#210 DXCC Antartica OR4TN

I got tired of trying to fruitlessly work Lakshadweep VU7AG on 17m and so I shifted gears and tried to work Antartica on 17m.  Still on the same band as VU7 but just a few clicks down.  K2/100 and the ZS6 for the antenna and the linear made it a really aasy catch without a big pileup.

ZS6BKW versus G5RV - Part 2

I have written about the ZS6BKW some time ago in September 2012.  I suggest anyone reading this post, obtain a copy of Walter Maxwell’s excellent book Reflections III. In it he explains the misconceptions about a G5RV and provides excellent information. The book is available here http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com/Detail.bok?no=183

Let me summarize some of the key learnings about a G5RV antenna.

1. The G5RV is a random length dipole just like any other random length dipole.

2. Varney (G5RV) designed the antenna to have multiple lobe radiation pattern on 20m.

3. Varney intended the antenna to be fed with open line feeder from transmitter to antenna.

4. The G5RV if built correctly will have an SWR of 1.7:1 at the resonant frequency on the 20m band. SWR will be very high on other bands.

5. A transmatch (tuner) is required.

6. The open wire feeder is cut to a specific length so as to act as a 1:1 impedance match ie. the impedance of the antenna will be seen by the transceiver.

7. If feeding with coax to the open wire feeder, a 1:1 current balun is required at the junction of open wire and coax. ie. where you go from BALanced to UNbalanced. Without this the coax will act as a third component of the antenna and will radiate, reducing efficiency, increasing receive noise and causing interference.

8. The ZS6BKW variant provides a better match on most modern bands and is what I now use. http://www.nc4fb.org/wordpress/zs6bkw-multi-band-antenna/

Reflections by Walter Maxwell

Great reference book for hams - especially if you are into building antennas.  The book may be purchased at this link.

http://store.cq-amateur-radio.com/Detail.bok?no=183

Antenna Raising at KK4SAC

Paul wanted to raise his G5RV to as high as the surrounding trees will allow.  This enabled the use of the pneumatic antenna launcher.

The antenna now is about 20 feet at the lowest point to about 50 feet at the highest point.

Thanksgiving Tribute

My Firsts 

A "thanksgiving" essay dedicated to the radio amateurs who have helped, inspired,  encouraged, or otherwise kept this wonderful hobby of ours interesting, engaging and fun.

Amateur radio is hobby which is always full of "firsts".  It is the nature of the hobby - first rig, first contact, first home-brew project, and so on.  Through all of these, people are always involved to provide encouragement, help and inspiration.  Over the years these radio amateurs have become role models to aspire to.

There is always a story associated with a "first"

My first ticket into the world of HF - was with the help of a VE (volunteer examiner) who encouraged me to explore the world of HF digital.  He was Stan Nafziger - KF4BY.  Stan helped me with many technical questions over the years.  Stan encouraged me to build my first radio - a K2/10.

My first HF rig was an old Kenwood TS830.  A young Canadian missionary needed money for their first kid. It was a 100 watt radio but the tubes were sagging and so it did not reliably put out 100.  Stan KF4BY helped me keep that old rig running.  I was able to get Worked All States on phone with that old rig.

My first HF phone contact was a station at Moose Island Lighthouse in Maine AA1KS.  I still have the QSL card from that first contact.  This took place in March of 2010.  I was a General Class amateur at the time.

My first DX contact was a station in the Dominican Republic by HI3/W1JNZ.  My first long haul DX contact at QRP power level was using my Yaesu FT817 to the station of Mal Johnson in Australia VK6LC.  He did the heavy lifting digging me out of the noise floor with his beam antenna.  Both contacts were mid March 2010.

My first PSK contact in the US was to a Texas station  of KM5RA on 3/20/13 and my first DX contact was to the station of G0RVS on 3/21/13. 

My first 2x1 Extra Class call sign NY4G was obtained though a lottery process administered by the FCC.  I actually had a choice between NB4J and NY4G.  I chose NY4G from my New York City roots and my exposure to amateur radio as a 15 year old at the Worlds Fair fairgrounds through an amateur radio class.  The Call sign was granted by the FCC In July of 2010.

It was my first time to help the Boy Scouts earn their amateur radio merit badge by helping them get on the air through Jamboree on the Air on October 16, 2010.   I studied a little bit of CW so I can explain to them what morse code was.  Through that exposure I fell in love with the aspect of the hobby - thanks to K4MLW Marty Hawkins.  Later on that month on October 25, I had my first CW contact to the Forsyth Georgia station of W4ELP.

