Andorra

When I started again with Ham Radio in August 2008 I wiped out the early period, working the whole earth with QRO, I wanted to start all over again. With QRP I worked in the first half year a lot of DXCC countries. Now its takes its time to make more DXCC. For months I couldn't work more than 68 DXCC. But today I was lucky. I tuned up on 30 meters and heard one station with CW what happens to be C31CT (see photo). I am looking for months to work Andorra. And yes, today Andorra is my 69 DXCC country. It was a short QSO, exchanging reports only, but never mind, I did it. I wonder if I can make it to 70 before the end of the year. On my wish list: Cyprus and Gibraltar, which could be possible for me. Yesterday I heard Cyprus but he didn't hear me.

CQ WW CW CONTEST

Last night I participate for the last two hours of the CQWW CW Contest. First I started on 40 meter with my 5 watts QRP. I worked 24 stations and 15 DXCC countries in 1 hour and 15 minutes. Best DX was 4XØG Burt from Dor Beach, Israel (Photo) 3330 km. Then I went to 80 meters to see if I am lucky to work some stations there. Normally I can hardly work stations on 80 meters because of my insufficient antenna for that band. But I tried anyway. But... or conditions are splendid, or operators listen better to get some points, I don't know, but I worked for the last 45 minutes 7 stations, and 6 new DXCC countries: Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, France, Italy and Lithuania LY7A (best DX 1284 km) So I was pretty amazed, because I can't work Dutch stations on 80 meter. I had worked England, Germany and Denmark before. Now I have 9 DXCC countries on 80 meters! (View my log)

Broadcast Stations 40 meter band

The CQ WW contest CW is going on. I don't feel like participating. Too crowded too fast. So I went SWL-ing. Since March this year no broadcast stations are allowed to broadcast below 7200 KHz. The section between 7100 and 7200 KHz belong to radio amateurs. But... still there are broadcast stations on our 40 meter band. I could receive the following broadcast stations:

• China Radio International on 7110, 7165, and 7190 KHz.
• Radio Byelirussia, Belarus on 7105 KHz, and
• Emirates Media, United Arab Emirates on 7175 KHz.

This weekend is very busy with social activities... Monday morning I'll be on air again. I wish you all a nice weekend. 73 Paul

My first JT65A QSO

I was exited to make preparations for my first JT65A contact. After reading some info by Andy K3UK I tuned for JT65A frequency on 20 meter (14.076) I heard RK6BN/6 calling CQ. So I replied and we made a basic standard QSO. Yes! Though I was a bit nervous so I did the wrong procedure, sorry Alexander. After all we finished the QSO with a confirmation and 73.
Other useful information: http://hflink.com/jt65/
And making skeds: http://www.chris.org/cgi-bin/jt65talk

3V3S

On 30 meter I worked 3V3S from Hamman Sousse, Tunisia with CW. At dawn I heard many SSB stations from the USA on 40 meter.

With PSK31 on 30 meter I worked IY1Y Special Event Station from Italy and EB3JT Jordi from Vilafranca, Spain.

JT65A QSO

On this movie, made by WA3LTB, you can watch how things work with JT65A, part of the WSJT software by K1JT. It's a way to make QSO's on HF using JT65A mode. In most of the cases you have to make a sked for making a QSO. You can use Hamspot.net for this purpose. A new manner for working QRP. With WSPR I was reported by W3GXT (6109 km) and W3HH (7285 km) on 30 meter.

You can download the entire Space Hackers movie (see sidebar on the right).

This afternoon I worked F8CHM Jean from Tours, France; with SSB on an very quiet 40 meter band. He was 59 and I get also a 59 report. With PSK31 on 40 meter I worked HA5KN Janos from Budapest, Hungary and OK4RM Jindra from Praha, Czech Replublic. Tonight on 40 meter CW: RW4PL Andrey from Tatarstan, Russia (2966 km) and EA6/EA3AIR Julio from BALEARIC ISLANDS Spain.

An Intriguing Documentary

This morning I worked IK5DVT Mario from Pontassieve, Italy on 20 meter CW. Also F6HFX Jean from Labouheyre, France. With PSK31 I worked ISØYHV Antonio from Uta, Sardinia Island.

The Intriguing Documentary I talk about is Space Hackers. Maybe you are familiar with it. If not, you can watch the movie here. >>> Space Hackers <<< I cut the film in pieces because of the length of the original movie. There is a change when they discover the movie on Youtube, it has to be removed because of violation of copyright infringement. The film is about: Two young Italian amateur radio enthusiasts eaves-dropped on top secret space transmissions and in doing so lifted the lid on the race to space. The brothers Achille and Giovanbattista Judica-Cordiglia had their passions ignited by tuning into Sputnik 1 in 1957. They were also keen home movie buffs and captured their exploits on film. With home built equipment they monitored both the Soviets and the Americans as they explored space. Their activities did anger authorities behind the Iron Curtain. At one time Radio Moscow branded the pair as ‘space gangsters’ after they exposed failures of early space flights.

