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DX Reports / DX Report 03/11/18

« Last post by k4lrx on March 11, 2018, 06:49:16 AM »

9M0W is supposed to be running an expedition, however we have noticed few spots on the clusters, roughly three, or four contacts and they vanish. I saw on the clusters that a few spots surfaced and they were on 7.016 around 1100Z.I checked the frequency and heard nothing, did copy a few stations calling on 7.017 and that was it. The callers were midwest, or North east. Nothing in the 4th district at least not in Kentucky.

Quite frankly, I did not expect this one to be much, rotten propagation is the main cause, we had worked this entity on 20 meter SSB and CW a few years ago for our only band on this rare one.

I did see on the clusters they were spotted on 14.190, but again no copy, or so lite you could barely detect a signal. We will see what the next few days bring us, but my feelings are write it off.

DX Reports / DX Report 3/10/18

« Last post by k4lrx on March 09, 2018, 10:43:11 PM »

Two stations that are active TY7C and TN5R snagged both on 80 meters TY7C 3.528 0354Z and TN5R 3.5.45 0411A 8)Smokin

DX Reports / DX Report 3/9/18

« Last post by k4lrx on March 09, 2018, 04:45:52 AM »

We have a couple of good ones on in the form of expeditions, TY7C has been burning up the bands on 20, 15, 40 and 80, good signal on all with the exception of 80 meters. Listened last night, signal was pretty weak in my area, we will wait until a good night to work this one on 80.

Limited operation with 9M0 on Spratley islands, I have not heard this station emerge on 20 at all, some stations on the West Coast are copying, by few takers.

XR0YD continues to rack up contacts from Easter Island check the clusters for exact frequency, since they move around some.

Nothing heard or any spots on the cluster for 3C0, this may still be in the works, but so far nothing.

Lastly, H44MS operates on 40 phone in the early hours of the morning around 7.165 or some where close to it, I am saying around 1200Z or earlier.

Stay tuned

DX Reports / DX Report 3/8/18

« Last post by k4lrx on March 08, 2018, 03:43:39 PM »

9M0W is on the air, but so far nothing heard back this way, west coast stations reporting hearing this operation on 14.024khz at various times. They do not appear to have much action, reports are endless CQ, but not returning to anyone. Who knows on this one, this is a troublesome area of the world so this may be limited intentionally.

No operation yet from Annobon stay tuned for that one, hope the crew gets it going soon.

DX Reports / New Expedition 3/5/18

« Last post by k4lrx on March 05, 2018, 04:42:35 PM »

There is activity from Revilla Gigedo Gee I hope I got that mouth full spelled correctly, normally the XF4 prefix is used, this is the first time a 4B has been activated from these islands. The call is 4B4B and should be a piece of cake to work. The islands are owned by Mexico and located just off the coast of Mexico in the Pacific. Not far, but rare and they do count as a separate entity.

Worked this afternoon with ease 14.195 up five, 2220Z. Aim Southwest, the signal was not that strong due to lousy propagation, but workable. Hope to catch them on 80 meters..

DX Reports / Update on Annnobon island

« Last post by k4lrx on March 05, 2018, 11:18:15 AM »

According to the web site information, if the crew can secure a flight to this island country, then we should see some 3C0 operation beginning shortly. We could use this one on 80/40 and 10, got it on 20 and 15 some years ago. Stay tuned.

DX Reports / DX Report3/5/18

« Last post by k4lrx on March 05, 2018, 02:06:48 AM »

DX contest is over and the bands can be rated as fair for the most part, we did work a few stations, but nothing new, or needed on the high bands. Ten dead, fifteen did provide some contacts to South America and the Caribbean area.

We dumped the contest and slipped down to CW on 40 and captured 3C3W 7.019 up 2 0350Z.

On Sunday night we worked this station again on 80 meters 3.509KHZ 0500Z with a very good signal. It was a new band country, so we were happy. According to the information on the 3C3W website there was supposed to be another split of the same group operating from 3C0, so far nothing heard, be looking for that one on the lower bands. March has several operations going this month as you saw in the bulletins, stay tuned.

