Author Archives: robert

Cycle 24 Keeps on Trucking

Posted on January 31, 2015 by robert

Solar Cycle 24, weak and unimpressive by most counts, is at least hanging in there, with a SFI of 157 and a MUF of 30 MHz on this, the last day of January 2015.  In fact, I was shocked last night … Continue reading →

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DXCC Challenge on the Eve of a Historic Blizzard

Posted on January 26, 2015 by robert

After finishing up the first of what is bound to be many situation reports for the Red Cross, dealing with the Blizzard currently underway, I took a couple of minutes to check my LotW account.  Low and Behold, two confirmations … Continue reading →

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What To Do During a “Historic Winter Storm”

Posted on January 25, 2015 by robert

The NWS is calling for a Blizzard in two days, a “Historic Winter Storm”.  I can hardly wait until the local news media gets spinning that.  What level is left, “Biblical Winter Storm”? Anyway, that made me think of the … Continue reading →

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EP6T Success

Posted on January 24, 2015 by robert

I finally worked EP6T on 17 Meter CW yesterday.  I probably spent about 3 hours trying to work them, and another 9 hours of listening.  Since the pileups were horrible and the ham behavior even worse, I don’t know why … Continue reading →

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Hunt for DXCC Challenge Technically Completed

Posted on January 21, 2015 by robert

A couple more LotW confirmations came in from C5X today (still hope to get them on 80M — but they have been a fantastic DXpedition).  That brings my Challenge count to 994.  With QSLs in hand from E40VB, 3B9FR, and … Continue reading →

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The Hunt for EP6T

Posted on January 19, 2015 by robert

I spent more than 3 hours listening to EP6T tonight (about 2300 to 0200Z) on 10.122.96 MHz.  Below is a picture of my band scope that shows a typical response to a EP6T CQ — About 6 KHz of tightly packed … Continue reading →

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Something Other Than DX For a Change?

Posted on January 18, 2015 by robert

After enjoying a straight-key QSO on SKN and thinking of the keys I had used back as a novice, I thought I’d see what I could find on eBay.  I remembered a brass key that my father had used (another … Continue reading →

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Seventh Band Completed for DXCC

Posted on January 17, 2015 by robert

I can sit back and watch the sunspots fade away with the completion of 30 Meter DXCC.  All I have remaining are 80 Meters and 160 Meters DXCC (I doubt I’ll ever complete 160 Meters) — both of which will … Continue reading →

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Things Are Flying (DX at least)!

Posted on January 15, 2015 by robert

Sort of boring to talk about this, but I’m frankly shocked at how quickly things have been moving.  Lots of decent DX to fill out band-points – probably Europeans escaping the cold! Online OQRS requests from S01WS and T77C should … Continue reading →

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12-Meter DXCC Completed (6th Band)

Posted on January 11, 2015 by robert

Since early-December, I’ve had pretty good luck adding Challenge Points, especially on 12-Meters.  The 100th LotW confirmation for 12 came into LotW tonight, from VP2VGG in the British Virgin Islands (thanks Kevin and Bob for your DXpedition).  This finishes DXCC on six … Continue reading →

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