These of you who comply with my weblog know that my major ham radio ardour is working above 50 MHz. However I additionally take pleasure in getting on the HF bands for POTA and chasing DX. I’ve additionally performed a number of holiday-style DXpeditions: V29RW and ZF2NR. In comparison with my associates which might be critical about DXing, I take into account myself a Slacker DXer™.
You’re most likely conscious that we’re approaching the height of the 11-year photo voltaic cycle, which signifies that the propagation on the upper HF bands is nice. After I do function HF, I actually take pleasure in having 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m and 10m open worldwide. Again in December, I famous that the ARRL 10m contest was taking place and I made a decision to offer {that a} strive. As a result of we have now been performing some renovation at our place within the mountains, I had pulled down my HF antennas (all wires in timber). No drawback, I simply strung up a J-pole antenna I’ve for 10 meters. I received on the air in the course of the contest utilizing SSB and had a good time working DX all around the world. This gave me the bug of making an attempt to build up a number of extra nations/entities for DXCC. On the time, I had 140 entities confirmed in Logbook of The World (LoTW). I additionally arrange FT8 and FT4 and labored fairly a number of stations on digital.
Later, I began to consider the opposite excessive HF bands (20m and up), so I took down the 10m J-pole and put up a random-wire end-fed antenna. See my earlier publish to study extra about it.
The wire size on this antenna was 36 ft, so it’s almost vertical when strung from our tall pine timber. I used to be happy to seek out that the antenna labored nicely on 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m and 10m. It was at the moment that I spotted I had hardly used 12 meters, so it was enjoyable to check out a brand new band. I used to be working loads of stateside stations and DX at this level on these 5 bands. At some point, I used to be pondering the 30m band, which I had all the time regarded as a CW-only band. Truly, it’s a CW and digital band, so FT8 is often used. (I typically function CW however it isn’t a spotlight for me.) So I checked out my antenna on 30m and the IC-7610 tuned up simply advantageous. In truth, I attempted utilizing 40m with the identical antenna, and it additionally works on that band. So now I’ve a primary wire antenna that works nicely on 40m and up. Very good.
I’ve typically discovered that having a specific working objective, normally some type of award or certificates, might help inspire and information my radio exercise. Driving up the DXCC depend is all the time good however I’m additionally intrigued by the CQ Labored All Zones award.. The 40 CQ zones are distributed worldwide, offering a extra constant means of measuring how nicely you have got labored the world. (In distinction, DXCC is strongly influenced by the historical past of world and the way the varied governments are organized.) LoTW helps WAZ so a test of my LoTW log revealed that I had 30 zones confirmed. So my working goal turned including new DXCC nations and WAZ zones, on any band.
Prior to now few months, my DXCC depend has elevated to 158, as confirmed in LoTW. Being a Slacker DXer™, I don’t spend the time chasing down QSL playing cards. It’s both confirmed through LoTW or nothing. For WAZ, I’ve 38 zones confirmed, nonetheless searching for Zone 22 (Southern Asia) and Zone 34 (Northeast Africa). For me, you will need to “keep within the hunt” however not get overly obsessive about working a selected nation. When you aren’t having enjoyable, you might be doing it mistaken.
I emphasize to newer hams that I’m doing this with the traditional 100 watts and a wire station. Working DX doesn’t require an enormous tower and amplifiers. Utilizing FT8 actually helps however CW and SSB are additionally viable modes. Take your decide. Now could be the time to get on HF and benefit from the glorious propagation.
Work any DX currently?
73 Bob K0NR
