144 MHz: 171 DXCC worked, 171 DXCC confirmed

Posted on January 29, 2018 by admin

N0w all worked 171 country by DXCC Award on 144 MHz are confirmed.
Waiting for a SUPER RARE 3Y0Z (Bouvet Island) expedition. The expedition team currently on the way to the island by “Betazone” ship. Easy to follow them.

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4x2M18XXX accident

Posted on January 25, 2018 by admin

A strong gust of wind last night broke the anchorage of the antenna actuator. The antenna array under the wind pressure turned almost 110 degrees. But one of the arrows (Vertical 2M18XXX) was caught on the guy. This saved the entire antenna from further damage. Once again I was convinced that the antennas of  M2 Antenna System Inc. are very strong.

The 10 mm steel lever was bent and broken through the bolt hole. So, impossible to repair and I made a new one.
Terrible weather on this winter!!

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Year 2017 statistic

Posted on January 2, 2018 by admin

Total (HF+VHF) – 1941 QSO.
Activity on all bands (HF and VHF) in in percentages: CW – 66.67%, digital modes – 28.5%, Phone -4.84%. Below is shown 2017 year activity, relatively to 2016 and 2015:

On VUSHF bands (50, 144, 432, 1296 MHz).
Total QSO: 740, including:
EME: 394. (Initials: 2M – 148, 70cm – 22);
Tropo – 122, E_Spor. – 133, Aurora – 33, MeteorScatter – 58.

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Four new DXCC countries on 2M band

Posted on December 26, 2017 by admin

Have no time to update my blog during last two months. But time was very productive!
Four new countries on 2 m band:
October 11, 20:17 utc: T8EM (Palau)
November 02, 19:21 utc: DX7EME (Panglao Isl.)
November 03, 20:49 utc: 9M2/JG3TTO (West Malaysia),
November 28, 23:27 utc: V31EME (Belize).

Also i started to work on 60 m band. My setup for that band:
FT-2000 with open 60M band + dipole. ERP abt. 15W. But, anyway, during these 2 month I’ve got 39 DXCC. Including very good DX: 9K,9X, VE, TF, OY, OJ, KH6, EY. Full list below.

  DATA OF FIRST QSO
DXCC QSO Conf CALLSIGN DATE TIME
4O (Montenegro) 1 1 4O7CC 22/11/2017 22:04
4X, 4Z (Israel) 1 1 4Z4DX 20/11/2017 22:51
9A (Croatia) 1 0 9A2AA 22/12/2017 22:17
9H (Malta) 1 0 9H1CG 20/11/2017 22:48
9K (Kuwait) 1 0 9K2YM 22/11/2017 21:34
9X (Rwanda) 1 0 9X2AW 21/11/2017 21:38
DA-DL (Fed. Rep. of Germa) 33 10 DK3IR 09/10/2017 16:14
EA-EH (Spain) 4 2 EA4KT 21/11/2017 19:11
EA6-EH6 (Balearic Is.) 1 0 EA6SX 14/10/2017 18:51
EA8-EH8 (Canary Is.) 3 2 EA8JT 23/10/2017 20:33
EI-EJ (Ireland) 1 0 EI3KF 22/12/2017 21:07
ES (Estonia) 1 0 ES5QA 10/10/2017 07:02
EY (Tajikistan) 1 1 EY8MM 22/11/2017 22:20
G, GX (England) 7 1 M0NPT 09/10/2017 18:35
GD, GT (Isle of Man) 1 0 GD3YUM 22/11/2017 22:00
GI, GN (Northern Ireland) 4 2 GI0HWO 10/10/2017 19:38
GM, GS (Scotland) 2 2 MM0HVU 10/10/2017 20:00
GW, GC (Wales) 1 0 MW0CSO 16/10/2017 18:28
HB (Switzerland) 5 1 HB9DQV 23/11/2017 21:26
KH6 (Hawaii) 1 0 DL4FA 14/10/2017 17:58
LA-LN (Norway) 2 0 LB6BG 21/11/2017 15:32
LX (Luxembourg) 2 1 LX1TI 09/10/2017 18:22
LZ (Bulgaria) 2 1 LZ2DF 10/10/2017 19:36
OF-OI (Finland) 3 0 OI5PRM 10/10/2017 08:23
OJ0 (Market Reef) 1 1 OJ0JR 09/10/2017 16:09
OM (Slovak Republic) 2 0 OM3EY 10/10/2017 20:06
ON-OT (Belgium) 6 2 ON4APU 10/10/2017 18:22
OY (Faroe Is.) 1 0 OY3SR 21/11/2017 21:31
OZ (Denmark) 7 4 OZ1TMK 09/10/2017 18:24
PA-PI (Netherlands) 9 2 PE1NPS 09/10/2017 18:29
SA-SM (Sweden) 1 0 SM7MBH 14/10/2017 18:41
SN-SR (Poland) 9 4 SP9CTW 09/10/2017 16:35
SV-SZ (Greece) 1 0 SV1JFL 22/12/2017 22:24
TA-TC (Turkey) 1 0 TA9J 22/12/2017 22:28
TF (Iceland) 2 1 TF3ARI 09/10/2017 19:05
UN-UQ (Kazakhstan) 3 0 UN3G 21/12/2017 17:22
UR-UZ, EM-EO (Ukraine) 1 0 UT5IS 10/10/2017 18:15
VE, VO, VY (Canada) 1 0 VE1VOX 22/12/2017 21:20
YL (Latvia) 2 2 YL2GP 08/10/2017 15:54
39 127 41      

