Month: June 2011

QSO365 struck by lightning, future in jeopardy

At around 17:05 yesterday (28th June) my house suffered a very near lightning strike. My wife and daughter described it as a very bright white flash and a simultaneous bang which sounded as though a huge goldfish bowl had smashed right behind them. My neighbours have described a feeling of something going through them and […]

Days 175, 176 and 177 – I’ve now worked 100 DXCC entities

I’ve done a fair bit of data over these three days, largely but not exclusively down to a contest at the weekend which was 75 baud RTTY and PSK63. Day #175 didn’t include a contest though but I still had a go with some PSK – I worked SP3SLO (Paul), F8KHR (Dom), OK1DOZ (Beda), UT1PA […]

A magazine article on the future of amateur radio and my thoughts about it

A recent correspondent in the letters section of an amateur radio magazine admits to having “caught the bug” of amateur radio, agrees that there should be a proper licensing test of operating procedures and the use of appropriate instruments to prevent interference, but “cannot really see the point of everyone having to learn basic electrics […]

Days 172, 173 and 174 – Svalbard?

On day #172 I switched the wireless on to find it still on 20m from the last QSO of the previous night and so I tuned around to hear RA3PCI, Sergey calling CQ.  It would have been rude not to answer so we had a chat and then I moved to 40m to work J48O, […]

Days 169, 170 and 171 – WSPR on 6m and Contestia

I started day #169 by working a couple of Special Event stations on 40m, I worked MU/EA1SA followed by GB0GCR and GB2MOF then I had a contact with EA3PT, Jordi on 15m.  I then had RTTY QSOs on 20m with TF5B, Billi and PI65ALK.  It was the 6m Trophy contest and so I gave away […]

Why do I get so few replies to CQ calls?

Over the last few months I’ve noticed a strange phenomenon.  Why is it that I can call CQ on the HF bands and not get a reply for ages?  I’ve noticed that I can call for ten minutes and finally have a reply from someone who gives me a good signal report, “Five and nine plus […]

Days 166, 167 and 168 – /p operation

On day #166 I started off after work by working DJ3HJ, SK7BQ/P, PC11AMBER and F/G3PGK/P on 40m SSB.  It was a nice long chat with F/G3PGK/P, Colin who was on holiday in France.  I learned that he has a cat called Bonzo and he learned a couple of things – One was that I don’t […]

40m WSPR on my new loop aerial

Last night I thought I’d see how well my 40m horizontal delta loop was performing by running some WSPR overnight with just five watts – I can’t go any lower with my radio, the lowest setting is five watts. After one transmit period this is where I’d been seen. That’s pretty good.  I left the […]

Days 163, 164 and 165

Day #163 kicked off with a few QSOs in a 144MHz contest – Not as many as I’d have hoped but conditions were pretty dire and although I tuned around for nearly an hour, I only managed to work five stations who were G3NYY/P, TM7T, G0UTT/P, G2XV/P and MI0AYR/P.  After that I worked DL0YLC, Connie […]

I’ve been certified – Formula 1 Valencia Award

Some would argue that I should have been certified years ago but this isn’t that kind of certification. I’ve worked six separate Special Event stations for the F1 Grand Prix in Valencia 2011 and for that I’ve been awarded this nice certificate. I’ve never applied for a radio related award before and it’s not something […]