40 meter record gebroken

Soms is het de moeite waard om 's nachts even op 40 meter te gaan kijken. Het kan voor mij nog wel eens leuke dingen opleveren. Zo ook vannacht. Ik hoorde twee stations Nederlands praten. De meest veraf was WP3UX, Willem uit Corozol, Puerto Rico. (zie foto) Ik wachtte rustig af tot ze klaar waren met praten. Nadat het QSO ten einde was riep ik Willem aan. Ik had er geen hoop op, want Puerto Rico is een eind weg. Maar verdomd, hij hoorde mij. Ik kreeg een 55 rapport waarmee ik blij ben. Zo zie je maar dat je met een eenvoudige set up toch zomaar 7107 kilometer kan overbruggen.

Ik werkte ook vandaag op 20 meter: UA3YDH, IT9PQJ, EW6GF, LZ2LP. En op 40m: OE5HCE/P en 2WØZJA.

Traffic

I worked GB5ONG, Dean from Mountain Ash, Wales (SPECIAL EVENT STATION 50TH ANNIVERSARY FOR THE NOS GALAN) see photo. Conditions were good on 40 meters. Other stations on 40: SP6JOE, Joe from Roztoka; SG7A, Henrik from Skurup; IZ5ICH, Luke from Ripoli Cascina Pisa; OL14ØPS (Radioclub PRIMUS OK1OPT)from Kozolupy; IQ1AC from RIVALTA Di TORINO; M3KUZ, Kevin from Newquay Cornwall and on 20 meter IF9ZWA, Mike from Favignana Island.

Keep it simple

In the seventies and eighties my attic was full of equipment. A lot of transceivers and receivers for all bands were available. One day I sold everything. I bought instruments and started making music. I did that for years. That was also a lot of fun. But the radio virus got me again. But now I keep it simple, a FT817 and a Miracle Whip and long wire. When I want to sit in the garden it’s possible. When I go with holidays I took the shack in my backpack. And still I work many countries with this equipment. No problem. OK, I didn’t come through in a big pile up. But what is the fun of big pile up? To wait for a long time and shouting and finally, when your successful, to work the station for 5 seconds. Your 59, QSL? That’s it. Is that really fun? Not for me, maybe... when I come through... hi. I like to chat with other amateurs all over the world about radio and the hobby. That is what I really like. Maybe it's because I'm older. I like to talk with other people, with no differences, no religion, no politics, but we share our passion, the good old radio, with each other. Isn't wonderful?

Special event station

Today I worked a special event station TM5WRC om 40 meter. The French Rally team of Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena has won the World Rally Championship for the 5th time in a row. The French HAMs celebrate this by activating the special call TM5WRC in all modes on all bands between Dec 21 and Jan 3. QSL direct or via bureau to F4ELU. I also worked SV9GPV, George from Rethymno, Crete on the 20 meter band.

Finally 40

Finally I worked 40 DXCC countries before January 1, 2009. On photo CN89NY from Rabat, Morocco. I worked them on the 20 meter band. Also RK9DM who is unfortunately not in QRZ.com.

3 new countries worked

On photo you see Mike, 9H5DX from Mgarr, Malta. Malta is a new DXCC country for me with QRP. But also HB9TSW, Gabriel from Torre; and TS75DF a Special event Diamond Festival station from Tunis, Tunisia. Those stations make my day!

Christmas DX on 40 meter

Christmas had a present for me. I could not sleep, so I turn on my radio. It was very quite in the early morning. I heard RA9SP calling CQ on 40 meter 1.30 UTC. And heard me! Yes, Vlad from Orsk gave me 59 report. So, that was a distance of 3595 km, not bad for my 5 watt QRP!!! I also worked ES1TU, Aadu from Tallinn, Estonia on 40. Now I worked 36 DXCC countries with QRP phone.

35th DXCC country

Today I worked OK1AQW, Zdenek from Zamberk Czech Republic. He was my 35th DXCC country QRP. I was looking a long time for Czech Republic. Three other countries on my wish list are: HB9 Switzerland, Albania and Turkey. Then Europe is complete. I had a lot of QSB and QRM on 40 meter. Also with MM3WED, Bob from Scotland. We couldn't finish the QSO properly.

