Vanavond een QSO gehad met F8BBT Laurent uit Desingy, Frankrijk op de 40 meter band met CW. Overdag waren er niet veel condities. Op 40 meter veel QRM/QRN en op 20 meter niet veel te horen. Wel hoorde ik op eens luid en duidelijk met S6 CQ JA3JOT met SSB doorkomen. Ik heb nog getracht hem te bereiken, maar dat lukte niet. Er kwam niemand op zijn CQ af. Toch vreemd. Morgen heeft de XYL vrij genomen en we gaan even lekker een strandwandeling maken, want het wordt prachtig weer. Morgenmiddag ga ik nog even op 20 meter rondneuzen.

Conditions were poor on 20 meter, but in the early morning I didn't hear Russians stations, and I usually do, now I heard VK3DBD and 6W1SE Senegal. This afternoon I worked RV9MA Vlad from Omsk (photo) Asiatic Russia (4338 km) with BPSK31 on 20 meter. And with SSB I worked US4IFA, Nick from Donetsk, Ukraine on 20 meter. Tonight I had a nice 2-way QRP QSO (both 5 watt) with YT1DL/QRP Dusan from Lajkovac, Serbia on 40 meter with BPSK31. A distance of 1456 km.

40 meter double size

But some relief is on the way. As of March 29, 2009, foreign shortwave stations broadcasting on 40 meters between 7100 and 7200 KHz are to cease. They will be permitted, however, to continue using 7200 to 7300 KHz. So, that will free a 100-KHz portion of the band from the terrible interference those high-powered stations generate. As such, the 40-meter band will double in size for many of the world's hams. (EI1IX)
Today is was a nice experience to hear no broadcast stations between 7100 and 7200 KHz. Now we have a double size 40 meter band. Yep!!

But... the CQ WW WPX contest is going on and there are amateurs working SSB in the CW part of the 40 meter band. Why? Shut up please!

I like the TenTec Argonaut 516 V transceiver. I had a TenTec tranceiver myself and I was very pleased with the extreme good receiver. I do have a very busy social weekend, so no time for ham radio. And tonight the summertime starts. Less 1 hour sleep... have a nice weekend!

On photo Med 7X4AN from Tlemcen, Algeria. I worked him on 14008 KHz with CW. His transceiver is a TenTec Argonaut 509 met 40 watt output. I also worked on 20 meter: UA3AJD Yuri from Moscow with a GP antenna on the balcony, it was a very nice QSO. And UU9CI, Vladimir from Sebastopol, Ukraine. Tonight on 40 meter I worked LY1000CM with CW.

With BPSK31 I worked this afternoon the following stations on 20 meter: UT2FC, RA3DFQ, UA3GIE and US4IPC. On 40 meter F6ECI Christian from Brive, France. (See photo)

Isotronic Antenna

Gisteren hoorde ik een Italiaan met PA3DEU werken uit IJmuiden op de QRP frequentie van de 20 meter band. Ik spitste mijn oren omdat ik vroeger in IJmuiden heb gewoond en als zendamateur vrij actief was. Op QRZ.com gekeken maar volgens mij ken ik Dick niet van toen (zeventiger jaren). Ik las daar dat Dick met een Isotron antenne werkt vanaf een balkon. En vaak met CW en een FT817 actief is. Van een Isotron antenne had ik nog nooit gehoord dus was ik even gaan googlelen en vond dit artikel van PAØUNT en PA1AMS over de Isotron Antenna. Een grappig concept en deze link wil ik u daarom niet onthouden.

Ik hoorde gisteren nog IT9QAU met 5 watt. Hij riep mij aan en toen ik voor hem terug kwam en mijn eerste gegevens had door geseind was ie weg. Er zat vlak naast mij wel een Rus te toeteren, mogelijk in combinatie van diepe QSB is hij mij verloren. Ik hoorde hem ook niet meer terugkomen.

Ik hoorde van Wally PA3BTT dat hij KZ1H had gewerkt op 20 meter met 2 watt CW "Ur QRP is doing an amazing job". Dat zijn toch leuke dingen. Vandaag zijn de condities 'very poor' op de hoge HF banden. Dat wordt dus niets meer. De kinderen zijn vanmiddag thuis dus komt het er toch niet van.

You see, it is possible to make contact with only 4 watt ssb. Good work, IW3FZQ. This was during the QRP contest whom I missed because of the renovation of the house and my rig wasn't available at the time. The last few days conditions are extremely poor. It's hard to make a successful qrp qso. Even with BPSK31 I am not successful. I have to wait for better conditions.