In March of the following year, I participated in my first HF contest - the CQWW DX contest.  Later that March of 2011, I embarked on building my first radio from a kit.  It was an Elecraft K2.  Most of my 214 DXCC entities, and my Worked All States awards were called by that rig (albeit after having been outfitted by a 100 watt amplifier deck - courtesy of Stan KF4BY).  It took me until June of that year to finish that radio and took 80 hours of building time.

I participated in my first Field Day with the Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Society in June of 2011.  I operated in the CW station along with Tillman Cuttino AJ4IK and David Stansell W4KA.  We made a lot of QSO's that night - mostly by Tillman and Dave as I was still learning to copy.  Dave was always an encouragement.

It took until November 30, 2011 before I could earn the Worked All States QRP Award.  I had to collect all 50 state QSL cards.  The hardest states to get were Alaska, North Dakota and Colorado.  It was my first coveted ARRL award.

In January of 2012, I had my first chance to operate as a special event station for the W4 calling region with the SKCC.  For a whole week I operated as K3Y/4 and made 100 QSOs and worked all K3Y special event stations from all 10 US regions for a clean sweep all on a straight (postal) key.  I remained active with the SKCC that year and earned Tribune and Centurion awards, and worked SKCC members from all 50 states with a straight key.

Later that year, I built my first home-brew beam antenna - a Hex beam.  We did field trials of that hex beam prior to Field Day 2012 at the farm of George Gunn in Landrum SC.  I was helped in that field trial by Matt Collier WM4AA (ex call KQ4VY).  Matt became my partner for Field Day for the next two years.  We placed second in our class in 2012, our first entry as a competing station and third in our class in 2013.  Matt has always been an inspiration.  He was a talented engineer and radio amateur.  He has confirmed close to 300 DXCC with simple wire antennas and a hex-beam.  We always encouraged one another.  I instigated his building of a K2 and later a KX3.  He built his hex beam after I built mine.  I doubt I will ever catch him in getting to honor roll - but that is OK.  The hex beam I built remains unique - with folding arms to enable deployment in tight places or as a portable.

Early In January 2013, I had the chance to visit the station of a radio amateur in a foreign country - that of Belgium's John Devoldere ON4UN - one of the loudest amateur stations in Europe.  He had three towers - two phased stacked multiple element yagis.

In February 2013, I finally earned my most coveted ARRL award - QRP DXCC.  I proceed to add 14 more stations to the total.

Through most of 2013, Tom N0TR became my regular HF CW ragchew buddy with scheduled QSOs every Tuesday and Thursday evening.  It is a streak we have not broken in over a year.  Tom is great DX'r with great DX'r instincts in putting his VFO where the DX is listening.  Tom has probably worked 250 or so DXCC - he just does not know it.  He is confirmed in LOTW for at least 192.

In April of 2013, at the encouragement of Dave Watson, W4DJW, I became a net control station for the BRARS 2 meter net for the very first time.  Dave was always a guy to give back to the hobby and is one of the local experts in HF Digital.  Dave was always helpful, helping fellow hams set up their stations and has been a role model as an NCS operator.   Dave was the first ham to spot 100,000 CW stations in a 24 hour period in November of 2013.

In August of 2013, I got my first HF Linear Amp - A Drake L4B.  In the short span between late August and Thanksgiving of 2013, I was able to add over 70 DXCC entities with the help of that amp and the old reliable K2/100.  Thanks to KF4BY for giving me the lead to that amp.  The amp looks like it came off the factory floor just yesterday - thanks to the care given it by its owner.  The amp is quite a work horse while loafing at 1000 watts output with about 6o watts of drive. At the time of this writing I have worked 208 DXCC and confirmed 156.  I don't know how long I can hold this pace.  I am quite sure that when the solar cycle ebbs, the pace will slow down. 

As one can see, this hobby can be full of firsts.  There is always something new to explore, a new antenna to build and experiment with, a new mode.  There is still moon bounce, meteor scatter, JT65, JT9 to explore.  The common denominator that makes it all fun is the radio amateur at the other station, or the radio amateur to help and encourage.  So to all you radio amateurs who have helped me and kept this hobby fun and engaging and to help me with all the "firsts" - I big NOTE of THANKS.  Happy Thanksgiving 2013.  And hopefully I have been a help and encouragement in turn.