Mainly digital, FT8 mode and, CW.
Very interesting band!

 

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EME DXPedition 3DA0MB

Posted on October 14, 2017 by admin

From 13 to 18 of October DXPedition 3DA0EME will QRV from Swaziland on 6m, 2m, 70cm, 23, 13, 9, 6 and 3cm. Great choice, but as far, as I can operate EME only on 2M and 70cm, these two bands are most interesting for me. On 2M they have 4×9 el. H-pol, and on 70 cm 2×28 M2 yagi.

It was hard for me to complete Polarity offset, during first 4 hours was changed from -875 degrees! Sometimes I can see theirs trace only V-pol, sometimes H-pol.  I spent nearly 5 hours, before QSO was complete. They answered me one time, but did not get RO from me. So, I continued to call and was happy to get OOO again. This time we completed very quick!

Unfortunately, I even did not saw trace on 70 cm. So, only one band yet, but hope for 70 cm too.

Yes!! This morning was very easy QSO with 3DA0MB on 432.090. They answered me from my first call. His signal was -21 db, I;ve got -26 db.

Thus, I’ve got DXCC No. 167 (grid # 980) on 2M band and DXCC No. 52 (Grid #213) on 70 cm.

Thanks, Team!

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September tropo

Posted on September 27, 2017 by admin

Strong and lasting tropo on the last week of September.
September 26 below:

  

Till now 48 QSO on 144 and 432 MHz, 30 grid squares and 8 DXCC

September 27 below:

 

 

 

Summary for 27 of September: 33 QSO, 24 grids and 10 DXCC on 144 and 432 MHz

On 28 of September all day I was busy and decided to try 23 cm band on the late evening.  I have some issue on this band, perhaps in the mast head box (RX/TX coaxial relay). After 1st successful QSO with SK0EN I tried several stations from OH/SM, but problem comes back, unfortunately…. Nothing interesting  on 144 and 432 on this evening.