DX Reports / DX Bulletin 3/3/18

« Last post by k4lrx on March 02, 2018, 12:11:19 AM »

SB DX @ ARL $ARLD010
ARLD010 DX news

ZCZC AE10
QST de W1AW
DX Bulletin 10 ARLD010
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT March 1, 2018
To all radio amateurs

SB DX ARL ARLD010
ARLD010 DX news

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by
W3UR, The Daily DX, the OPDX Bulletin, 425 DX News, DXNL, Contest
Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites.
Thanks to all.

SPRATLY ISLANDS. A large group of operators will be QRV as 9M0W
from Layang Layang Island, IOTA AS-051, from March 6 to 13.
Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB and various
digital modes. QSL via YT1AD.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA, 3C. Operators YL2GM, YL1ZF and YL2KL are QRV as
3C3W from Bioko, IOTA AF-010, until March 27. Activity is on 160 to
10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL direct to YL2GN.

ANNOBON, 3C0. In addition to their Equatorial Guinea operation,
operators YL2GM, YL1ZF and YL2KL are also QRV as 3C0W from Annobon,
IOTA AF-039, until March 27. Activity is on 160 to 10 meters using
CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL direct to YL2GN.

VIET NAM, 3W. Wolf, DL5MAE is QRV as 3W2MAE until March 6. He has
been active on 30 meters using CW. QSL to home call.

BARBADOS, 8P. Tom, W2SC will be QRV as 8P5A in the ARRL
International DX SSB Contest as a Single Op/All Band/High Power
entry. QSL direct to HA1AG.

CROATIA, 9A Members of the Radio Club Croatian Flora Fauna are QRV
as 9A200S during all of 2018 to commemorate the commissioning 200
years ago of the Savudrija Lighthouse, ARLHS CRO-134. QSL via
9A2MF.

EASTER ISLAND, CE0. A group of operators are QRV as XR0YD until
March 15. Activity is on 160 to 10 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY and
FT8. QSL via DL4SVA.

ECUADOR, HC. Bill, W0OR is QRV as HC1DW from Cotacachi. Activity
is on 80 to 10 meters. This includes being an entry in the ARRL
International DX SSB contest. QSL to home call.

ST. MAARTEN, PJ7. A group of operators are QRV as PJ0DX from Beacon
Hill until March 5. This includes being an entry in the ARRL
International DX SSB contest. QSL via IZ1MHY.

SUDAN, ST. Members of the Khartoum Sea Scouts National Radio Club
are QRV with special call ST60JOTA. Activity of late has been on 20
meters using SSB. QSL direct to ST2M.

EGYPT, SU. Jovica, E78A is now QRV as SU9JT until the end of 2018.
Activity is on the HF bands. QSL via E73Y.

COSTA RICA, TI. Operators WJ1B, W6PNG, W6HFP and K0BBC are QRV as
TI7/home calls from Las Villas del Guayabo until March 6. Activity
is on the HF bands. They will be active as TI7/WJ1B in the ARRL
International DX SSB contest. QSL to home calls.

ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS, VU4. John, G4IRN is QRV as VU4G from
Lower Andaman Island, IOTA AS-001, until March 5. Activity is
mainly on 80 to 10 meters with an emphasis on CW. QSL to home call.

REVILLAGIGEDO, XA4. Mark, XE1B is QRV as 4B4B from Socorro Island,
IOTA NA-030, during all of March. Activity is on 160 to 6 meters
using only SSB. QSL direct to home call.

VANUATU, YJ. Michael, G7VJR is QRV as YJ0GB from Efate Island, IOTA
OC-035, until March 19. Activity is holiday style on 80 to 10
meters. QSL via M0OXO.

ZIMBABWE, Z2. Rune, LA7THA, Arne, LA7WCA and Thor, LA9VPA are QRV
as Z2LA until March 11. Activity is holiday style on 160 to 10
meters using CW and SSB. QSL via M0OXO.

KOSOVO, Z6. Look for Z60A to be QRV in the ARRL International DX
SSB contest.