Credits - 

KF4BY - My first elmer and technical advisor

W4KA - My first encourager on CW

WM4AA - My Field Day partner and friend 

N0TR - My regular CW ragchew partner and encourager

K4MLW - My first exposure to helping the scouts

W4DJW - Always a gentleman, encourager and role model - king of HF digital 

This will be posted in my blog at http://www.ny4g.blogspot.com

Ariel NY4G

CQ WW DX Contest CW Update - 4 New DXCC and 83 Stations Worked

I started the contest with QSO #3611 and ended with QSO #3694.

New DXCC which brings me to 209 worked
Togo 5V7TH
Philippines DX1J
Rotuma Island 3D2R
Tanzania 5H3EE

WM4AA was new one on 15 for 5 Band WAS. Inventory for 5 Band WAS is as follows:

Need 8 states for 80m - Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Washington.  Need 4 stations for 20m Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky and Wyoming.  Need 25 more states on 15m and 36 more states on 10m so I have a fair way to go.  I worked a few states on 10m.

Here is the contest breakdown
80m - 17 QSOs; 40m 13 QSO's, 20m 7 QSOs, 10m 30 QSOs 17m one QSO.  This is a rough breakdown - eyeballing the log.  I noticed a spike in my page views of late - so it looks like this blog is being read by quite a few people.

CQ WW DX Contest and #206 and #207 DXCC - Tanzania and Rotuma Island

I worked the contest for about 4-5 hours and worked 60 stations.  I worked two new ones - Tanzania 5H3EE, and Rotuma Island 3D2R.  I concentrated mainly in acquiring new ones for 80, 10, and 15m bands.   For the most part that goal was accomplished - thanks to the logging software in helping me identify what I need for a particular band.  I had the hex beam up but the rotator is broken yet gain.  I had to rotate the shaft manually from the back patio which gave me some exercise in having to get up and walk outside.  There are some completely new ones out there that I did not even try busting thru the pileups in - for example Lakshadweep Island - who was working SSB. Sunspot numbers are down from the high of 282 to about 148.  But propagation was still good overall.  The 10m band started to fizzle out in mid afternoon.

Number 114 QRP DXCC XR0ZR Juan Fernandez Islands

Well this was a treat - low noise on 12m and the DX was LOUD,  I bet I could work him with 5 watts.   I was right.  The fact there was not a big pileup helped a lot.  I was able to make contact with the ZS6BKW.

Number 113 QRP DXCC Saint Vincent J88HL

It has been a while since I worked someone new at QRP power.  I thought I would give Saint Vincent J88HL a call after having worked three new DXCC entities. I have Saint Vincent before but not at 5 watts.  Propagation had been good all night.  He was on 30m at 10.115 and had few takers.

DXCC #203, #204 and #205 Burkina Faso, Swaziland, Republic of South Sudan

This was a surprise.  I repaired the ZS6BKW and reconnected the EFHW.  I hooked the KX3 and running the small (50w) amplifier - I made QSOs with Burkina Faso XT26DJ  and Swaziland 3DA0ET on 2 calls each - on 17m.  Propagation must be really good tonight.  A little bit later, Swaziland Station popped up on 40m on 7021.  I had to fire up the linear for this contact.  There was a bigger pileup on 40m.  Republic of South Sudan Z81X popped up on 30m and I had to switch to the EFHW.  I was able to work that station at 100 watts.

QSL's for K9W, C82DX, XR0YY Applied For

Just sent for the QSL Card for K9W, C82DX and XR0YY through OQRS

Sunspot Number Has Hit a New High @ 282

The current sunspot number has not been this high since the maximum from the last solar cycle.  Ten meters should be open for a week until next weekends CQ WW Contest.

Flux index:	177
Spot number:	282
X-Ray index:	C1.0
A index:	6
K index:	1

More News On Typhoon Haiyan Aftermath

Hams increase their Philippines typhoon disaster role

More than a week after being hit by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in one of the worst natural disasters in recent history, survivors of the central Philippines have basic needs of food, water and medicine, shelter, evacuation, communication and power. 

The Philippines Amateur Radio Association (PARA) and its Ham Emergency Radio Operation (HERO) network continue providing emergency communications, and at the request of authorities starting to expand its locations and facilities.

