CQ WW DX Contest

It was good to work some stations today while the CQ WW DX Contest was going on. All the higher bands were very crowded, every frequency was occupied. That is nice to hear.

I gave some points away, and worked 3 new DXCC. Such as Qatar A73A, Cape Verde D4C and Tajikistan EY8MM. And what about Argentina LU7HN on 10 meter, 7040 miles.

Today's activity

Get that rare DX

Just in time for Halloween, the Sun has been putting on some spectacular shows recently, including this ghostly-looking prominence captured by amateur astronomer Monty Leventhal from Australia. He estimates this giant pillar shot up over 158,000 km (98,000 miles) from the Sun’s surface! Monty took the image on October 26, 2011 using a Meade SC 10 inch telescope, with a Hydrogen Alpha filter and a Canon 300D camera. [Source: Universe Today]

I hope the sun will not spoil the SSB CQ WW DX Contest with geomagnetic storms. At the moment propagations are excellent, and what about 10 meter, wow, that could be great. Today we are giving a birthday party for my son (11) for his school friends. His birthday is November 21, but the XYL expect a surgery at that time. That’s why we are doing it today. I don’t know if I have time for contesting, I am afraid not.

Here are my QRP results on 10 meter WSPR with 500 milliwatt. K4BS was my best DX, that's 13.914 km per watt or 8645 Miles per watt. Have a good weekend!

Aurora

A nice aurora video from NG9D on 21 MHz. A coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth on Oct. 24th at approximately 1800 UT (2:00 pm EDT). The impact strongly compressed Earth's magnetic field, directly exposing geosynchronous satellites to solar wind plasma, and sparked an intense geomagnetic storm. As night fell over North America, auroras spilled across the Canadian border into the contiguous United States. (www.spaceweather.com)

Things you don't want to hear

My blog will be temporarily closed due to family circumstances. Yesterday we have heard that my wife has a serious form of breast cancer. We are both shocked. Next week we will hear about the medical plans. She will needs surgery and chemo therapy. My wife and children are priority number one at the moment, they need all my attention. I don’t feel much for radio at the moment. I hope you can understand.

Lonely feeling

Today something strange happens on 40 meter. After I leave 10 meter, because it was too crowded, I was going down HF. Finally I came on 40 meter with bpsk31. The band was empty. No activity at all. Everybody is on 10 meter band I suppose. But I gave a CQ call on 40 meter with bpsk31. After a few calls I saw on my waterfall display 3 stations who also gave CQ . It was as if I gave a sign that it was right too transmit on 40 meter. But the four of us were calling CQ without the intention to reply on each other CQ call. It gives me a strange lonely feeling. I can’t imagine that they didn’t see the sign on their waterfall. What are they looking for, probably DX, I don’t know. After 10 minutes a G station came back on my call. I saw a trace on ‘my frequency’ after my CQ call, so I called QRZ. He only gave his call. I transmitted my macro 1 (you know name, QTH, etc) After that he transmitted in return: “PC4T Paul Tnx for very nice Qso on 40m hope to see you on other bands and modes later Best 73 to you and your family, Qsl via Eqsl Paul good luck and good DX Digi PSK31 qso 1410 PC4T de G.....” I knew his name, but he didn’t tell me, maybe he got the final macro, I don’t know. It was a very strange and short QSO on 40 meter. Anyway, I can always look up the necessary data at QRZ.com.

FM on 10 meter

Today I made my first FM qso on 10 meter with UA4FUT Alex from Penza, Russia. I did hear more station such as RY3D, UA6YIM and UA3PAA. But they didn't hear me, they were using about 200 -500 watts FM.

09.45 UTC I worked TA1AT on 29.510 MHz with FM.

10.00 UTC I worked YO4PX on 29.660 MHz with FM.

A new DXCC no: 101 United Arab Emirates, A61AM with FM on 29.482 MHz. I like the sound of FM on 10 meter. I got a 59 + 20 db in Fuijarah. It sounds like VHF. Very funny. Maybe later on today I can pick up some AM stations like Roger G3XBM reported on his blog. At 11.50 I worked UA3PQ with FM on 29.282 MHz. Also 5B4ES from Cyprus.