In the evening I listen on 40 and there were very loud Japanese stations, sometimes 9+ signals. I heard: JA5CJZ, JA3EGZ and JAØPI.

Very busy

It is weekend and very busy on 40 meters. A lot of loud Italian and Spanish stations. There was a contest going on. It's hard to find a noiseless part on 40. 20 meter was not that good for me. I worked only 1 station: EW6GF, Andre from Belarus and it was our second QSO. On 40 I worked DL2MDU Chris from Munich and DLØWWH Tom also from Munich. I6WJB Pier was a loud station on 40. And that's it for today. My children having Christmas vacation and because my transceiver is in the living room, it's hard to make a good QSO without background noise from the children. And TV also.

When the children are in bed, I tried 40 again. I had a QSO with YU7ZEX, Zex from Novi (our 2e QSO) and YU2MMA, Milos from Banja, Serbia. Milos tried hard to pick my signal out of the QRM. Thanks! My 34th DXCC country was UT1WR, Ukraine. It was a short QSO and unfortunately he was not in QRZ.com, so I don't know exactly what his name is en where he lives.

33 DXCC up till now

SG7A, Henrik, from Skurup, Sweden was my 33th DXCC country on 40 and 20 meter. I was looking for Sweden quite a while. Sweden is not too far from the Netherlands, but I didn't hear Sweden for 3 months. Where are they? But today I was successful. Yesterday I worked E77YZ, Adis from Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina and IK6CWQ, Lucio from TORREVECCHIA, Italy on 40 meter.

40 meter favorite

This is Brian MM0ERK from Montrose, Scotland. We had a QSO on 40 meter and also 2W0ZJA David from Brecon, Wales. Both served me two more DXCC countries and now I have 31 DXCC countries on my list. The most I worked on 40 meter, I think that´s because time of the year and sunspot cycle. Also worked today: RA3OA, F5ZN and IV3TIQ.

OZ3FD

Vandaag waren de condities niet zo bijzonder op 40 en 20 meter. Wel had ik een QSO met OZ3FD Henry op 40 die op jacht was naar DX. Hij kwam wel even voor mij terug. Op QRZ.com las ik een aardig stukje over hem. Hij is al sinds de zestiger jaren actief. Zijn vader was ook zendamateur. Nadat alles behaald was, namelijk alle landen werken is hij er jaren mee gestopt. En is uiteindelijk de muziek gaan maken als beroep. Hij heeft CD's gemaakt onder de naam Henry O'Connor. Hij heeft inmiddels de hobby weer opgepakt. Het grappige is dat dit veel met mij overeenkomt. Ik heb in de zeventiger jaren mijn licentie gehaald, mijn vader was ook zendamateur, ik ben ook uiteindelijk gestopt en heb me op de muziek gestort in de jaren 80 en 90. En nu de hobby weer opgepakt.

Slovenië mijn 29e DXCC land

Met het werken van S51CK Ivo op 40 meter heb ik mijn 29e DXCC land gewerkt. De condities leken redelijk, maar er was veel diepe QSB op de frequentie. Hetzelfde ging met CT/ON5LO, Frans die ik al eerder had gewerkt, op 20 meter. Op 40 kwam ik ook in contact met Nigel G6SFP/P die hier met 59 binnen kwam. Hij werkte met 80 watt vermogen. Op 1 land na heb ik even veel landen op 40 als op 20 meter gewerkt. Ik probeer nog voor 1 januari 2009 de score op 30 te brengen. Die 29 landen is toch boven mijn verwachting toen ik in augustus begon.