It was very busy on 20 meter with the Russian Contest. I heard never so much stations on 20 meter lately. But I did not participate with this contest. After the contest all the stations were gone. Well, I found one on 40 meter: RK4SA, Vlad from Kazan, Russia, but he had a lot QRM so he gave me a 459 report. So we could finish the CW QSO properly.

Today I worked UR5TG, Vlad from Khmel'nitsky, Ukraine on 20 meter with CW. It was nice spring time weather so I enjoy the sun. Today I have 1 month Flagcounter on my page. Total 696 visitors from 46 countries. It's about 22 visitors per day. Not bad, for my simple blog.

Yesterday evening I worked UA3QJJ, Victor with BPSK31 on 40 meter. Conditions on 20 meter are worse. I worked this morning F/DF3FS Bert from Vannes, France with CW on 40 meter. Today it was sunny and it felt like spring and I was enjoying the sunbeams.

There was little time today to spend on ham radio. The kids were having no school, and the XYL was off duty, so... I made one contact: LA5UJ, Jost from Vikendal, Norway with CW on 40 meter. Today less QRM was heard on 40 meter. The last few days there was a lot of QRM and static noise. On 20 meter there were only a few Russian Stations. So that was all today.

On photo Nico IZ7KVM/QRP from Putinano Bari, Italy. I heard him calling CQ on 14059 KHz and we made a nice 2-way QRP QSO. Nico's rig was also a FT817. I also worked: RU3FF/6, Igor (speed QSO, hi) only report and TU. CT/G4RWD, Ken from Carvoeiro, Portugal. RV6AMS Vlad from Anapa, Russia. All with CW on 20 meter.

What? Sunspots? I can hardly believe it. I only made one QSO today. I worked UY7IQ/P Roman from Sovyansk, Ukraine with CW on 20 meter.

On photo Barry N1EU from Delmar, NY, USA. I heard him calling cq on 14060 KHz with CW. I presume he was working QRP also, he gave me a 599 report. Though conditions are not that good on 20 meter, the last few days I work stations from the USA with my QRP rig. I believe when there are a few sunspots or more I can work easily States Side.

The BERU contest is going on. A lot of Canadian stations on 20 meter but all for BERU contest. I worked AA3B Bud from Boyertown, PA, USA with CW on 20 meter. And now the weekend is for the family. Have a nice weekend!

Sunset over Beer-Sheva, Israel. Nice picture, isn't it? I worked my sixtieth DXCC country today: 4Z5AD, Victor from Beer-Sheva, Israel. With CW at 09.22 UTC 14002 KHz. I got a 449 report. I am satisfied with 60 countries, 4 continents with only 5 watt and a 10 meter wire. OK, I cannot always work what I hear, that's true, but with a little patience (from both sides!) it will and can happen.

2 new DXCC countries

Tonight I was successful on 40 meter, I worked two new DXCC countries. I was happy to work KZ1H, George from Beverly, MA, USA with CW. He was in QSO with E74LZ and it was very quiet on 40 meter. After ending the QSO with E74LZ I gave George a call, and YES! he heard me. He gave me a 449 report. Another new country was Moldavia: ER5WU, Anatol from Cahul. I also worked IK6JFF, Mauro from Ossidi, Italy.

Today conditions on 40 and 20 meter were very poor again. This morning I had a lot of local QRM. I worked nevertheless EW8MK, Murad from Gomel, Belarus; UE9CAP, Club Station from Irbit, Russia and RK9WZZ, Andy also from Russia, all with CW on 20 meter.

Automatic Keyer software EhoCW

On photo EW6OO, Victor from Vitebsk, Belarus. We had a nice QRP contact with CW on the QRP calling frequency 14060 KHz. He had also 5 watt and his antenna was a Delta Loop. With my QRP rig I worked also RA9MP Yuri from Omsk, Asiatic Russia. A distance of 4350 km. I worked also RZ1OM Serge from Arkhangelsk, Russia on 20 meter CW. A distance of 2400 km.

This afternoon I worked IT9QAU Ferdi from Catania, Italy on 20 meter with CW. I am using for CW a software automatic keyer EhoCW. Pretty neat. It decodes also the incoming signal, and I can change the speed easily, it detect the speed of of my fellow amateur. But I must correct the macro because I told Ferdi I was QRP with 100 watt. Hi. When they come back with 35 words per minute, no problem anymore. Well, I become lazy...

The site of F8EHO (EhoCW software)

This morning I worked LZ13ØSOF on 20 meter with CW. (see photo) It's a special event station. I also workes on 20 meter: UA1TET, Evgeny from Pestova, Russia. On 40 meter I worked with CW LA9LE, Tom from Hvalstad, Norway and OK1GS, Mirek from Jablonec, Czech. Republic.