Video camera visualizes radio waves

Researchers at Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) have developed an RF camera with a measurement bandwidth 10 MHz to 110 GHz, based on the refractive index change of ZnTe crystals, measured with a laser. The new technology could be used in the future to visualize the beam pattern of antennas. Read more >>>>

10 years old!

Today my son Jelle became 10 years old. Now he's a real teenager. His big wish was te get a WII. Now he got one, so he can play tennis whole day long. You can see my shack in the corner of the living room. My daughter isn't lucky: now she is ill and does have fever. Hopefully no swine flu. Have a nice weekend! 73 Paul

Sked on 80 meter

Tonight I had a sked with PE4BAS on 80 meter, first RTTY. I saw a weak RTTY on the planned frequency. After that we tried PSK31. At a certain moment Bas was 599 here. Very strong. Unfortunately he couldn't read my QRP signal. It was nice trying. Nobody else could pick up my signal (PSK-reporter) tonight, though this afternoon I was last heard on 80 meter by G6NQO with PSK31. We'll try another time, thanks Bas.
Before I go to sleep I went to 40 meter where I made 2 QSO's with PSK31 on 40 meter: ER5LL Igor from Comrat, Moldova and YT1DL/QRP Dusan from Lajkovac, Serbia.

WSPR 80 meter

Here you see the map of my 80 meter WSPR-ing. It's good to know there us a new WSPR 2.0 out now. I install the new version this morning on my computer. I was hoping for a minimal QSO function on the new version. Unfortunately, there is no QSO function yet.

On the waterfall display you see a RTTY station, giving QRM.

The same as yesterday, I thought there might be good conditions with a sunspot number of 31. But I did not hear much activity on 30 and 20 meter. So I went back to 40 meter and I worked S51PL (photo) leon from Zalec, Slovenia with PSK31.


On 20 meter I was reported by T61AA and EA8BVP.

WSPR with indoor antenna

Click on image to enlarge. Although a Solar Flux of 76 and a sunspot, were conditions not too good. It was for me a bit disappointing day. I tried several modes but only one CW QSO was possible with EU6AF from Belarus on 20 meter. I let my rig running WSPR with 5 watt and an indoor antenna on 40 and 80 meter. Best DX LA9JO on 40 meter with almost 2000 km. And I spotted PE4BAS, Bas from Roodeschool on 80 meter and he reported me. Best DX on 80 meter was IQ3AZ, 993 km.

On photo Victor RV2FW/1 From St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad. I worked him with RTTY on 20 meter this morning. I gave some calls with PSK31 but no one replied. Though, several stations heard me. (See PSK-reporter below) I heard a JA station with RTTY, but very weak. Too weak to work. I gave several times a CQ call with CW on 20 meter, nothing. Maybe later today. This afternoon I worked IZ7KVM Nico from Putignano, Italy with RTTY on 20 meter. Sunspots are Ø again. I listen on 500 KHz WSPR at night for G3XBM but I do have a strong carrier on 500 KHz, what makes reception difficult, I think.

Return of the Leonids

I do not have equipment for Meteor scatter, but I think its interesting to make a contact by a ionization trail caused by a meteor. On this photo you see a fireball recorded this morning by G7IZU Live Spectrogram. On his website you find a lot information about meteor scatter. The meteor activity was high this morning caused by The Leonids meteor shower. This afternoon I worked IW2JRV Roberto from Como, Italy on 40 meter BPSK31. It was hard to make a QSO today.

Conditions are poor today. Not much activity on 20 or 40 meter. There was only one RTTY station on 20 meter and I called him. RA4CQ Michael (Photo) from Saratov, Russia, came back for me. I called a few stations with CW and PSK31 with no results. Maybe later tonight...

WAE RTTY CONTEST

I like RTTY, making contacts was so easy for me as a QRP station. I never had that before with PSK31. The RTTY are spread out over a bigger part of the 20 meter band, so less QRM. The PSK31 frequencies are relatively small. I made 34 contacts in 19 DXCC countries in 3 continents. [view log] The best DX was Asiatic Russia UA9OG 4872 km. Have a nice Sunday!

RTTY

There was a RTTY contest going on, and I thought, perhaps I can make a RTTY contact with Fldigi. And so I did. For the first time I worked RTTY on 20 and 40 meter. I worked the following stations: ER4DX (Photo) Visiliy from Kishinev, Moldavia; USØMM Igor from Lugansk, Ukraine; and HG8C Csaky Tamas from Szeged from Hungary. I heard JA6ZPR from Japan with 599 with RTTY. With PSK31 on 30 meter I worked EA5EYW Joaquin from Alicante, Spain and on 20 meter UA1TAN Valery from Novgorod, Russia. I must go QRT because my daughter is not yet recovered from her horse accident, so she have to go to the orthopedic surgeon for advice. I must clean the horse stables today at the farm. Have a nice weekend!

