I still have difficulty believing my 3 watt signal traveled 7,429 miles into the tip of the Saudi Arabian Peninsula last night. It seemed too easy, and I shook my head when A45XR repeated back my call sign, along with the customary 559 signal report. I was truly hearing him about the same signal strength and he was "clear as a bell". He was working a few other stations in Puerto Rico (WP4JT) and Canada (VE2MF). The Puerto Rico station posted him as 599 into the Caribbean area and I believed it when I heard the signal.
Chris (A45XR) is my farthest contact yet and also a new DX entity. (#70) He was using a two element Delta cut for 30 meters and transmitting from the country of OMAN.
I'm not familiar with this antenna but can only imagine how it must improve the signal--- even with QRP power. Chris seems very proud of it and I must say, at 7,429 miles, the limitation of 200 watts on 30 meters, and his signal into North America, I'd be proud too; especially working a 3 watt QRP rig in West Virginia.
The 30 meter--2 element--Delta is the one in the front. There's a 3 element Delta in the rear for the other bands plus a vertical for 160 meters on the right side of the picture. Sounds like a winning combination to me and I can only hope for the space to put up one of these some day. This contact into OMAN exceeded my previous "best" contacts by at least 2,000 miles.
I was VERY happy to see my call sign in his online logbook!
9 comments:
Nice work John -Congrats!
Hello Mike,
Just got an e-mail from Chris (A45XR) in Oman...he too was surprised!
Only 30 more for DXCC now. Hihi
Wow, a nice one John. So you see, it doesn't matter if you work QRP or QRPp. You have to be on frequency to work the nice ones, just to be there is enough when propagation is good between you and the DX station. 73, Bas
A good catch at any power level - congrats!
Hello Bas,
I continue to be amazed at how propagation, and not power, or even a good antenna on my part, makes the difference on these long distance contacts. I assumed these contacts were possible only on 15 or 10 meters. I never expected it on 30 meters. I should have dropped down to a watt just for fun. hihi
Congrats, John, that is indeed a nice one!
Julian G4ILO
Hello Julian,
Thank you and yes, it was quite unexpected. He had no idea I was using 3 watts and a 50 ft random "stealth" antenna.
BTW/ My neighbors still don't know I run radio from my upstairs spare bedroom. They would have a hard time believing it, even if I told them. Hihi
Glad you're doing as well as you are (minus the gallstones of course) and hope you and Olga keep your spirits up and positive. I really admire that...
Good evening John, that sure is a great miles per watt result...and Oman to boot only but adds icing to the cake!!
Mike
Hello Mike,
My feelings too...
I've not calculated it yet but a three watts, it should be a good one.
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