Ramon Anquilan DU1UGZ, Vice Chief Operating Officer of PARA, confirms that HERO stations are continuing to work. He thanks the world for keeping 7.095 MHz clear for urgent traffic.

Working with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), it is looking at potential sources for needed communications equipment.
PARA had two representatives at a meeting chaired by the Commissioner of NTC, Gamaliel A. Cordoba.
Ramon DU1UGZ said, The NTC has requested that the coverage from Borongan be expanded, to the adjacent town and so on. The idea is to set up an HF station in the farthest town that can be accessed.
"Given the new task that NTC wants us to do, we will be needing stations that can be deployed and dismantled at a moment's notice. On the excellent offer of the ARRL, I have requested it to provide at least four HF stations and a repeater."

He said, the official meeting talked about having assets on the ground in the blindspots. "It seems only PARA has local station - Lester DV5PO in the capital town of Borongan, East of Samar." Lester DV5PO is expected to be given more diesel fuel for his generator so he can continue supplying vital information. A request agreed to by the NTC meeting, which will be followed up.

"This is going now to the difficult phase. The operators that are needed should come from the outside because our locals will not budge from their locations as they have to fend for themselves and their families - they are victims too of this disaster. There are other willing radio amateurs but usually they don't have the proper equipment." 

He said in one of the worst hit areas of Tacloban that has lost 90 per cent of its buildings, the Negros Oriental Radio Assistance Dumaguete (NORAD7) team is on its way to provide an additional HF station.
"The team is bringing much needed relief goods and Rey Boy Manaay 4D7DSW and Eric Mite DW7DTR who are trained in rescue. I intend to replace the old radio that Nathan DU5AOK is using from one of the units that ARRL is sending," said Ramon DU1UGZ.

"Very experienced Darwin Torres 4F1FZE is joining the efforts at Tacloban. A technical person expected to improve VHF coverage in the area, and HF, with him being a critical component to the efforts. Darwin 4F1FZE is embedded in a relief team from Manila."
There are two repeaters in Tacloban with no power, so we need alternative energy - batteries and solar power.
"A team can be deployed to Samar perhaps Guiuan or further west. We need equipment to link Samar to Tacloban. This will mean a VHF repeater is available to a large portion of the affected site of Samar," he said. 
The farthest affected place is Coron in Palawan, a famous tourist spot. Clifford Certeza DU1CC is going there this weekend to set up an HF station.

Ramon DU1UGZ said there was no relay station from Palo down the coastal municipalities in the eastern seaboard of Leyte. A HERO station, part of the club ACCESS 5 in that area, has not been heard from since the typhoon hit. Another station is needed to provide the link. PARA and its HERO network have a long task ahead as it slowly gains the necessary resources and recognition for the emergency communications.

In some good news, Trent Hays DW5HT who has relatives in the US has been found safe and well, by RADNET 5, in Palo, Leyte. The US Embassy has been advised, and with vehicle packed is due headed to Manila.

Jim Linton VK3PCChairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee

How Radio Amateurs Are Helping in Typhoon Haiyan's Aftermath

Typhoon kills many thousands as disaster unfolds

Estimates of those people who died when monster Typhoon Haiyan (also called Yolanda) hit the central Philippines on Friday ranges up to 10,000, with many injured and nine million people affected.

The full damage and death toll of the fiercest typhoon ever recorded on land has overwhelmed emergency services, supported by the military and at least five major Ham Radio Emergency Operator network stations. 
Ramon Anquilan DU1UGZ, of the Philippines Amateur Radio Association (PARA), reports that among the chaos HERO stations are helping authorities and residents.

In Tacloban the capital of Leyte which was smashed by winds, its streets filled by ocean surges and is now a swamp-like smelling mess.

Ramon DU1UGZ said that RADNET with Nathan Eamiguel DU5AOK, Vilma Eamiguel DU5VIE, and the members of their local club are working hard. "Their HF station is located on the second floor of the Tacloban City Hall, powered by a generator maintained by the local government unit. Two metre band communications is simplex because there is no electricity to power their repeater.

"The VHF members serve as field personnel who go on various errands - verification of requested information, liaison work, and bits and ends. "The officers led by Nathan DU5AOK dispatch their members based on the priority traffic handled by the HF station." 

He said the Tacloban HERO station has been used by the Red Cross to track a relief vehicle verifying the welfare of its volunteers who were stopped and ransacked by those impatient for aid to arrive.
Other requests for help came from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) regional office in Tacloban that needed hand-held radio contacts.

