I just received confirmation from J75D in Dominica for a 80-Meter contact. That brings my LotW total to 99. Plus I have a QSL from Western Sahara S01WS in hand, so that makes 100 confirmed 80-Meter contacts. Therefore 80-Meter DXCC is technically completed.
There is still a chance that another LotW confirmation or two might come in the next couple of weeks. But if it doesn’t, I’ll drive to ARRL HQ (2 hours away) and ask them to check the cards into LotW.
With 80-Meter DXCC completed, that completes the basic 5BDXCC. With 12/17/30-Meter DXCC already in hand, that means it is actually 8BDXCC.
Robert, congratulations on your 80 Meter DXCC! On 80, I’m up to 88 worked and 82 confirmed after getting 4 new ones in the ARRL CW contest and none in the ARRL SSB contest. With the winter low-band season in it’s last month or so, I’m thinking I still have a year to go on 80. Thanks for your inspiring report!
73, Keith W6SIY
Hi Keith,
Many thanks!
At the end of the year, I was also at 88 countries on 80 Meters, having only added a few the entire year. But the truth was that I didn’t enjoy the weak signal conditions on 80 coupled with lots of noise, so I concentrated on other bands, thinking that if I didn’t finish 12 Meters, for example, I might not for another decade given the declining sunspots. Even last year during the CW DX contests it seemed like major flares caused the absorption to go so high that 80 was pretty useless.
Believe it or not, you are in a pretty good position. There are several DXpeditions going on now in South America that should be pretty easy to work on 80, plus some upcoming contest. I certainly hope you get what you need before summer, and if not then once fall begins. The 80-Meter season will stretch out a bit with declining sun spot numbers.
73, Bob, WB4SON