second stage accomplished

Today, me and CT1EYN have finished the installation of the ground in my tower. The second stage of the work plan is done. Now, it’s only left the last stage. That means the antenna work.

I will put up on the tower:

Force-12 C-3SS
4 element 50MHz YAGUI
9 element 144MHz YAGUI
9 element 433MHz YAGUI
VHF/UHF Vertical
Longwire (40 meters or more)

First day of the rest of my life

I’ve been kinda inactive. To be precise, not too much active. For the time being I just look to the coloured lines of my Logger32 DX Spot window and try to make band and/or mode new ones. It has been fun. I managed to work some nice calls with my 100 watts and longwire. BT1ON and H81L on CW. Some special calls like C33M on 10m SSB. Meanwhile I’m doing my preparations for the installation of my Force-12 antenna. That day will be the first of the rest of my life. So I hope.

Good DX

ZS8T

This is going to be another challenge. Although I have it on 10 SSB, I need the other bands and modes.

More on http://zs8t.net

TX5C (final thoughts)

We all know that the new solar cycle is just beginning. We could not expect an outstanding propagation. The TX5C dx’pedition started with a 24-hour delay and ended with a 24-hour antecipation. All summed gives nearly 2 days of operation. I doubt if I could work them if there were those 2 days more. Why?

I presently work with a long-wire and 100 watts. Signals were almost under 55. Only one morning I got them 59 on 40 CW. The pile-up was always huge and plenty of big guns. I tried several times to call on the lower and upper edges of the split segment but the operators seemed to reply almost 100% of the time within the announced range. Would they QSY’ed (if not) a little beyond the limits maybe i could get them. But this is strictly fiction. Reality is another talk. And I don’t know nothing about how they operated.

Thanks to the TX5C team. Maybe I’ll get it next time.

more about TX5C

For the last couple of days I’ve been trying to receive them on 40 and 80 meters with focus on CW. FO0AAA operation gave me the higher bands and now, with only a longwire and 100 watts, I will take my chance on the lower bands. This morning around 0845z they were coming 599 on 7.007CW. I had only 15 minutes left. You know. Kids, breakfast, work.

The big guns “killed” me.

Never give up. One day you will do it. At least in your dreams.

DXCC Award

I’ve never had a clear idea about what to do with my QSL cards. DXCC is a very interesting program with defined criteria and very apelative when it comes to determine our goals in hamradio. Wether or not we are fan of this pursuit the fact is that I never wanted my cards to be mailed to the ARRL desk. I call it the fear of loss. Now with a local checkpoint (CT1EEB Jose de Sa) the task simplifies. Better. No risk at all of QSL cards going and not returning.

This year will be the year.

For more information about the DXCC program go to http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc

AH3D

It has arrived recently in a batch of QSL cards from the REP Bureau. It’s a nice card isn’t it?

CLIPPERTON ISLAND

As I am writing these lines there’s a Dx’pedition going on. It’s TX5C Clipperton Island. For the time being my antenna setup consists of a long-wire very close to the floor. This is the same like saying “I won’t do it”. But no one knows what the propagation God can do. I remember the wonderful FO0AAA operation. We were in Y2K. I worked them in several bands and modes. 10,15,17 and 20 meters. Both SSB and CW. So..I don’t need them for a new one. But because of my dx’er nature I will keep trying.

Stay tuned!