The kids are having vacation this week, so that means: loud music in the house, TV games, WII, youngest son who is playing the drums, etc. You can understand that it will be difficult to make QSO's because I have the shack in the living...

Museum of obsolete objects

Museum of obsolete objects

Costa Rica

I read on the blog of Casey Bahr TI/NA7U that he was active on 30 meter with WSPR. So I let WSPR run the whole night, and when I get up this morning I saw Casey on my screen. He reported me -17 db and I received him with -25 db. That means also a new DXCC for me. My first Costa Rica station.

I made a new data base for WSPR data of my WSPR activities. I import WSPR data from wsprnet.org into an Excel spreadsheet since 2 days now. Now I can handle the data much more easier and over a longer period. As long as I wish to do. I made two tabs, one for TX (reported) and one for RX (receiving)

The last 2 days I am reported in 26 countries and I received stations from 30 countries. Because USA is a big country I will look for US States. Reported from 18 states and received also 17 states.

10 meter was really open today. In one TX WSPR cycle I was reported by 30 stations all over the world (50% who was QRV that time) Really great!

Latests QSO's.

10 meter WSPR

10 meter was totally open today. I was reported from 5 continents, best DX was Australia. Tonight I will run WSPR on 30 meter till tomorrow 6 UTC.

Something about Blogger

Blogger is an easy going platform for bloggers. The service is great nowadays without too much problems and it is free. I tried Wordpress several times, but you can’t change the template like Blogger does, unless you pay for it to change the CSS.

But nothing is perfect, and there is always something to complain about. Such as the Followers / members widget. It’s a bit strange, what’s the use of that widget. Okay, I can see who is following me... I can’t change something with that widget, so I let it be. Just placed it on the blog.

But the real annoying thing is the comments. We are experienced enough to know how to do it. But for a non-Blogger user it’s a pain in the ass. That’s why you see seldom a reaction / comment from a non-Blogger user. Choose an Identity. Huh? OpenID, Huh? Name/ URL (WTF is an URL) Well, I know, but... Okay, Anonymous then. Most non-Blogger users take the Anonymous identity. See how Wordpress do it, so easy and understandable for anyone. Come on Blogger do something about it, you can do it too.

Just enter your comment and hit post comment, so easy with Wordpress.

Another thing: WORD VERIFICATION. I know: SPAMMERS fear, but how many times do you get a spammer. In the 3 years of Blogging no Word Verification here, I got 1 Spam comment, which I removed forever. No problem. Why make it so user-unfriendly to comment. Don’t be so paranoid. A SPAM massage is removed very quickly. Please, undo Word Verification now! You don’t know how? I like to tell you.

Moderation... Oh no! Why? One who gives a comment like to see immediately his comment on your blog. He doesn’t want to wait 24 hours before showing up his comment. He won’t come back in most cases. I like to read the other comments too, but I’ll have to wait until the moderator have read and checked his comments before he publish. If you want more feedback on your blog, stop moderation. Why moderate at all? To see if someone wrote the right thing? When someone comments something you don’t like, remove the message and blocked that person if needed.

Because I like the guys on my blog list, I take the effort to comment, how user unfriendly it is. But when I surf on the Net, and came across a Blogger blog, I don’t comment immediately. Unless I am eager to ventilate my opinion. So, that was my story about Blogger and how to use it effective, don’t feel too much offended, it is nothing personal.

QRP thoughts

Results WSPR on 160 meter this morning.

I am easily tempted to use more power than needed. They don’t hear me with 5 watt? I crank up the power to 20 or 40 watt. But more and more I found out that it has seldom to do with power to be heard. Antenna and propagation is more important. A dose of luck is maybe needed, or the effort of the opposite station to pull the signal out of the noise. But more power? I don’t know. I don’t have to convince my QRP friends that it is more satisfying to accomplish a QRP qso. It's just so.

