QuEST for #275 Continues

There is nothing magical about #275.  But you do get another sticker from the ARRL at this milestone.  After 275 it is a long slog.  The ARRL recognizes this and issues stickers after 300 every 5 DXCC entities.  Even 5 DXCC can take years to get at this stage.I consider myself fortunate to having line of sight to 275 after 5 years of DX Chasing

#266 XW1IC Laos confirmed in LOTW
#267 YB4IR/9 Indonesia 30m Confirmed in LOTW
#268 TI9/3Z9DX Cococ Island  Confirmed in LOTW
#269 ST2NH Sudan QSL Card Received
#270 E6ZS Niue Confirmed in LOTW
#271 JG8NQJ/JD1 Minami Torishima Confirmed in LOTW
#272 ET3AA Ethipia - Confirmed in LOTW

The only other new ones will come from

A52EQW/M Bhutan Aug 28, Sept 3,4,5 published operating schedule
DG7GIA Comoros Island September 14-23, 2015
VK9C Cocos Keeling September 19-25, 2015
RI1FJ Franz Josef Land - will be there for a year starting in August
TX3X Chesterfield Islands in  October 2015
3W3MD Vietnam October 2015
VK9WA Willis Island November 2015
T2GC Tuvalu September 2015
Z21MG Zimbabwe September 2015
3C7GIA Equatorial Guinea November2015
3Y0F Bouvet Island December 2015

2016 brings a whole bunch to the fore

KH5/p Palmyra Islands in January 2016
VP8SGI South Georgia Islands also in January
North Korea (a long shot for me as this is a single person SSB only)
VP8STI South Sandwich
FT/j Juan de Nova in March 2016
VK0EK Heard Island in March of 2016
CY9 Saint Paul Island July 2016

Operation from Cape May - International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend

Contacts

EA7TG. 18:26 UTC 20m CW

N5URL 18:29 UTC

K8LGY 18:36 UTC 

KD8PJP 19:28 UTC 30m CW

WZ9B 19:57 UTC

K0CDJ 19:59 UTC

EA5DNO 20:11 UTC 20m CW

N8OO 20:38 UTC

EA5IM 20:44 UTC

Just to note here .... propagation was really poor this weekend with two geomagnetic events causing radio blackouts.  I was lucky to get the QSOs I had.

International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend

As part of the ILLW Special Event - the Cape May Lighthouse US-0011 will be activated by NY4G as either K2L or as NY4G/2 on Saturday August 15, 2015

Since this weekend is the NAQP SSB - then I will be mostly in the WARC bands 17m phone on 18.156 and CW on 18.076 and 30m CW on 10.126.  I hope to hear you in the bands.

Worked All Zones

A fitting end to an otherwise productive month of July

1) Participation in 13 colonies as K2L - 917 CW QSO's - outcome 1st Place for SC
2) NY4G/VY2 IARU HF Championship - #33 World #11 #5 Canada - 1755 QSO's
3) FP/NY4G Solo DXpedition 2024 QSOs

Total QSO's month of July is 4799
Confirmation Rate on FP/NY4G 51%
52 DXCC for NY4G/VY2 and 44 DXCC for FP/NY4G

All Time New One - ET3AA Ethiopia and Rare Zone 1 Contact with VY0M

New ones are hard to come by these days as the DXCC confirmed count approaches 275.  This will be #271 once confirmed.  The station was working split on 30m when I found him and was rather loud and working a steady tempo of callers up around 1.2 kC from his transmit frequency.

On the same evening VY0M was working split on 20m CW.   VY0 is in a rare zone - Zone 1 - shared with AK.  There are not many hams (if any) in that part of Canada.   He in is the border with Zone 2. I actually thought he was in Zone 2 initially until AB9CN kindly corrected me.  (Thank you Jim). Careful examination of the CQ Zone map indicates this to be so.  This is also an IOTA NA-248 Melville Island.   It is an island in the middle of nowhere.  George Dewar VY2GF alerted me that this was going to take place.

Comments from Folks Who Worked FP/NY4G

Heartwarming to say the least ....... Most are from cards.  Some are from emails.   As I get them I will keep adding to the list.

TU Ariel for the new country - Good DX!  Great Job ! FB DXpedition 73 Ron
VE3FXX

Thank you for the contact 73 Mike W5SIY

Looks like you have been practicing RufZ.  Great Job! 73 Tucker KK4UNZ

Hi Ariel, many thanks for this 40m QSO with FP 73 Fred DL4DZL

73 Ariel, Tnx New Mode / FP /17m! Ralph K4MIJ

Ariel, Tnx for the QSO from NA-032. God Bless and Vy 73 Bill WA1LJC

73's and Thank You Rick N2ENM

Thank you for my first QSO with St. Pierre and Miquelon 73 Randy KK4BNC

Dr. OM For the QSL Card in advance many thanks.  I have my license since 1973 and my age is 80 years.  For me UR QSL

from Saint Pierre and Miquelon is very important! All the Best EA3YY

You are 1st FP station GL 73 Tnx FB QSO JH1SOD

Ariel:  Great expedition! I enjoyed the QSO, also your video on your blog site.  You are a good radio operator and hope to CUAGN 73 Chuck NI0C