EH antenne

De effectiviteit van de EH antenne is discutabel. Althans, zo staat het op verschillende forums. Een dummy load, wordt er beweerd. De vraag is: is dat zo? In dit filmpje laat PA3DMI zien dat tegen lage kosten een EH antenne zelf te bouwen is. En dat de test verbinding met New York en 25 watt succesvol was op de 20 meter band. Zo’n EH antenne neemt weinig ruimte in, zeker ideaal als je weinig tuin hebt om lange antennes weg te spannen. Of wanneer je geen grote masten of beams op je dak kunnen of mogen, dan is dit een alternatief. Waarom is de antenne zo discutabel? Testrapporten? Of een antenne nu een paar db minder of meer heeft vind ik nauwelijks discussie waard. Resultaten, daar gaat het om. Wie werkt er nog meer mee en wat zijn de bevindingen?
EH-Antenna.com
Yahoo groups EH antenna
Wimo EH antennes
EH antenne test report by Adam MacDonalds
Antennaz by Frank Meritt, VE7FPM
EH antenna by Arno Elettronica

LY4A

De 40 meter band was bijzonder rustig, bijna geen Italianen, elke dag is die band anders. Ik werkte om 15.55 uur LY4A, Roli uit MAZEIKIAI, Litouwen. Ik kreeg een 59 report. Afstand tussen onze stations: 1198 km. Zo hoorde ik ook met stevige signalen EX8KS (Kyrgystan) en die had ik wel willen werken maar er waren teveel (sterkere) stations die hem aanriepen. Dan lukt dat niet met QRP. Hetzelfde geld voor TA3GO die luid en duidelijk hoorde op 40 meter. Wat zou het heerlijk zijn als die omroepstations volgend jaar weg zijn uit de 40 meter band.

Northern Ireland

Though conditions weren't good on 40 and 20 meter, I worked my 28th DXCC country MI0RJN, Rob from Coleraine, Northern Ireland. There was a lot of QSB on the frequency, nevertheless, we got each other callsigns down the log and I hope we can make a longer QSO with better conditions in the future.

CT/ON4LO, IZ7DOK and DL0HAM

Today's hamradio is Marco, IZ7DOK from Lecce, Italy on 20 meter. He was calling CQ for any call. There was a strong QSB on the frequency, and signals where going up and down. He gave me a 53 report and I gave him 59. He works 500 Watt into a rotary dipole. I was also happy with CT/ON4LO, Francois from Portugal, but the QSO was not finished properly because of strong QSB. He delivered me my 27th DXCC country. On 40 meter I heard only Italian and German CONTEST stations. I only had a contact with DL0HAM from Berlin on 40 meter, clubstation. So, that was my activity for today. My sister and her daughter (and boyfriend) brings me a visit this afternoon. I wish you a nice day, and God bless you.

Santa Claus Land

Today’s ham radio is OH9SCL, NAPAPIIRIN from ROVANIEMI at the Arctic Circle (Lapland), Finland. I heard him on 40 meter last week but it was too crowded to get him there. Today I found him on 20 meter. His suffix is called: Santa Claus Land. And it is my 26th DXCC country. On 40 meter I met Erich, DG9NAO from Schwabach, Germany. The last two days I have a very local strong QRM to S8 on the meter. It’s a collector motor QRM but I can’t find where it is coming from. At the moment it starts snowing here. Winter is on his way. Tomorrow we have Sinterklaas, a kind of Santa Claus, but then only on December 5th, so the children get presents with a poem included. I have to write two poems this afternoon. So, no more ham radio today, take care, God bless you.

LA7YX

Today's hamradio is LA7YX, Arnold from Lyngdal Norway. We had a qso on 40 meter. I got a 59 report from him. He expect some snowfall coming his way. On the photo his antennas for HF. Nice stuff. And also a Fishermen (king), that's something else. The distance between our stations is 630 km all across water.

I also worked RW3YW, Vlad from Bryansk on 20 meter.

Strange conditions

This morning I tried to contact ON3DRM and several other Belgium stations, ON5KH, ON7TN and ON4CII on 80 meters with my Miracle Whip and piece of wire. Nope, they didn't hear me. It's known that the Miracle Whip isn't the antenna for 80 or 160 meter, though their signals were strong but with my antenna and qrp signal I wasn't able to contact them. So I switched to 40 meter and there was I2YYO George from Varese calling CQ. And yes, he heard me. So we made a QSO and he had no problem with my qrp signal. And that is nice. On 20 meters it was quiet. Almost no station to hear but, wham, there was VK3MO with a 5-9. And a big pile up too. But not for me... hi.

This afternoon I was happy to work EI7JN, Tony from Dublin on 40. He is my 25th DXCC country qrp.