Now with my new antenna, the MV-5+3 multiband vertical, I can work easily QRP without any problems, when I compare it with the Falcon 250B vertical. It was hard to be heard with QRP when using the Falcon; I think the efficiency was poor. The MV-5+3 is quieter than the End Fed Wire, 12 db. The SNR is very good of the Sand Piper MV-5+3.

Back to power. From now on I decide to use 5 watt power or less for all modes. I just worked RV9JR (4200 km) with 5 watt bpsk31 on 20 meter. I add the /QRP to my call sign, I think they are willing to work a QRP station more than just another PA station. A QRP station is much more special I think.

Some contacts

In the early morning I worked S51NY with bpsk31 on 40 meter. Later on EA3AHH and SV3JZT on 20 meter SSB. I was running WSPR on 10 this whole morning only one station reported me: R9SA. This afternoon I worked I5OWT with CW both QRP on 20 meter.

My WSPR results on 30 meter tonight.

Slinky Antenna

Am I the only one who not worked T32C? Anyway, I did work YO8RIX on 14060 KHz, he was running only 0,5 watt and was 599 here. On 17 meter I worked SV9/GM3YOR. So far my activities today.

Wally PA3BTT wrote a comment about a Slinky antenna. He thinks about a Slinky indoor antenna for his QRP work on 20 meter. I found several postings on the Internet about this antenna. It could be a solution, only I think that such antenna in the living will not be accepted by the XYL. But for another room or attic, it would be fine.

http://www.qsl.net/kd4cga/slinky.htm

http://www.nonstopsystems.com/radio/frank_radio_antenna.htm

30 meter

On 30 meter I had a nice qso with I5TYQ (see photo) with CW, I was running 5 watt into my MV-5+3 antenna. I also worked IQ2DN/P and SPØOTC (Old Timer Club) the best thing to test the antenna is making QRP contacts. Because of contesting I always look on the WARC bands.

Condition are not really great today. On 10 meter I heard VK with JT65, but is was too crowded and more and more QRO is in use with JT65. 50 watts or more. That is a pity, because low power less than 25 watts is doing good with JT65. There was a Dutch station who was calling someone while in QSO, he doesn't look at his screen? He only causes QRM. Anyway, time to leave the band.

Still I realize that making a nice qso is real fine, and it doesn't matter if it's not DX. Chasing DX can be very frustrating, just because the strange behaviour of our fellow hams. Have a good weekend. 73 Paul

Woodpecker QRM

Today the Woodpecker QRM is back. Can you remember many years ago? Maybe caused by over the horizon Russian Radar. It was impossible to do WSPR this morning on 10 meter. Also present ugly very strong WSPR signals. The Whisper software can't decode the signals, too distorted. On 15 meter this morning there was a station who was too loud and distorted. QRM over the entire JT65 band. Haven't they heard that it is possible to set the ALC level lower?

My activities today, mainly with SSB on 20 meter.

WSPR statistics

Total DXCC with WSPR. Blank spot is 70 cm. I don't expect much of UHF. There isn't any activity. But 12 meter could be fine, certainly the last 2 weeks. But activity is very low on that band for WSPR.

I was reported by PY2GN on 30 meter this morning.

I did receive the signal of LA6TPA he was running 20 mW on 30 meter.

Results on 30 meter WSPR above 1000 km this morning.

Tonight I worked PY8ELO de Silva from Brazil with JT65. I heard a lot of stations from South America, but disconnected the antennas because of lightning and thunderstorms here. So the party is over for tonight.

I was reported in USA and South America with JT65.