In his report he talks of another local club ACCESS 5 attached to responding government agencies and relief organisations. A military HF station is linked with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Mitigation Council (NDRRMC) which is located inside Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
"However ACCESS 5 is using VHF very effectively acting as guides for rescue and retrieval teams in the field, just like some RADNET volunteers," said Ramon DU1UGZ. 

In Eastern Samar, Lester Price DV5PO (also ZL5PO) based in Borongan is providing valuable situation reports. Lester and his wife had a very lucky escape - they held on to the doors of their house for four hours until the surge waters receded, that claimed around 500 lives in the coastal barangay or village alone. 
Another third HF station activated by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is using equipment from Nathan DU5AOK and his friend Dominique walked half a day to the government centre in Palo and the DOST Regional Office. Dominique, who is actually the office driver, and the Regional Director, Dr Eduardo Esparancilla alternate as operators.

In DU7 (Cebu, Bohol and Negros Oriental islands including the island province of Siquijor), the Cebu Amateur Radio League (CARL) has dispatched a team to the Municipality of Bantayan - located in the northern tip of Cebu.

This municipality is the hardest hit in Cebu with an estimated 90 per cent of structures levelled. The CARL team (previously reported on) is handling HF traffic. Another component is the Chocolate Hills Amateur Radio League (CHARL) based in Tagbilaran City in Bohol - an area struck by an intensity 7.2 earthquake recently.
The club station DU7BC along with its members Gerry Marmito DU7AU, Ador Lamoste DU7AL are ready to monitor and relay messages between Tacloban and the principal receiving stations.

The third DU7 component is from Dumaguete City. Roy Alcantara DU7DDJ together with James DU7JGU (Island Province of Siquijor) are leading NORAD-7 with long range communications to the Dumaguete local government unit passing traffic from Tacloban to their area in Negros island. NORAD-7 members also act as field operators and runners.

In DU6 (Panay, Negros Occidental and neighbouring islands) heard are Bobby Garcia DU6BG in Iloilo, Iver Astronomo DV6ILA and Arnel DV6WAV in the Roxas Provincial Capitol as they are embedded with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Mitigation Council (PDRRMC). 
Scattered all over the archipelago of the Philippines are stations receiving outgoing traffic from Tacloban and the other affected areas.

Among them are Jojo DU1VHY, Thelma DU1IVT, Romy Isidro DV1SMQ and Max 4F1BYN - acting as the main receiving stations on a rotational basis since HERO activation began. 
Other stations are also active in receiving outbound welfare traffic, mainly to inform family members and relatives of their conditions - Totie DV1TEE, Lito DU4DF, Atty. Albert DU4ABA, Bobby DU6BG, and Ramon DU1UGZ.

On standby as relays are Doc Piciong DV9DOC, Marlu DU8WX, Butch DU1RP (PARA SecGen on his mobile station in Davao City), and others. Another facet of the operations is the use of Echolink by CARE-4 in Naga City (DU4) and COMPASS in Tondo, Manila (DU1).
Ramon DU1UGZ said, "Basically, the Tacloban and other stations in the disaster areas permit only outbound traffic as priority messages.

"This is a policy decision by NTS Co-Chair Jojo DU1VHY and as requested by RADNET. We can classify the messages as follows: We Survived Messages, institutions/government agencies to their central or partner offices in Manila, and urgent requests for specific form of assistance or relief items.?
The relief and retrieval operations are moving slowly and the HERO operations are probably going to last a week or more from today.
He said that Telecoms companies are steadily restoring cellular mobile services and today there was intermittent limited coverage in Tacloban.
"As the primary telecoms services are restored, there will be less reliance on the amateur radio service in Tacloban. 

"This will mean a more difficult period because the remote areas not reached yet by government and other agencies will now demand communication links. "Our assets will be thinly spread resulting in gaps which only a robust service such those found in first world countries," said Ramon DU1UGZ.

Currently an average of one to two minutes is spent per message, and depending on band conditions, the rate of traffic per hour would be 40 to 60 messages.A more in-depth analysis is not possible until all HERO stations are closed and submit their log details.

Ramon DU1UGZ notes that news media has started to notice ham radio, but don't understand that the HERO network is playing an important role in the disaster.

