LOTW is having problems with the CQ WW log influx.
I keep working Bulgarian stations, LZ1ANA today. One day I’ll work one of the ones who uploads to LOTW.
I participated in the CQ WW SSB contest this weekend, and managed 150 contacts for 49,385 claimed points. Not a big gun, but I am content. Here’s some pictures of my contest station:
From the outside:
And from the inside:
That sunscreen is a vital part of the station.
I uploaded all the contacts to my PHPHamlog, and my country count for DXCC now stands at 110, 11 new countries added in one weekend. I’m hoping that some of them upload to LOTW so I can get credit for them. I need 34 countries for basic DXCC.
WAS is also coming along, with Montana confirmed I now need only 7 states in LOTW for basic WAS. Next weekend is the ARRL CW Sweepstakes, so maybe I can complete WAS then.
After 48 years licensed, I am closing in on WAS. Here’s the progress:
The map doesn’t show them, but Alaska and Hawaii are confirmed.
Any explanation of this would be appreciated. Email me, wa5ica at the website address.
I tried the Scandinavian Activity Contest yesterday, because I want LOTW confirmations from those countries. I ended up with 30 contacts from all the Scandinavian countries, so I will get confirmations on all of them. (I already have two from Finland.)
Breaking a long-standing practice of mine, I decided to log all the contacts as I made them.
While looking for contest stations, I also ran across some interesting DX: ER4DX in Moldova and EU7A in Belarus, both on 10 meters.
I also made my 1st JT65-HF QSO, on 15 meters with VE7NH. Not sure that mode is going to be a favorite, although it is interesting to be able to go get a Pepsi while the QSO is in progress.
I have been more active the last month than in ages, all due to the high solar levels that are turning the high bands (17, 15, 12, 10) into a DX playground. My PHPHamLog tells the story.
The big rush started on September 21, when, while driving to the mall, I worked YR1C in Constanta, Romania, on 12 meters. On the way home I was able to work T77C in San Marino, also on 12 meters. (Both stations confirmed in LOTW.)
The next two days got me European Russia (confirmed), Cuba, Italy, Russia again, and Slovenia, all on 12 meters. On the 26th, there was Italy (confirmed), Italy again, then the following week brought New Hampshire (new state, confirmed), San Marino again, and Lebanon, all on 10 meters, and today Bulgaria on 12, Latvia (confirmed) on 15, and Kiritimati (T32C) on 10 CW.
If you can get on these bands, you need to do so. If you can’t, you’re missing a lot of DX. Remember, I am making all these contacts from a Titan pickup running 100 watts RF to the Hi-Q. I can only imagine what stations with good fixed antennas are hearing.
The ISS was over north Texas today and was in communication with Kiroli elementary school in West Monroe, Louisiana. I took the opportunity to record the audio from the pass.
Naturally, I forgot to turn the iPhone sideways to record in landscape mode.
12 meters is proving very productive lately. I haven’t spent much time on 12, usually just giving it a scan for activity, finding none, and moving on to 10, 15, or 17.
But the last week with the sunspot numbers up, 12 has come alive with DX and I have been catching some good QSOs.
It started on September 18th with HR2J, relatively next door in Honduras. But while out driving on the 21st, I managed a QSO with YR1C in Constanta, Romania, and T77C in San Marino.
Today started nicely with RA4LW in Dmitrovgrad, Russia, CO6LP in Santa Clara, Cuba, and I6FLD in San Giovanni Teatino, Italy. All these stations were 57 to 59+ on my 7000.
Making things interesting, I also worked ZL2WL on the 17th on 15 meters at 8:30PM local time, 1-1/2 hours after local sunset. The next day I heard (but didn’t work) South African stations on 10 meters working Argentines.
The coming solar max should be interesting, and it’s still a year and a half away.
(Boxcars? That’s craps speak for twelve. Two sixes, get it?)
