Day 60 of DX

It was brutal today, trying to work my 60th day of daily DX. I had breakfast early this morning with friends in town, so therefore, missed my morning window on 17 meters. It took nearly two hours to find an opportunity, on the 12 meter band, to work IK5ZWU in Italy.

Everyone on the air seems to be chasing TX5K on Clipperton Island, but nothing else.

This morning I nearly gave up on the continuous DX contact. It was nearly too much to bear.

New DX Station # 74

Back to the rig in the afternoon and found ER3MM on the 17 meter band calling CQ; and working a lot of stations. I've heard them before but never been able to catch them at the right time. I needed to repeat my call sign several times, but the solution was to drift off frequency, just a bit. I had hoped he would move also, and it worked!

Modlova is now # 74 in the DXCC log book.

Denmark # 59 Daily Contact

This morning brought me two new stations in Denmark. The first being OZ8PG and the second being OV1CDX. I actually worked OV1CDX twice; first with the random wire and the second time with a new 17 meter dipole, which I stretched out "temporarily" in the upstairs rooms. I don't have room keep it up and use it all the time, so I took it down afterwards; but not before working F8DGY in France. That made a total of three DX new stations.

Today makes my 59th daily DX contact.

I think the random wire won out this morning when compared to the dipole. I know for certain I can hear better with it, but due to my operating location at the hamfest, on March 16th. the random wire would be a poor choice. It would not work well there because it's a metal building with large steel beams. The dipole, mounted outdoors, and a little distance from the building, will be the winner.

Using a random wire from a metal building with iron beams would be like trying to transmit from the inside of a tin can. I know the dipole, which is specifically cut for 17 meters, will be the antenna to use at the hamfest.

Yesterday, I also received a new "replacement" battery for the Sears Die Hard "jump starter" (model # 950A) which I use to power the radio when transmitting from picnic tables. It has served me well and lasted 5-6-years before giving up the ghost.

I like this "booster battery" because there is a "digital battery level readout" and "charger" built right into the unit, and also it has a "built in" light. It's massive, and much more than I need, but will power the radio "all day long". It's an eighteen amp hour/ 20 hour monster. I was able to install the new battery easily, with only a phillips head screwdriver, and a small wrench.

The new models have a USB port built into the front case.

Moscow Russia

I'm in a rush this morning and will have practically NO radio time today; but I managed to log UA5C in Moscow Russia this morning, just after a quick breakfast. I found him on the 15 meter band and it was truly a "knock your socks off" signal.


I'm just amazed at these big Russian stations. Alex was sending quickly this morning but immediately dropped down to my speed to say hello. More than just a handshake, I passed along my QRP status. I've worked several of these big stations now. Today was my 8th contact into this part of the world and at 5,031 miles, an EASY catch.


I'm driving my Dad to the Veterans Hospital, in a town about 50 miles from here today. My brother and I will both be with him. No big medical problems. Just a new hearing aid for him; but it will take most of the day to get there and back. There's snow on the highway this morning and we expected 10-15 inches of the white stuff in the mountains. For now, there's just a few flurries. I'm hoping the weather will be stable most of the day.

My Morning DX Contact

This mornings QSO (and it was a QSO) brought me DL3AZ in Germany and makes my 57th daily DX contact. I had been listening to another German station, just above his frequency and apparently, the other station went QRT. When I heard Andy (DL3AZ) calling, I mistakenly assumed the wrong call.

Embarrassingly, it took me a few moments to realize my mistake but Andy corrected me and we double checked our information. We talked about our rigs and antennas and he congratulated me on the 3 watt QRP signal. Andy was a real gentleman and I enjoyed the short QSO before he moved on to other stations.

There's another big snow storm moving towards us today. The temperature is going to be in the low 50's (f) but tonight will drop below freezing with an expected snow accumulation of 10-15 inches in the mountains.

I'm looking forward to a replacement battery to arrive by post today, and maybe my new 17 meter dipole. I use a "car booster" to run the radio in the field and the current battery "failed" after jump starting my old car a few weeks ago.  I hope it arrives before the snowy day tomorrow.

Today was my 31st contact with a German station.

The Charleston Hamfest

The annual Kanawha Amateur Radio Club Hamfest will be coming up in a few weeks and on March 16th, I will display my QRP station there with the hopes of introducing hams living in this area to my aspect of the hobby. My goal is to bring attention to "low power portable radio". Last night on the local repeater, I made my second announcement about my accomplishments with QRP power and Morse Code.

The Club website is here:   Kanawha Amateur Radio Club

I was not "radio active" until I retired from the Sherwin Williams Paint Company in 2004. Before retirement, I used a MFJ 9040 QRP rig from a three story apartment building by running my 40 meter Isotron antenna up on a painters pole which was bungee corded to the outside third floor stair railing.

I worked 48 states with QRP power on 40 meters, added a 20 meter Isotron antenna in 2009, and started working DX on a regular basis. Soon after that, I started using dedicated band dipole antennas which I could string up inside the house. Soon after that, I started using dedicated band dipoles when operating outdoors in the field.

About 6 months ago I started using an indoor random wire for an antenna, which has allowed me to work the 30 meter, 17 meter, and 12 meter bands from inside the house. From my home with the indoor random wire, I've now worked 96 DX stations on the 17 meter band, in the last six months, with 3 watts  of power.

At the hamfest, I'll have the keys I use and a small computer for displaying my QSL cards and I hope to string up a new 17 meter dipole. I'll attempt to work stations in Eastern Europe from there from 1300-1800 GMT, and if I'm successful with a few of them, afterwards I will tune to the 18.096 QRP frequency and begin calling CQ.

I've had a blast working QRP.  I have 1,830 stations in my log book now and I've worked 361 DX stations in 73 different countries. I don't work contests because I simply don't have the radio for them.

This morning I worked V31AC in Belize for the second time and a new station (F9IE) in France.

This morning makes my 56th day of working at least one DX stations every day I'm on the air!

A Time for Everything

Last night while on 30 meters, I made the rare and unusual move to "turn off" the radio. I was hearing and and on the verge of working a new station in Kuwait (9K2MU) when the dastardly deed of doing the unbelievable happened and someone spotted him on the "cluster". I have no doubt this would have been a successful contact without the interference of hundreds of stations attempting to work the same station at the same time.  I could have, and almost did (he was repeating back the N8YA (missing the Z) when I was stepped upon and mashed down into the mud; never to reappear again.

I'll give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and say most operators weren't aware of my small QRP signal on the same frequency. However, I think it's safe to say, the smell of blood brought out all the sharks.

I did manage to work a station (ZF2LC) in the Cayman Islands which I've previously worked. This morning is much of the same with "beehives" on the bands. Propagation is good but it's bad for me. To me, that's a real bummer and a nail in the coffin. Perhaps the "hive" will clear and the sharks disperse as the day wears on.