Tnx Ariel for QSO on 40m.  Great signal looking to work you on other bands, Good DX Bill WN8QGV

Thank you so very much for the "fine business" QSO on 20m from St. Pierre and Miquelon Islands.  You are my first contact there.  I am working on my second DXCC-CW endorsement and you have helped.  We previously QSO'd when you were on Prince Edward Island...hi hi.  I am retired orchestra teacher who loves to fish.  God bless, AL KD8DEU

Thanks for new one! Best 73 and Good DX! Matt W1MRH

Many thanks to you for my first QSO to Saint Pierre and Miquelon  - Matti OH1LAR

Thanks for eyeball and French 73 Jean Pierre FP5CJ

Today I received your QSL-card.  Many thanks for all.   All the best to you and your family, with best regards   Gerd   DJ9JD

ARIEL - GOT YOUR CARD TODAY - ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!!! Thanks for the  confirmation.  Bill N4IQ

Wow! Great video on your expeditions. I hope to hear more when the Swamp Foxes meet next month. 73, Gil - KS4YX

You did a fine job Ariel. Have been listening out for you yesterday. Saw you spot yourself on 10 and 17m. But nothing heard. Later on 20m saw on the cluster that you did work europe but still nothing here. Hopefully I'm lucky next time someone in St.Pierre&Miquelon does a DXpedition. 73, Bas PE4BAS

Nice to work you on 40 tonight. Vy bad QRN here but copied you fine. Congrats on the 2K plus. Bill N4IQ

Great job Ariel, when I saw on clublog you were at 1800 I figured you might try and break 2000 on your last day.......that's awesome!   I say that's a successful trip for sure.  Matt KU4XO

Thanks Ariel for the 15m QSO today. Your signal is stronger than usual for FP to Maine, so either you are using QRO and excellent antennas or we are lucky with condx! By the way, what is your location on St. Pierre?    Again, thanks  very much for enabling an FP 15m QSO in 2015.   Perhaps I should revisit and operate again from St Pierre again?  Vy 73, John W3NA

Hi Ariel   TNX QSO on 15m cw  2015/07/19   13:15 Z  on 21026  you were  very strong  as 599  Many JAs worked JAs,  Will looking for you on the band.   73  Hiro JA4DND

Hi Ariel,  it was really nice catching you on 7mhz CW. Signal was not stable with poor  propagation but was strong almost S5 in my S meter. I am sure that you enjoy  super FP-land with great community. I was there in 1992 with my wife SP5XAB  for almost three month. We visiting our friend Ron VE1KM who was FP4KM on  that time. Our radio which we taking with us from Europe is still on the  island Saint Pierre in FP5CJ home(Icom IC751A) hihihi Our callsign's was FP/SP5SS and FP/SP5XAB include FP9SPM for a while. I hope we can meet someday on the air to discuse experience form the  islands.  Greetings from Poland!   73 Andy SO5S ex SP5SS

Hello Ariel,  Nice photo's of your trip.  Glad you have had a good time as DX.  73s Roger GY3BO
Hi Ariel, NY4G  Thank you for nice QSO 20m CW/RTTY  We will try for other slots later or tomorrow.   Please CQ 14026 for JAs. I will spot you.    CUL de Kan, JJ2RCJ

You made 2 guys happy in Taylors tonight -- thanks for coming up.  Ken was on the wrong antenna when he tried to work you earlier.  Paul W4FC

Hi. Ariel.  From what I have heard and seen, you are doing a great job, and keep up the good work.  Appreciate the 30m QSO this PM....dunno if you plan any 10/12/17M work but those are my open sppots for FP.  That would complete my quest for FP 160 thru 10M.  Have you been at 10 at all, or is the band prop nix there?  Anxious to hear your comments and see photos... 73 de George W4BUW

I hope you have recovered from your voyages!!  Sounds like you have a great trip and lots of QSOs.  Thank you for your FP card!  Very nice and I am sending you a return card plus my FP card from our March QSO.  As you now know, FP is a very special place.  The people are very kind and the islands are beautiful.  I have had nine trips there and always am looking forward to my next trip.  Of course the WX can be a bit challenging in February/March!!  But the propagation made up for it.  Eric Williams KV1J

Ariel, I received you QSL from FP this week.  A new DXCC country for me!
Thank you, 73 an I hope to meet you soon.
Sebastian dl1axx

Thank you very much for your QSL I received yesterday, and a new Country work CW and QRP.
I've been looking on YouTube for our contact but nothing, and perhaps you could send me the link. It would be very helpful.   I hope other contacts from other exotic places wherever you are.
All the best.

Thomas EA8YV

Right now I found the link to the video of his DXexpedicion in your blog. Thank you very much for recording me. Really my little KX3 sounded great in thepileup hi hi 

Thanks again and 73's of EA8YV