DX, CONTEST and other stories

At the beginning of October I have a lot to report. The FT5GA is continuing for 3rd week. The qso are running better now, I have to admit, but still there are complains. I worked them 9 slots so far and so I have not any. Yesterday I worked the frogs on RTTY on 30m! (I really like this nick name and I use it not to mock them).

But new kids show up on the block. TX5SPA, 3D20CR among them. The first of them seems a bit difficult for us but workable. Last weekend we had the CQ WWRTTY contest, one of my favorites. Even we had very heavy weather in south Ionian sea those days I really enjoyed it. Propagation was quite better than previous year. Is that a good sign or  was it just a coincidence? I heard a lot of Japanese and American stations mostly in low bands. The most exciting moment was the call of P29CW on my QRG. It was a real surprise for me. Finally I discovered that behind this cal sign was VK2IR, who is a Greek guy, Tom Horozakis, usually living in Sydney. Thank you Tommy. Sometimes our hobby is really wonderful. As I run this contest just for fun  such surprises are more than welcomed. BTW here are my statistics according to  MixW contest filter.

As many other dxpeditions are coming soon and as propagation seems to bend back, it will be a very exciting winter!

Working FT5GA

They started badly. Lots of lids and idiots on their frequency mocking all the time the activities. It is going to be a tradition for major dxpeditions. People  complaining and nagging almost about everything. But by the time, things are going better. Even sun seams to help (SSN 26 today). Anyway there is plenty of time left and I am sure that finally many hams will have the chance to work them. Especially third week it will be much more easier. So stay cool guys. Save energy for the upcoming peditions. And don’t forget we have CQ WW RTTY contest this weekend.

DX season started!

Writing these lines the FT5GA expedition has already started transmissions. I am back to main QTH again and so I am a little better organized for the occasion. Sorry if this post looks like a dx bulletin, but I will make with your permission a list of upcoming dxpedions. I have to notice that even I have already 330 current dx countries CFM, there are thee new ones among them!

1. FT5GA 15/09-8/10 GLORIOSO (http://glorieuses2008.free.fr/)

2. TX5SPA 28/09-12/10 AUSTRAL (http://fo2009sp.pl/) NEW ONE

3. TX5SPM 16/10-22/10 MARQUESAS (http://fo2009sp.pl/) NEW ONE

4. K4M 9/10-19/10 MIDWAY ( http://www.midway2009.com/)

5. XR0Y 31/10-15/11 EASTER (http://rapanui2009.org/) Greek member in the crew SV2KBS YL Victoria

6. TX3A 23/11-6/12 CHESTERFIELD (http://www.tx3a.com/) NEW ONE

FT5GA gang taken from their web page:

So I wish you all a good harvest!

A few days left

The fall is coming and we prepare to move to our winter QTH. This is sad. We will really miss the cottage. Writing these lines it occurred to me that I have never show you my little shack here.

Main transceiver is TS-480HX. Not too many Dx-ing during summer but a lot of rag chewing.This year I had my best score in 6m though.  I worked 61 countries instead of 52 and 42 previous years. Not to forget to add a snap showing me and SV3SJ enjoying summer delights.

Now he he will be in France already. Have a nice winter Nick.

As the summer goes by…

Although summer is going to end, we are happy. No much radio activity must be said as the sun got to sleep again. It is a 38 spotless day streak as I am writing these lines. Even though I can hear KH7XS every morning in my wires. On the other hand we have many good friends on the island. SV2HJQ, SV2AGW and SV2DCD among them. As George and Leo usually come the second fortnight of August, they herald the come of fall. Actually we had some rain just to confirm the fact.

SV3SJ is expected too and probably SV1GH if things go right. There is nothing better than amateur friendship! I am still living in the cottage enjoying quietness and nature. Well… and beers of course. The weather is nice most of the time, a little bit strange but acceptable.

By the way the photos have taken with my new Nikon D5000. To be honest I have not played yet a lot with my new toy. But the snaps I took, just as a beginner, are very satisfactory.

A strange summer

It is really a strange summer this year. It is wet and not hot. Both of them unusual. During June we had heavy rains and till now the temperature did not rise more than 35 degrees. Such a thing had to happen several years. I spend the days in the cottage and I get lazy as every summer. I use my little shack with my wire antennas. Even though the rig is enough to understand strange propagation behavior in the bands, especially in magic band. It was full of surprises this year. I worked TN5SN (SSB) and JL8GFB (CW). The last one was so clear and loud not distorted signal that made me think that the JE1BMJ theory of Summer Solstice Short-path Propagation should attract more attention. Actually the 21th of June I could hear loud signals in 6m 2 hours after midnight.

But now all this activity, that reminds me F2 propagation and not sporadic E layer, it is decaying as a hot summer day in the cottage. Of course, we have other activities that can fill the gap. Let say Punta Basta…the little beach bar I drink beers every summer. We have to relax a bit as many major dxpeditions are scheduled for autumn.

Space, Sun and Ham

This is the photo of the year in my opinion. Taken during Hubble recent repairs at 14th of May, it gives a compact message of what technology and collaboration can do. Among else our blue planet Earth is easily recognizable in the casket reflection. To create this 3D effect, digital artist Patrick Vantuyne of Belgium combined two slightly offset photos taken by spacewalker Andrew Feustal. It is a really beautiful picture with a sound meaning.

In the mean time, sun seams to wake up. The SFI is 74 after a long time bellow 70 and some tiny spots appear from time to time. It’s activity is very low but at least there is a trend upwards. Anyway last predictions agree that cycle 24 will be a small one. Its maximum is expected at 2013 with a number of no more than 90 spots. After big expectations we are ready for landing. Finally sporadic E in 6m meters seams stronger and more frequent than last year. So no matter what we have something to play with.