Days 283, 284, 285 and 286 – PSK31 sign-offs

Day #283 was the first day back home after I’d been away all weekend for the RSGB Convention and I realised very quickly that morning that perhaps I should have taken the day off to recover.  Although I’d been sensible and not had really late nights while away, they were still long days and I was tired.  I’ll try and remember to book the monday off next year.  But I digress.  I first worked G8XXJ, Jeff and 9A6ILI on 40m SSB and then I fired up PSK31 which I’ve used a fair bit recently.  I worked EW6FW, Sergej, YU1RP, Dragan and IZ0VXL, Federico, all on 20m PSK31.

On day #284 I carried on with 20m PSK31 and worked RD3WZ, Igor, UT5FMA, Vladimir, YU7HC, Jan, UA3ON, Anatoly and IZ7FSY, Renato.  The evening was finished off by having a QSO with Bernd, DL9AKA on 40m SSB.

I only had one contact on day #285 because it was M6DHUs birthday and so I didn’t want so sit playing radio all evening, I spoke briefly to HF36POL, Janusz on 20m.

Wrapping up this update, I worked a few stations on 40m SSB on day #286, these were GM0BXC/P, Paul, GX1DHE/P, Phil and then I had a quick word with M0MJH, 2E0SQL and M1BXF, Mark, Pete and Gavin or, Jimmy, Jimmy and Jimmy respectively!

I like working PSK31 but I get a little frustrated by the rubber stamp ‘macro’ QSOs that are very prevalent on that mode.  I do use the occasional macro myself but I try to hand type most of the exchange.  I like to try and inject a little humour into the contact so I will vary my sign off into whatever comes into my head at the time, normally something related to strange animals.  It’s not unusual for me to type:

“I wish you good DX and all the best to you, your family and your pet stoat”

or

“I wish you good DX and please stroke your zebra for me”

or

“Good DX to you and your family and I hope your house is never invaded by man-eating slugs”

If nothing else, it makes me smile!

2 Comments

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  1. Hello Keith, that’s some nice humour. Most of the time a PSK31 QSO is as interesting as a JT65 QSO except may be for some rare DX. Can I remember you of your intention to use some CW when you started your 365 days blog? If I look through your logs I can’t see many CW QSOs? 73, Bas

    1. Hi Bas,

      If you click on CW under Categories over on the right and look at the top two entries, you’ll see the both contain CW QSOs. In one I specifically mention working three stations in HF NFD and the second one contains a list and I worked FP/G4EAG on 40m CW just a couple of weeks ago on day #268.

      It’s only four QSOs throughout the course of the year, but that’s four more than none!

      73
      Keith.

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