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Posts published in “Operating”

5B WAS Finally…

It took 40 years, but I finally finished WAS on 10m to achieve 5B WAS. Actually, I already had WAS on 30 and 17 so I not have 7B WAS with just North Dakota and Mississippi needed on 12m (assuming I get a QSL on LOTW for an Oklahoma station I worked recently).

One shy of DXCC Challenge 1500

The ARRL’s DXCC Challenge Award is earned by working and confirming at least 1,000 DXCC band-points on any Amateur bands, 160 through 6 meters (except 60 meters). So each combination of DXCC entity and band is one point. Work Germany on 5 bands, you get 5 points. The basic award is 1000 points but I never applied for that one. Several months ago I saw I was close to 1500 points so I thought I would wait to I reach 1500 (endorsements are in 500 point increments) and then apply for the award and…

My 9 Band DXCC is Finally Finished

With a 12 meter confirmation from SM3LIV in Sweden, my 9B DXCC is finally done. That is at least 100 countries confirmed on 160, 80, 40, 30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meters. That was a really long time in the making to get the final QSL on 12 meters. Now award chasing gets even harder but a simpler ones are possible soon I hope. Next award to finish is 5B WAS for which I need 3 more QSLs on 10 meters (North Dakota, Louisiana, and Rhode Island). I…

DXCC Update January 2019

The latest batch of cards I had checked at the Tampa Bay Hamfest were processed. I now need just 5 more confirmed on 12 meters for 9 band DXCC as I currently have 8 bands (Basic 5B DXCC on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10m) plus 160 DXCC, 30m DXCC and 17m DXCC. After that my focus switches to VHF for DXCC on 6m but that will be tried again in Sporadic-E season in June when I have the tower all ready.

Building a Serious Field Day Satellite Station

I have been acquiring hardware for a serious portable satellite station for several years. I have used various setups at Field Day and Winter Field Day with irregular success. Here is what I have so far: Green Heron RT21 Az/El Rotor Icom 9100 HF/VHF/UHF Satellite Radio M2 LEO Pack Satellite Antennas Yaesu G5500 Az/El Rotor SSB Preamps for 2m and 440 Mac Doppler for radio and rotor control One website I check out from time to time is the wonderful site of Fred [QRZ call=AB1OC] and Anita AB1QB. I first…

DXCC Update December 2017

Total confirmed country count is up to 277. I added 4 more on 160 and 6 more QSLs on 12m. Now up to 77 on 12m. So for 9BDXCC, I need 10 more on 160m and 23 more on 12m. I have a 160m card and a two 12m cards to be Card Checked at the Tampa Bay Hamfest next Saturday.

DXCC Update – March 2017 Update

After 2 more months, I have confirmed another 16 countries on 160. I’m not sure if I can going to be able to get to 100 this season. I also added 7 on 30m and none on 12m. With the summer, I should get to 100 on both 30m and 12m. Here’s hoping that a bunch of 160 contacts show up on LOTW.   Winter is a great time to work DX on 160 meters. I have far more activity on 160m and 30m than 12m. Here’s hoping I can finish…

5B DXCC and 1000 DXCC Challenge points Complete!

Well, my DXCC goals are complete for now. I was working on 5B DXCC and was able to finish up these contacts on 80 meters. I also collected 1000 confirmed band-points (county and band combination) to reach the first DXCC Challenge level. I have some  more confirmations needed on 12m and 30m for 8 band DXCC and hope to get the rest on 160 this winter. But that is it for now. The next task is to get back into satellite operations.

DXCC Update

It has been a good couple of months towards reaching my goal of 5B DXCC.  I have confirmed several more 80m contacts so now I need 15 confirmed countries for 5BDXCC.