20M CW in EU , NIL here .... too early .... possible opening after 9:00 our time.

They were active on 30M CW, massive EU pile-up , very weak to try then QRX

At 9:05 .... on 20M CW 14.023 Mhz CQ TX3X TX3X UP

EI9KC

EI9 ?

I had to reply my call few times. Signal was strong, solid 559 but looks like on the other side much different condition and they did not copy me well.

Usually I will send my call once for CW. This time I had to repeat twice:

TX3X - EI9KC 5NN 20M CW QSO

to get my 5NN from TX3X on CW!

Update #13 from TX3X explain a lot:

We also had excellent openings on 20 CW to the UK, Nordics, and other northwest EU countries. Until now there’s been very little to no propagation to that region.
We know that you are hearing us better than we’re hearing you. With the A having been as high as 77 it’s a miracle you hear us at all.

10 minutes after my QSO their signal was much stronger:



EU EU EU at last :)

All my 3 QSO in the log.

TX3X , Chesterfield Islands was hard to work. I hope bands condition will improve for

next NEW ONE from similar location:

VK9WA Willis Island !!!

November 14-23, 2015