Category Archives: DX

Yearning for Solar Cycle 25: But will it even happen?

Posted on July 2, 2017 by robert

According to Dr. Sten Odenwall, we will start seeing the new sunspots of Cycle 25 appear sometime in late-2019. Sunspot maximum is likely to occur in 2024, with most forecasts predicting about half as many sunspots as in Cycle 24. The bad … Continue reading →

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Mid-way through 2017, DX is Crawling

Posted on July 2, 2017 by robert

At this point halfway to the bottom of cycle 24 (2020), I suppose it is only natural for things to slow down, not only due to the sunspot cycle decline, but also just because there are fewer needed DX entities … Continue reading →

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First Radials on the Ground for Inverted L

Posted on June 3, 2017 by robert

I’ve been using a low loop, about 450 feet of wire, around 20 to 30 feet off the ground for years.  It worked well for me, enabling me to get 9-band DXCC and 8-band WAS.  But the sunspots have diminished, … Continue reading →

Posted in Antennas, DX, Propagation, Testing | 1 Comment

First Quarter 2017 DX Results

Posted on April 1, 2017 by robert

February and March were pretty good for me at my current snail’s pace, adding three new countries for a total of 261, and bumping the band-point count up to 1,237. So even near the bottom on Cycle 24, there’s still … Continue reading →

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QRP Still Rules the World; even on 80 Meters

Posted on February 13, 2017 by robert

Yesterday I decided to set my radio up on a QRP (5 watt) beacon mode on 80 meters (I used a propagation mode called WSPR, transmitting once every 10 minutes).  I let the rig run from about 4:45 PM local time … Continue reading →

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Goals for 2017 and 2016 in Review

Posted on January 1, 2017 by robert

Four out of seven 2016 goals were completed successfully: 255 Confirmed Countries  YES 1,200 DX Band-Points  YES WAS Completed on 12 Meters (need WV)  NO Successful ARISS Contact at All Saints Academy  YES Teach a Technician Class for Monsignor Clarke … Continue reading →

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DXCC Standings at Beginning of Dec

Posted on December 2, 2016 by robert

I had a bit more time to spend on the air after the hustle/bustle of the Summer & Fall.  My DXCC Standings are as follows: So over the last 3 months (September/October/November), I picked up two new countries fox my Mixed … Continue reading →

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DX Surprise

Posted on November 14, 2016 by robert

After uploading my NPOTA log, I checked my confirmed contacts and was pleasantly surprised to find two ATNOs in the log: TL8AO was an ATNO for me, and the LotW entry showed up within a few hours of our contact. … Continue reading →

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Amazed at 400th Anniversary of Cervantes Radio Event

Posted on October 5, 2016 by robert

I am absolutely blown away by what the URE (Union Radioaficionados Espanoles – their equivalent of the ARRL) – put together to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the death of Miguel de Cervantes.  The event last for only THREE WEEKS, starting September … Continue reading →

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DXCC Update for August

Posted on September 1, 2016 by robert

Wow, have things ever slowed down.  I did fill in several missing band-slots for CY9C, and a few more random band-slots for other countries.  But I haven’t worked an ATNO in ages. So no new countries to report, and only … Continue reading →

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