Low power challenge WSPR

I work for a few months with WSPR. In the beginning I want to be spotted as far as possible with my 5 watts. While we are in the lowest sunspot cycle, my signal dropped down at the other side of the world. ZL and VK. And I have been spotted in all continents. What when the sunspots are back again? 5 watts is relatively QRO for WSPR. The thrill and challenge is: drop down the power. See how far we can come with 500 milliwatt or maybe less. If you told me 30 years ago that is was possible to 'work' 2000 km with 0,5 watt on 80 meter, I would laugh. But yesterday I was spotted by CT1EKD on 80 meter 1849 km, and I was running 0,5 watt. I heard with WSPR last night on 40 meter T61AA, Afghanistan. With CW I worked last night YP1WFF (see photo) special call from Romania on 40 meter. This morning with PSK31 RN6HDX Lili (YL) 15 years old from Russia on 20 meter and with CW RN4AAD Roman from Russia a two-way QRP contact over 2891 km. Also E73W Ivica from Gradacac, Bosnia-Herzegovina and on 40 meter CW LZ1GL Krasi from Sofia, Bulgaria.

This morning I was a bit tuning on 20 meter band. The CW part of 40 meter was very crowded, too much for me, because I do not have a CW filter, so I do hear 7 or 8 stations at the same time. I am going nuts. Again I heard ZL on 40 meter with a good signal. So I went to 20 meter. Conditions were not too good on 20 meter. Pretty empty space there. Gave a CQ call on 14.060 so now and then, and at 08.22 UTC I heard a station calling me. He was very weak, but finally I could pick up his signal from the noise, it was LZ1XL Minko from Novi Han, Bulgaria. On hour later I worked RW6HJF/3 Sergej from Russia. And thats all for today.

55 countries within a week

After a week of listening with PSK-reporter I received 55 countries, mainly on 40 and 20 meter. And 26 countries the last 24 hours. This morning I was listening on 14060 to see if I could hear Dick N2UGB. Though the band was quite, I did hear almost nothing. At 10.45 UTC I did hear EW7BW with 5 watt and very weak. This afternoon I worked OK1WF Jarda from Chomutov, Czech Republic with CW on 40 meter.

GM4SLV on 160 m

In the early morning just before dawn I was WSPR-ing on 160 meter. My DX this morning was GM4SLV from Shetland Island, Scotland. Distance 932 km. I was running 5 watt, my first configuration was 1 watt, but that was a mistake because I forgot to change it. As I see on photo John has a lot of space for antennas.

1 watt WSPR on 80 meter

This morning I had a nice SSB QSO with OE8WHK Walter from St Veith, Austria. I heard him calling a long time on 40 meter, he used all kind of spelling, it was really funny. My report was 58. With SP6LK Stan from Opole, Poland I had a nice CW QSO on 40 meter. In the DX part of CW 40 meter band I heard ZL2SQ with 599. He was in QSO with someone and it was not his frequency so I could not call him. In the nightly hours I was running WSPR on 80 meter with 1 watt. My best DX was OK2FCO distance 994 km. This afternoon I worked Pete GI4VIV from Kircubbin, Northern Ireland with PSK31 on 40 meter.

Propagations

Since October 29 I make sun activity stats, just for fun. To say in about two years: look, I made great DX while there were no sunspots. I think when the sunspots are back again and propagations are excellent, we tend to forget how bad it ever was. Just for the record.

My 5 watt signal was reported by T61AA from Kabul, Afghanistan on 20 meter. Also ZS6BIM from South Africa.

WA7KGX used 100 watt with WHIPSER. Huh? The definition of WSPR: The Weak Signal Propagation Reporter Network is a group of amateur radio operators using K1JT's MEPT_JT digital mode to probe radio frequency propagation conditions using very low power (QRP/QRPp) transmissions.

Maybe a mistake, I dunno, but No QRO on WSPR please...

PSK31 on 40 meter at night

Tonight while I was sleeping, I let my rig run on 40 meter for PSK31 with PSK-reporter. I was curious what I could catch on 40 meter at night. And I was surprised this morning. 9 new countries! Since Tuesday 49 countries, not bad at all. CO6WYR Cuba; 4K6OF Azerbaijan; KD4JMI USA; 3V8ST Tunisia; FM5AA Martinique; KP4ED Puerto Rico; JR6EZE Japan; UK8FF Uzbekistan. Not bad for my Miracle Whip Antenna + 10 meter wire. Was it possible for me to work those stations? Thats the question. I must stay up all night to see what is possible. Have a nice weekend! 73 Paul

WSPR QSO?