"Although there's some very brief TV exposure they are yet to adequately report on the voluntary service it provides, and the emergency communications to the agencies and community in times of disaster," he said.
The typhoon cut a path of destruction in central Philippines on Friday, but the fast-moving Category 5 weather system missed the densely populated capital of Manila.

Philippines President Benigno Aquino inspected Tacloban City where almost all buildings were lost as huge surge waves came through its streets. He pledged that local authorities are to house about 45,000 families and give them food.

The President said he was lost for words to adequately describe the enormity of disaster affecting 36 provinces. He has declared a national calamity.

A large international relief effort is under way although it remains mostly chaotic with rescue workers struggling to reach some remote areas. Some 22 countries and the European Union have pledged help. 
Also the losses include 71,000 hectares of agricultural land with crops of rice and corn hardest hit. 

Jim Linton VK3PCChairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee

2013 Field Day Results Are In

The team of WM4AA (Matt) and NY4G (me) placed third in the 2B-2 Op category as published in the December QST.  That was a lot of fun and we did not kill ourselves making contacts and got 8 hours of sleep.     WE look forward to next year's Field Day and the use of the portable hex beam.

Wind Damage to Antenna G0GSF

I am left with just one antenna as I took down the hexbeam.  One of the crappie pole arms snapped and will have to be replaced.  I will put it up before the contest weekend.  I will repair the fiberglass arms and possibly have a spare. The Wind blew down the G0GSF and one of legs is laying on the ground.  I need to do a better job of connecting the legs to the center assembly.  I just ordered a more robust ZS6BKW and will store this one for Field Day use. Now I only have the EF wire as an antenna.

DXCC #202 XR0ZR Juan Fernandez Island

First I heard him on 30m  at 10106 at about 0930 UTC then a spot came in on 7026 and he was not there. from one of those skimmers W3LPL.  Then he showed up again at 7020 and this time he was loud.  Within minutes a pileup ensued.  I was able to work him after a few minutes.  It is shown on a pin below just off the western coast of South America near Santiago, Chile

DXCC #201 T33A Banaba Island

This was an interesting contact.  I was in the shack of my friend N0TR as we were upgrading his logging software.  We had T33A station on 18084 working a pileup with precision sounding off in the background.  He was a good op - signs frequently and had a good pair of ears to work the pileup efficiently.  My friends rig was a TS590 Kenwood - excellent audio and very user friendly.  Tom said - why don't you work him while he is loud.  He was certainly loud enough for copy without headphones.  And sure enough - the op returned my call - thank you for #201.

DXCC #200 K9W Wake Island Dxpedition on 40m

Where the blue pin is Wake Island - It was about 0530 EST or 1030 UTC when I made the contact  on 7023 kC.  Very good op and signs frequently.  I had to put the attenuator on to hear as the band noise is way high.  He was loud enough with the attenuators on for 100% copy.  T33A is also lurking out there and was still loud on 7033 but started to fade at about 7 AM, then it was time to go to work. The DX Atlas snapshot was taken at about 7 AM when the gray line is.  The red pin is South Carolina.

DXCC #199 XR0YY Easter Island

I was able to work them on 20m and 40m early this morning. One was on phone on 20m as they were just barely audible out of the noise.  It only took one call - which is rare for me.  The second one was also on phone in the 40m band.

Finally Got K9W? NOT

The DX Op was loud on 12m 24894 (CW) and I must have just gotten the peak of propagation.  Only time will tell if I appear in the DX log - hopefully tomorrow I can confirm.

Well, tomorrow came and I confirmed I was not in the K9W log.  I ended up in 5J0R station log.  It turned out both  were calling on the same frequency and as K9W faded out - 5J0R took over.  Well better luck for me next time.

My First K9W Was a Pirate

K9W was spotted in the cluster yesterday on 17m at 18082 and was working a pileup like there was no tomorrow.  He was giving his call sign very infrequently and what he gave out was incoherent.  He gave me a QSL after a couple of calls and I thought this was too good to be true.  K9W was calling on 18079 earlier in the afternoon and Matt WM4AA and Tom N0TR got him the day before on 18079.  I still do not show up in K9W's online log

Ready for K9W

Photo of the Hexbeam at my QTH.  I measured the height at 38 feet..

#198 San Andreas DXpedition 5J0R

Worked on 40m phone portion 7160  - Tough going with QRM - plenty of callers.  This was the second try today.  I kept switching between DX stations.  I finally got him running 1500 watts on the linear into the ZS6BKW