DATETIMECALLSIGNLOCATOR TXRXBANDMODEQRB
09/24/201718:53OH6RMKP32FP59592 m.SSB391
09/24/201718:59SM7GVFJO77GA5795592 m.CW644
09/24/201719:10SK0ENJO99JX5995992 m.CW343
09/24/201719:16LY2WRKO25FO5995992 m.CW403
09/24/201719:22OH1NDKP00XL5795792 m.CW207
09/24/201719:44YL2GPKO27AA5995992 m.CW249
09/24/201720:34SM0KAKJO89XK5595592 m.CW383
09/25/201718:18R1AJKO59DO59592 m.SSB318
09/25/201718:20R1DXKO59EW5995992 m.CW328
09/25/201718:23UA1ANAKO59EW57572 m.SSB328
09/25/201718:25RM1AKO59BU59592 m.SSB313
09/25/201718:31RA1ASKP60DC57572 m.SSB436
09/25/201718:42SM5KYUJO89IP5995992 m.CW454
09/25/201719:03EW7TKO53EV5595592 m.CW686
09/25/201719:05UA1WCFKO54JR5595592 m.CW621
09/25/201719:08RA3LBWKO64AT55552 m.SSB661
09/25/201719:11OH1JJKP10EJ59592 m.SSB184
09/25/201719:15OH1LTKP00XO57572 m.SSB216
09/25/201719:22OH6KTLKP02OJ59592 m.SSB400
09/25/201720:11OH7RJKP32TV5795792 m.CW437
09/25/201720:48OH4MVHKP32PG5995992 m.CW366
09/26/201716:22RA1TMKO67OX5995992 m.SSB511
09/26/201716:26SK2AUKP04LQ5995992 m.CW637
09/26/201716:36RN3FKO86RE59959970 cmCW828
09/26/201716:39OH1NDKP00XL59959970 cmCW207
09/26/201716:43UA3XACKO85HC5795792 m.CW850
09/26/201716:47R3CTKO86QF5995992 m.CW821
09/26/201716:56RO3XKO73FU5995992 m.CW843
09/26/201717:01YL2LWKO26CW5995992 m.CW256
09/26/201717:02RN3FKO86RE5995992 m.CW828
09/26/201717:05UA3WMKO72QI59955592 m.CW12
09/26/201717:36EU1AIKO33SU5995992 m.CW622
09/26/201717:38LY2HSKO25UO5995992 m.CW407
09/26/201717:43EW1KPKO33TW5995992 m.CW615
09/26/201717:49UR5LXKO70WK5995992 m.CW207
09/26/201717:54UR5LXKO70WK59959970 cmCW207
09/26/201718:15EW1KPKO33TW59959970 cmCW615
09/26/201718:22RW3TJLO16XF59959970 cmCW185
09/26/201718:28RA3VGVLO06PI575970 cmSSB30
09/26/201718:53R1NWKP51HU59959970 cmCW435
09/26/201719:31UR3EEKN885995992 m.CW434+-
09/26/201719:40EW6FSKO35LB5995792 m.CW483
09/26/201719:42EW6AFKO55CE5695792 m.CW558
09/26/201719:45UA3LIDKO64CN5995992 m.CW689
09/26/201719:49RN3DKQKO85WI5995992 m.CW898
09/26/201719:53RN3DKQKO85WI55955970 cm. CW898
09/26/201720:20UX4IJKN88TR5795992 m.CW435
09/26/201720:25RD3FDKO95CO5995792 m.CW901
09/27/201707:11SO3ZJO82LJ5995792 m.CW899
09/27/201707:11UT8ALKO61WP5795792 m.CW20
09/27/201707:43UT8ALKO61WP59959970 cmCW20
09/27/201707:50EW6DXKO45JL5995992 m.CW483
09/27/201708:28SM2CEWKP15CR59959970 cmCW734
09/27/201708:30SM3AKWJP92AO59957970 cmCW520
09/27/201710:36OH6WDKP23WC5995992 m.CW435
09/27/201717:49EW8WKO42TO5995992 m.CW797
09/27/201717:53SM2JAEKP05SG5995992 m.CW691
09/27/201717:56EW2BZKO34OD5995792 m.CW585
09/27/201718:00EW2AFKO34PA5995992 m.CW600
09/27/201718:02R3LWKO54MQ5995992 m.CW634
09/27/201718:09LA0BYJO59FW58955970 cmCW804
09/27/201718:26SP2CNWJO93AI5795792 m.CW771
09/27/201718:33UA2FLKO04FQ5995992 m.CW567
09/27/201718:36R2FADKO04FW5995992 m.CW542
09/27/201718:39SP2QBQJO49FL59959970 cmCW919
09/27/201718:40SP2WPYJO94FL59959970 cmCW650
09/27/201718:43SP2HHXJO94HI5995992 m.CW656
09/27/201718:49EW6XKO45IM59959970 cmCW477
09/27/201718:51OH4EAKP32PG59959970 cmCW366
09/27/201719:03OH7HXHKP53HG5995992 m.CW549
09/27/201719:08LY2BBFKO24PR5995992 m.CW501
09/27/201719:09LY2GKKO24PR5995992 m.CW501
09/27/201719:14SP8NRKO12NA5995992 m.CW807
09/27/201719:17OH7MFOKP33MQ5995992 m.CW511
09/27/201719:25OH5IYKP30HV59959970 cmCW214
09/27/201720:09OH7RJKP32UV595970 cmCW438
09/27/201720:12UA1AJYKO49UR59959970 cmCW288
09/27/201720:26LY2WRKO25FO595970 cmSSB403
09/27/201720:37LY3AKO25DB575570 cmSSB464
09/27/201720:50OK2BFHJN99JQ58957970 cmCW126
09/27/201721:08EW8CNKO42KP5995992 m.CW776
09/28/201719:25SK0ENJO99JX59956923 cmCW343
Number ofQSO listed:82