Finally Dick F8WBD on 20 m

Finally I could work Dick F8WBD (N2UGB) for the first time since we are blogging for a few years now. I had the feeling I could work Dick today. I kept my eyes on Reverse Beacon Network and regular I push F5 to refresh the page. Bingo! I saw Dick was qrv on 14012 KHz. I tuned to that frequency... nothing. A few minutes later he was QRV on 14031 KHz. Yes, I heard him and called. But Dick was already gone. Maybe when I was calling CQ on 14060 KHZ he can hear me... he was going up the 20 meter band, but I came across CN8GL Kamir near Rabat and we made a two way QRP qso. After that qso I saw Dick was having a qso with F6CZC 2 KHz lower. So I listen out the qso and called him. Yes, finally successful. Dick´s signal was really 599 here. I recordered the first part of the qso, my side tone is soft, sorry for that. First I was running 10 watts, and later on I reduced my power to 5 watts and still I was 599. It is always nice to meet a fellow blogger on the air. I worked Bas PE4BAS several times now, and I worked Julian G4ILO once. Also M6RDP Adam. So we made a nice qso and it was good to have a CW qso with Dick from Benodet, France.

WSPR 10 meter this afternoon

Impaired hearing

Yesterday afternoon I had a qso with MSØWRC from the Island of Tiree EU008 on 14270 KHz, never worked that island before. Though no new DXCC, but nice to work.

12 meter is already opening, I think 10 meter will follow. With CW I do hear nervous callers and of course a lot of split. I noticed that my hearing become worse over the years. Benefits of 'old' age, hi. But it gives problems with weaker CW and SSB stations. So I am glad with digital modes, so can read that messages from the screen.

BPSK31 is favourite lately, because with JT65A the band becomes (popular) too small for so many stations. So there is a lot of doubling and QRM. At 5.00 UTC the 20 meter JT65A is already crowded at that time. I heard Venezuela, but strong East-European stations made it impossible to work him.

100th DXCC

On 12 meter I worked VR2MXT with SSB. Charlie from Hong Kong. The pile up was big but within a few calls he heard me. That was DXCC number 99. A few minutes later I heard VU2RBT from New Delhi, India. He was calling state side. USA seems to be very popular. Anyway, after a few calls I got him in the log. DXCC number 100. Now I know that some of the readers think, well, so what? With a contest they work 150 DXCC in a weekend. But for me, as no DX hunter, is 100 DXCC special.

Comet causes explosion?

An incredible video of a sungrazer "Kreutz" comet hitting the Sun, and soon afterwards a huge Coronal Mass Ejection spews from the Sun. Did the comet cause the explosion? There is no known mechanism for the two events being related, and the source region of the CME did not correlate with the comet hit location near the solar disk. The two events were likely coincidences. Video credit: SOHO Spacecraft (NASA/ESA)

10 meter

Here is a success story when propagation is good about the use of the Miracle Whip antenna by Ben Barr in Yahoo Miracle Whip Forum:

Miracle Whip+FT817 5watts, today in 10 meters work 3 stations in California, from North Carolina 20 meters Vermont, last week work Marroco on 20 meters..............just my observation: I bought the MMD-10 plus auto tuner and use it indoors, the same way I use my Miracle Whip, and to my surprise the Miracle Whip performs MUCH better, once again thats my observation and no scientific research.73's Ben Barr KC2RXV

My results on 10 meter Whisper this afternoon.

My QSO's today

PSK luck

I do not work USA daily with bpsk31. But today I did. I worked WD4JJI Rick from The Villages, Florida on 15 meter with bpsk31. Normally I do not come outside Europe with my end fed wire when I use bpsk31. Maybe it is my MV 5+3 antenna or just propagation, I don't know.

On 12 meter I worked CO6LE Luis from Santa Clara, Cuba. So I am lucky with bpsk31 so far. On 10 meter I worked RK9CXM and UT9LI on 15 meter.

Because of the added counterpoises to my MV-5+3 antenna I can work also on 6 meter now. Before that I couldn't tune the antenna on 6 meter.

The weather was fine today. I was biking and took this photo of the farm nearby. I did some WSPR on 10 meter and was reported by VK4ABW. Other activities:

I couldn't upload pictures with the Firefox browser. I was successful with Chrome, no problem.