I spotted RXØAT with PSK31 on 20 meter, a distance of 5341 km. With PSK-reporter I do spotted 40 countries since Tuesday. This morning I was heard on 80 meter PSK31 by G4FUI. Normally I can't really work on 80 meter because of inadequate antenna. With WSPR I can make a few hundreds of kilometers. I read on Julian's blog (G4ILO) about making a QSO with WSPR. When I have been spotted by a station and the data is uploaded (a fact a confirmation) and a few minutes later I received that station and upload the data also to www.wsprnet.org, then you can call it a basic qso. OK, it's a unmanned station, but is is a two way confirmed transmission about call sign, locater and used power. It's a new way of making contacts with ham radio, and has nothing to do with the old school ham radio, though, I like that too. With that assumption I made a WSPR QSO on 40 meter last night with RA3ZSE (2275km) and on 80 meter with GØIUW and DL3DTH. Opponents can assert that a two way WSPR isn't a QSO. Only by the ham operators effort there is a QSO. But when I hear a SSB or CW DX QSO they exchange only call sign and RST. On both sides they confirm Call Sign and RST, so I do see no difference really. There is with WSPR only a new technique, using nowadays technology to do so. So whats the point. We do exchange the same information. Today in the Netherlands it is 'Good News Day' and my good news is: there arrived a new sunspot 1030. And it could make my day or weekend. I tried RTTY on my FT817 in combination with Fldigi and it works! On 20 meter I worked with CW YU1DW and US1GBH [listen - I recorded this short QSO] Have a nice day, 73 Paul

This is a nice call sign. Don't you think so? This morning I had two QRP QSO's on 40 meter CW. First DF2SJ/QRP Egbert near Stutgart, Germany; he runs 5 watt. And DL7UYO Rudi from Berlin, Germany; he was running 10 watt. It's remarkable while there are no conditions and almost no stations on air, I could work two QRP stations.
With WSPR this afternoon I was spotted by PU1JTE from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 9856 km. This is the first time I've been spotted by a station from South America. With PSK-reporter: I spotted 37 countries in 2 days. New nice stations are EK5KE, Armenia; E4DR Palestine; and ER2RM Moldova.

On photo EA5RQ Jam from Valencia Spain, I worked him with PSK31 on 20 meter. With PSK-reporter I have now heard 33 countries since yesterday. With CW I worked on 20 meter: YO2BBX - YU1DW - UE3LFF - UA1AW.

PSK-reporter

This afternoon and early evening I was listing with Fldigi on 40 and 20 meter to PSK31 stations. Fldigi upload the data to PSK-reporter. I have heard 27 countries, with some DX up to 4782 km. e.g. RV9XV 3036km; R1ØØW 3316 km; 4L1BR 3218 km; RX9WU 3363 km; UN7FU 4601 km; UA9OQJ 4782 km. I worked RU3AT; S54JB and SV2CBS Fokion from Thesaloniki, Greece with PSK31 on 40 meter.

This morning I worked DR775TMG Special Event Station, celebrating 775 years of the town Tittmoning, Germany with CW on 40 meter. Last night I worked with CW on 40 meter LX3ØAK - F5HPY - S58P - LY2PX.

Fldigi

Thanks to Julian G4ILO for giving me a great hint for the Fldigi software for e.g. PSK31. You can do a lot more with Fldigi than with Winpsk. It has a fine log, so uploads in ADIF or Cabrillo format is possible. It can also be used for CW and many other modes. But... I let both programs run at the same time, and Winpsk can decode weaker signals better. Less errors in the text display. This morning I was looking for Dick N2UGB on 40 meter bit I didn't hear him. I worked on 40 m with PSK31 2EØAYQ Martin from Bromley, UK; he was running only 2 watts. Also worked DL6CMF Helmut from Calvoerde, Germany. On 20 meter this afternoon with PSK31 UA3PI and RZ3QM. Today my daughter [11] is at home, yesterday she and her horse both fell, and the horse fell on her. It was not necessary to stay in the hospital, but she has some injuries, crushed knee and a hemorrhage of her belly. So I have to take care of her. That's all for today. 73, Paul

On photo EA5HEK Martin from Valencia, Spain which I worked on 20 meter with BPSK31. The nice sunspot is now gone. So propagations will go down again. More on 20 meter this morning: USØMM Igor from Lugansk, Ukraine; On 30 meter: SM5LNS Kjell from Riddarhyttan, Sweden; S56WRT Robert from Zelezniki, Slovenia and on 40 meter DL8UFO Fritz from Meuro, Germany. I wish all my listeners a nice Sunday.