CAYMAN ISLANDS, ZF. Dan, N6MJ is QRV as ZF2MJ from Grand Cayman
Island, IOTA NA-016, until March 5. Activity is on 160 to 10
meters. This includes being a Single Op/All Band entry in the ARRL
International DX SSB contest. QSL via N6MJ.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. The ARRL International DX SSB Contest,
NCCC RTTY Sprint, QRP 80-Meter CW Fox Hunt, NCCC CW Sprint, Wake-Up.
QRP CW Sprint, Open Ukraine RTTY Championship, UBA Spring CW
Contest, NSARA 80-Meter Contest and SARL Hamnet 40-Meter Simulated
Emergency SSB Contest will certainly keep contesters busy this
upcoming weekend.

The RSGB 80-Meter Club Data Championship is scheduled for March 5.

The AGCW 80-Meter YL-CW Party and ARS Spartan CW Sprint are
scheduled for March 6.

The UKEICC 80-Meter SSB Contest, CWops Mini-CWT CW Test, NRAU
10-Meter Activity Contest, Phone Fray and QRP 40-Meter CW Fox Hunt
are all scheduled for March 7.

AWA John Rollins Memorial DX CW Contest is scheduled for March 7 to
8, and March 10 to 11.

The Novice Rig Roundup runs from March 3 to 11.

The ARRL International Grid Chase runs during all of 2018.

Please see March 2018 QST, page 85, and the ARRL and WA7BNM Contest
Web Sites for details.
NNNN
/EX

Equipment Reviews / Update on Buckmaster antenna 7 bands

« Last post by k4lrx on February 28, 2018, 02:04:26 AM »

In a past report I wrote a review of this antenna and I was not all warm and fuzzy about its performance. However, I was not prepared to give up so did a little tinkering. First, I moved the long leg to another position, I have it tied to a tree branch, well the clothes line at the end of the actual wire. By doing so we found a resonant point on 80 meters and that was about 3.600KHZ, this allowed us to cover 80CW pretty well. Ok, we checked 40, same, but wider coverage, antenna resonates about 7.100 and covers the CW band with a 1.4 SWR same on 80 meters.

Now this is where things get a little unusual, we have noticed when it rains, the SWR drops to near nothing on both bands, yet once the weather dries out, the SWR goes back to what I mentioned. The antenna has performed well on 80/40 but nothing else, forget trying to use it on 17/20/15/10 without a tuner. You might have someone copy you on those bands by doing so, but once you bypass the tuner what you have is a non resonant high SWR antenna. I think this antenna would work much better if it were not subject to my tower, although the apex is at 70 feet and the antenna performs well on those bands there may be some interaction between the tower and antenna.

I have a pipe attached to the tower and on the end of the pipe is a pulley, this arrangement offsets the antenna from the tower by at least five feet. You might find in all fairness find that a wooden pole with the same arrangement as I have using a long pole to offset the antenna. Your results may be better if both legs were horizontal instead of a an inverted V configuration.

If you doubt this antenna you might want to consider one of dual band wire antennas from MFJ at a much cheaper price, but this antenna will probably last ten years and be done. The Buckmaster will still be in great shape after that time, depends on your wants and needs, price versus quality.

100

DX Reports / DX Report 2/28/18

« Last post by k4lrx on February 28, 2018, 01:36:03 AM »

Looks like February is going to end with some good propagation on the lower bands. We have had a good run this year on 80 meters and we may have another month, maybe two before the band starts to get noisy and become useless during the summer.

3D2EU is really active and working all bands, well those that are open and a very big signal on 40. Ok, we did work TY1TT on 80 meters for a new band country 3.502 up 2 0130Z. Good signal and great catch on 80 meters. I had hoped for an 80 meter contact with 3D2EU, but so far no copy, it is surprising since that part of the world normally comes in very well during early morning and evening. We have had no trouble copying VK/ZL stations, so to not hear 3D2EU is surprising. Perhaps, the propagation will improve in the coming days for 80 meters to that area.

As to Kosovo as I mentioned, there has been another station spotted and that is Z68M so far that is three stations from this new entity, I am sure more will follow.

For those of you looking for some dx on 75 meters check the window of 3.790 to 3.800 Khz some big signals from Europe and they are easy to work, the stations are on nightly several are using 80 meter beams. If you do not hear anything one night, check again later. Big signals from Austria, Serbia, Spain, Italy, and England. With their large antennas they can copy stations in the states using average dipoles, or verticals. Never know until you push the transmit button. Check around 10 PM local time, or a little later, you might be amazed!