OK1KW CZECH REPUBLIC

I was extremely excited to find OK1K1 on the 14.058 Fist frequency again this evening. (We've worked before). The really nice thing about this contact was that we took quite a few minutes to "chat". Exchanged info about rig and antennas, WX and the good unexpected propagation.

Both of us have Fists and Century Club numbers that we exchanged. Milan was very complimentary about my 5 watts and my antenna. This is one of the rare times I've had a chat with anyone almost 5,000 miles distance with good signals both ways.

This QSO really made my day!

EA5DD SPAIN

Another contact in Spain this evening. EE5DA looks like an outdoors man. Transmitting from Alecante. Heard several England stations but couldn't work them. I see someone is the mid west worked UR5FA/MM on QRP Spots but I wasn't in the right place at the right time.

EA5AVL SPAIN

Strange band conditions this evening but I managed to work Les (EA5AVL) near Madrid Spain. Very loud, although he was hearing me at 529. We actually took a minute to chat, as I listened to his 400 watts into a Quad antenna.

He congratulated me on my 5 watts and the indoor Isotron antenna.

I was very happy to hear my friend in New York (N2UGB) was able to work the slow freighter  (UR5FA/MM) near Brazil and get a good signal report. It seems the ship will around South America for a few more days. There might be a chance for me to work him again, before he gets out of range.

(If you can work him QRP to QRP, it's a real hoot!)  

I also worked two stations in the mid west today. One in Idaho (AB7VS) and the other (W5IQS) in Texas. Finished the evening working a Louisville Kentucky (AE4RV) but QRM shut me down. Sure wish I had bought those extra filters....

PB2JJ NETHERLANDS

Strange happenings on the band yesterday. There's a lot of contesting this weekend, but I heard this guy sending CQ Test all in the clear, and hardly anyone making an effort to return his call. It took me many many times but finally made the connection.

UR5FA/MM QRP- a little closer to South America

I was able to work this Marine Mobile QRP station again this evening. It's a slow moving ship now in grid square GK 90. Oleg (UR5FA/MM/QRP) is using a Yeasu FT 817 @ 5 watts with a Windom antenna. He's very weak but workable. His signal was a little better this evening but still heavy QSB and at best 229.

Evidently he hears me much better than I hear him. This evening the frequency was 14.060 @ 21:50z.

He's a fine catch....a little closer to South America tonight.

The Taste of Crow

Yesterdays entry about the Ukraine QRP station (UR5FA/MM) has turned out to be false. 

Late last night, after seeing an entry on another DX Cluster, I found the e-mail address of the strong 5 station (W5JAY) who worked this station just before me. Indeed (and I'm grateful he noted this on the cluster entry) UR5FA/MM was transmitting from grid square GK57 which is just above South America and about midway between it and Africa. 

This explains (perfectly) why I was able to work him at a mere 2500 miles. It also explains why I've found only three entries for this station. Hihi 

While a disappointment for me, I seem to be the most distant station to make the contact. Brazil was fairly close for him, one station was in the gulf coast, and another was in North Carolina.

I'm sure this QRP station will be an interesting contact for a few more fellows here in the United States as he steams towards Africa. He's worth listening for and will probably transmit again on the 14.060 frequency. I worked him at 22:25 GMT. 

I think the ship is MV Anni S. It's listed on the E-QSL site as an alternate operating site. 

This morning I'm having crow for breakfast.

UR5FA/MM QRP UKRAINE

Back from the beach and on 20 meters again. Yes, I missed the radio and it's great to be back on the air.

I don't think I will EVER figure out propagation!

This afternoon the solar flux is 94, the A index is 5, and the K index is 1. I'm certainly not an expert on the index's, but it seems completely illogical that I've worked  my BEST "1000 mile per watt" contact now.
(see following entry about this station)

This is a Marine Mobile QRP Station !  

I've sent a follow up e-mail, along with an E-QSL confirmation, to this station operating from (what I thought  was) Odessa in the Ukraine. I hope to find out what antenna he was using since I'm sure of his QRP status. I can't imagine anything but a "wire antenna" operating from a boat. 

A few moments before I worked him, a heard a strong 5 station (here in the US) exchange info and when I checked the DX cluster, I discovered he worked another QRP station (PY4ZO) in Brazil about 15 minutes before me. 

Oleg (UR5FA/MM) was hearing me fairly well but I had a VERY difficult time hearing him. He repeated his call many times until I finally repeated it back correctly. He really deserves "congratulations" on a job well done while waiting for the signal to peak just right.

Yesterday evening, I worked an Italian station (IT9NMJ) but not sure he copied everything correctly. Still a nice try at ONE mile short of another 1000 mpw.

I received a nice e-mail from F6DCD/ QRP (France) who I worked just before leaving for the beach.

He sez:

 Hello John,
> Thanks for this info and the nice qso. Your signal was really solid & nice to copy here with the indoor ant & 4W ! I like qrp and the K2 is a super trx. My ant is not 2 él but 3 él/ 3 bands (FB33 - Fritzel) at 15m high (see photo).
> Wish you all the best + vy 73
>
> Denis F6DCD 

I also worked the French station F5NBX again....seems anytime he points the antenna towards the east coast, I seem to work him.

Todays contact with the Ukraine station (UR5FA/MM)  makes my 80th DX contact.