Chasing Kermadec

To chase a rare dx  it is a very common thing for this station. Especially these days with so many helping tools in our disposal, it is a kind of  routine. But last Kermadec expedition has a particular interest for Greek amateur community: Vicky (SV2KBS) is a member of the team! I already spoke to her in 17m band. It is nice to hear a Greek voice coming so far away. Actually 18120 Km away! No matter what it is a really great expedition.  Propagation permitting they are going to a big success. Near 30000 QSO during the three first days of operation it is a guarantee for that.

I wish them all good luck and coming back with a record.

DxNetManager- A very cool tool!

I was honored to be a beta tester of  new software that George Ross (SV2AGW) created lately.I play with  it  a couple of weeks  and I can definitely say that I love it. In the following lines I am just sharing with you my impressions of this cool program.

If you  used to participate a local network for rag chewing or an international one, chasing a DX station, this is the very tool you need. It will help you to manage all the traffic of stations that break in or leaving the frequency. It is very convenient especially if you deal with big groups.

  

Additionally there is a history tag in which DxNetManager  keeps statistical records for previous sessions of the net. So you can see how much participation a call has or when was it the last time he broke in. You will never forget names or other details for people who occasionally join the net. So you can address them always in a friendly way and that has a lot of fun. The software keeps detailed call database that you can update  continuously.

Doubtlessly you will love it too from the very beginning you will start using it. Finally it is freeware. Go here, download  and enjoy it.

Local real time weather added

A new addition to the blog. This is a real time local weather reading. There two links to click in the right side bar of the blog in order to watch a lot of details of local weather parameters.

These are just some examples of what you expect to see.

All these are made with the help of Cumulus, a very effective software of managing weather stations. Mine is a DAVIS Vantage PRO2 actually. So please enjoy.

Autumn activities

This is a photo that sent me my good friend SV8AXZ. Just a typical view from a ham’s window. But it tells everything about season, the island and hamship.

I am writing these lines with the hangover of CQ WW RTTY 2010 contest still prevailing in my ears. Too much traffic, too many dx stations, good propagation especially in 40m. I worked 25 states in this band. A lot of improvement since last year. I really enjoyed it. It seams that circle 24 is uprising for good, at last.

And now a big surprise! The veteran contester of our island SV8CS, the man who inspired all us to the ham spirit, send me this snap.

It is his i-phone, decoding a QSO of mine, during the contest. It takes the audio from his transceiver speaker. It can transmit also the same way. It uses a small program of IW2NDH called MULTIMODE. You can find it in the app store clicking here. No matter how SV8CS watches everything….

A summer surprise

Last weekend,  2 great Greek amateurs made a quick visit to our island: SV2KBS (Victoria) and SV3AQR (John). I had spoken many times with them through the radio but I never had the opportunity to meet them. Tasos, SV8YM brought them to my second QTH, the well-known cottage, and we spent a lovely couple of hours having a friendly chat about ham projects, antennas, dxpeditions, etc…

Speaking of dxpeditions, during the meeting, Victoria made an amazing disclosure, announcing her participation to the upcoming great ZL8X event this  November. Victoria is very active recently. (Falkland, Easter, Lord Howe, to name some of her activities). So Kermadec will be a new success of hers. Well done Vicky!

PS: In the photo from left to right: SV2KBS, SV8YM, SV3AQR, SV8RX

Running the Marathon

Every year I join the Marathon on 6m band. My intentions are not to get first, as I have not the  equipment I would like to, but to have fun and keep an eye on propagation differences year by year as we approach to the circle 24 maximum. Actually I have achieved the following scores:

Year	Countries
2007	42
2008	52
2009	61
2010	67 till now

It is obvious that propagation is increasing steadily on magic band. This result is expectable of course, but it is nice to document it by numbers. 

I have to mention here an exceptional QSO I made a couple of days ago with JL8GFB (Man) 9200Km away, using a ringo vertical and 150w. This is exactly all I have in my second QTH I was that morning. I really enjoyed this contact. Here is the cfm in a chat dialog after QSO done.

“06:43    SV8RX George    JL8GFB Man did you copy any other Greek stations this morning?
06:44    JL8GFB Man    SV8RX George tnx QSO, only u and Costas here
06:45    SV8RX George    JL8GFB Ok Man Tnx!
07:03    SV8RX George    JL8GFB Man You have to know that you have very sharp ears. I used only 100w and a ringo vertical antenna!
07:04    JL8GFB Man    SV8RX FB George many tnx for info!”

So nothing is impossible in magic band! Good openings.

Athens Hamfest 2010