to be continued….

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Another rare grid

Posted on July 22, 2017 by admin

LB6GG Hans will run portable EME on 144 MHz from two locations in KQ50
square, during late summer and autumn of 2017. He intent to start around July 20-22 and will be QRV until November 20 – depending on weather conditions. 
This will be a “QRP” expedition.
PWR around 450W into 2 x 2.4wl DK7ZB. Rx: LNA NF=0.5 dB

Hans was started, as expected, 21st of July. Conditions were poor enough after strong Aurora last night, but he completed his firsts EME QSO from KQ50kg square. His signal on my screen was very variable: from -23 to -27 db (rarely) to -30/31 db the most time.
I was unlucky at his first day.
Next day (22nd of July) was more successful for me: after his trace become solid on my screen, I called him and got immediate answer! 

This QSO gave me grid # 968 0n 2 M band.

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Vacation in Lithuania

Posted on June 17, 2017 by admin

Good to make some holidays even if you retired. On this year my wife and me decided to improve our health in Lithuania. On this year we booked room in sanatorium “Belarus” for two weeks. Room is in the 10th floor with a balcony. Ideal for HAM!
This time I took with me FT-847 with a automatic tuning antenna system ATAS-100 with a new universal support. Now I can mount this antenna very firmly to a round balcony railing.

My callsign was LY/ES3RF. WW-locator: KO14XA. I made around 70 QSO on HF and 6M band. Maimly CW mode.

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Good E-sporadic opening

Posted on May 22, 2017 by admin

Practically, whole day 6M band was open. I have not much time to spend in the shack, but, anyway 39 initial callsigns on 6M and 3 on 4M band. Mostly CW and a few JT65A.
 

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4O3EME – EME expedition to Montenegro

Posted on May 19, 2017 by admin

The group of Slovenian HAMs (S50P, S57C, S53RM, S57VW, S55OO) made a short 2m EME dxpedition. 144 MHz only, but in very interesting way: they will TX i.e. 144.105 horizontally and 144.145 vertically 1st period. Only one polarization QSO will be made.
I tried to listen on both QRG, but can hear 4O3EME only on 144.143 and H-pol.
Good signal and easy QSO. It was not new DXCC ornew grid for me. Just a new EME initial from rare country.

 

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