On photo UW7CF, Vlad from Cerkassy, Ukraine. We had a CW QSO on 20 meter. Other stations I worked on 20 meter CW: RU1AW, RV3DVS, US5HE and US5LAE. There was a strong QSB on all signals on 20 meter. I heard YB4IR from Indonesia with good signals, but the pile up was huge. On 40 meter CW: OK2HI, RU3MJ and IZ3DBA.

This is the shack of Oliver, DL3MCO from Augsburg, Germany. We had a QSO on 40 meter with CW. Also on 40 meter SP6BLV, Andrzej from Glogow, Poland. On 20 meter condition were poor in the early morning. I only met Z35M Vladimir from Skopje in Macedonia. There was a lot of QSB on the CW signal, but we could give each other a report. We worked before, I have to check my log. This afternoon I will watch my favorite soccer games on TV: AZ, Ajax and PSV. So no transmissions for today. Maybe late at night on 40 meter. Have a nice Sunday!

Between two matches: I worked Z36A, Zoran from Kocani, Macedonia on 20 meter with CW.

I just tuned for QRP on 7030 KHz and I heard OE5PGL Peter from Seewalchen, Austria calling CQ. We made a QSO with CW and QRP. There was a QRO SSB contest going on, so I moved to CW. Also worked RV3AQN, Alex from Moscow, Russia and F6EVN, Guy from Pau, France on 40 meter.

This evening I worked on 40 meter with CW a new DXCC QRP ISØLMM, Mariano from Lanusei, Sardinia. That is number 57 for me. I worked also: YO5PDW Daniel from Bistrita, Romania; II8ICN, Naples Radio Coastal station from Naples, Italy; E73U Dejan from Sarajewo, Bosnia- Herzegovina; YT2ISM Ismail from Novi Pazar, Serbia. OK, enough for today.

Yesterday I was not successful with making QSO's. Conditions are very poor and I could only work RV3DED, Alexandr from Serpukhov, Russia with BPSK31 on 20 meter. I heard again Madeira on 20 meter with CW CT3FT, but he didn't hear me. Madeira is on my wanting list. On 2 meter I heard on PI3ALK repeater PDØSTP and PDØFZC talking to each other. I can work easily PI3ALK because the repeater is very close to me. I have only a indoor whip antenna for 2 meter. I noticed that there is a little activity on simplex channels. In the eighties were the channels very busy I could hardly found a quite channel for calling CQ. Where is everybody?

On photo DF5TC, Dieter from Gunningen, Germany. I worked him on 40 meter with BPSK31. On 40 meter I worked Vlad, OK1ABF from Zatec, Czech. Republic with CW. Conditions today are miserable. On 20 meter a few Vlad's and Alex's. And very strong K1UA, Jay... but his working condition was 1,5 KW. That will help to come through.


I heard on 20 meter with SSB W4UWC, 1B1AB and CT3/DK7YY.

I hope that the 6 meter band will be open again. I like the propagations, a mix of HF and VHF on that band. It's for months the band is closed. The real good opening was August last year. Today was HF very poor. I heard only two Russian stations on 20 meter and that's it. Even on 40 meter was almost nothing. I rehearsel my CW skills online with this.

Does the radio work? I wonder... but conditions were very poor. I worked DL2JIL, Eve from Olbernhau, Germany on 40 meter with SSB. My report was 4-6. On 20 meter I worked LZ131GO with CW and later on with SSB. Also worked Andy RK3RXW (near Moscow) for the second time with SSB on 20 meter and RZ3LC, Igor from Gagarin, Russia. Igor was surprised that I run only 5 watts and said I must have a good antenna. Well, I have: a Miracle Whip with a piece of wire. Hi.

On photo LB1TE, Carsten from Ski, Norway with BPSK31 on 40 meter. Also SP4CJA, Ryszard from Lidzbark Warminski, Poland. Today I wonder why there are no Russian visitors on my site. On 20 meter I hear plenty of Russian stations, but I see them never on my blog. Why is that? Do you know the answer? Please let us know.

Finally, the contests are over... not really my thing. This is the shack of S57NCP, Joze from Zalec, Slovenia. I worked him with BPSK31 on 40 meter (1044 km). With CW on 40 meter I worked: IK7OFI, Pino from from Molfetta, Italy (1560 km) and RK3FM, Slavk from Dmitrov, Russia. (2136 km) The second part of QSO got lost in the noise...