New IOTA worked.

Last evening I worked the new IOTA AS-202 on 20 m SSB. Call was A91HI and Island is Hawar.

Picture is borrowed from QRZ.com.
This Island has never been activated Before. It was announced as anew IOTA during the 50th Anniversary IOTA Convention in UK July 2014. And now it is in my log!

Sad to read about cancelled P5 operation in DX World. But I guess some political issues not mentioned in the long article has contributed to the situation, or..............?

Today the weather is predicted to have the Winter back?! Prediction of 5 to 7 cm of snow???!!! At the moment it is raining but no snow yet. Temp is around 5 C (41 F). I Think that is to warm for some snow to be accumulated on the ground. It will only end up as water.

If you not have worked A91HI. Stop playing with the computer and go chase him. He was easy to work. Good operators. GL

CUL

YES! EP complete!

Last night I made a QSO with EP2A on 80 m CW. As I had QSO with them on 160 m a few Days ago (22-April) and I also have a few band slots from the previous DXpedition (EP6T), EP is now done!!

This was my achievement's for EP2A.

Band	CW	Phone	Data
160	1
80	1
40	1
30	1
20	1	1	1
17	1
15	1

 12 and 10 m was confirmed from the EP6T operation from 2015. But the most important this time was 80 and 160 m. Missed them on EP6T. So, a big THANKS to the operators from EP2A. I will order QSL and put in some $$$. I knew the cost involved in this type of operation. But I guess it is a Little cheaper than the VK0EK and the VP8 operation. So, once again thanks to the operators of EP2A!!

Rig used to Catch the EP QSO's was this old trustworthy FT-1000MP MK-V Field. Nice to use the Audio Peak Filter on 80 and 160 m.

 



My 160 m score is improving. Need a few more to get a DXCC for 160 and a sticker to my 5BDXCC.

The weather man/woman is predicting some snow today!!?? WHY?? I don't need it. Temperature outside is -2 C (28 F). But it is Rising up to about +6 C later today.

Take care all readers and CUL

New IOTA coonfirmed and some new band slots.

Today I received QSL from VK5MAV/6 and VK5CE/6 working from OC-243, Breaksea Island.
Uploaded to my account on RSGB IOTA page. Thanks Graig and Andy!

Nice card. And my IOTA score up one Point!

Next QSL I received today was from TZ9A, Mali. Here it was a few new band slots and RTTY. Thanks to F4WBN and F5DUX.

Also a nice QSL Card. Entered into my DXCC On-Line. Adds a few Points to my Challenge Award.

Been helping a friend to take down a HD Versatower today. All worked fine and all parts was recovered in mint condition.

Well that's all for now. CUL

Spring is here!?

Found this flower in my back yard. This is proof that spring is here.

So, there is hope for this year to!

Got all my QSO's confirmed on LoTW for my VK0EK effort. Nice! It was not an ATNO but all band slots and modes with Heard Island is now crossed (X). Hope FT4JA will do the same. QSL is on order via OQRS on both of them. Also some extra $$$.

Worked a few missing slots on A25UK. Big piles but easy to get into my log.

And this morning I worked EP2A, Iran. Worked them on 30 m. So I have to see if it is possible to catch them on my only missing slots. And they are 80 and 160 m. I will give it a try. But I guess the sun will do it's best to stop me from getting EP on 160.

Take care and CUL

Well Done (to my self)!?

Well, I have done the most to get the rare VK0EK and FT4JA into my log and to achive the most Points possible to my Challenge Award.

We start with VK0EK (this is big bragg time). Picture borrowed from QRZ.com.

Here I have had QSO on 160, 80, 40, 30, 17, 15, 12 and 10 m on CW. On 20 m it was SSB and RTTY on 15 m. So with 10 QSO's I've got 8 Points to my Challenge Award. CW QSO on 20 m was achived in early 1980 from VK0CW operation. So no Points for my SSB QSO on 20 but a new mode. Same on 15 m as the RTTY QSO was just a new mode. So, Heard Island is no longer on my needed list. SUPER.

Now to FT4JA operation. Here it was a different story. Very strong signals on most of the bands. Enormous piles and lot of DQRM. But this was my achivement.
QSO's on 80, 40, 30, 17, 12 and 10 m CW. SSB on 15 m (my first QSO with the operation) and a double on 12 m with a QSO on SSB. Sorry for this but it was Vincent F4BKV holding the microphone and I had to say "hello" to him. And finally RTTY QSO on 20 m. Missed them on 160 m. But this was totally my fault as I was not checking the 160 early in the operation. At the end they where Calling AS and SA and JA only. But I still achived 7 Points to my Challenge Award. Juan de Nova, Europa is also no longer on my wanted list.

So I'm quite pleased with my achivement on both of these DXpeditions. Only missed one QSO and that was on 160 m with FT4JA. Big THANKS to both of them and now I will order some QSL's.

Take care and CUL

Lots of DQRM

Last night I was trying to work FT4JA on 40 m. He was on 7017 working up. Same time VK0EK was on 7016 working Down. And the DQRM on FT4JA was enormous but on VK0EK he was in the clear and no DQRM:ers. Then FT4JA moved up to 7019 but a few of the DQRM:ers moved along. But any way I was in the pile Calling and I Think we had a QSO. But the DQRM:ers did their best to f..k it up. Are these hams grown ups?? Or are they just plain stupid??!! Isn't some way to locate one or two and drag them out in the open for every one to see. Maybe throw a few rotten eggs on them, or................????
This rises one question. Why are DQRM:ers on FT4JA. Have they done something wrong? Wonder how it can be like this. Try to keep calm and keep my blood pressure down to some safe limits. Otherwise I don't knew what could happened. But we have help quite Close here in Sweden??!!!

Nice!!! Just hope I don't need it. The text on the side of the chopper say "Intensive Care".

I will take a short bike ride to day just to see that all is fine. It is a Suzuki DR-650 Off-Road Bike.

CUL!!! And down with the QRM:ers!!

Last chance!

Now it is the last chance to work VK0EK and FT4JA. Only a few day's remain of operation. I  worked FT4JA on 80 m this morning. Lot of QRM as usual. But when I checked the on-line log I was confirmed on 80 m! Super!!! Still no QSO on 12 m and up. But the sun is doing it's best to make things difficult for most of the hams around 60 deg North and up!!??
This was my set-up at this end for working both of them.

Running about 1 KW to my antennas. Have not yet worked FT4JA on 40 m. But I will keep on chasing! I have only a vertical with elevated (4 ea) radials on 40 m. But the FT-5K hear well and the ACOM1000 is a super AMP. Have had it for more than 6 years and not a glitch so far.

Spring is approaching fast. Today it is heavy rain but not so windy. Temperature is around 8 C (46 F). Have to perform some maintenance on my bikes to make them run safe this coming summer.

Take care!

Working some rare DX!

I have managed to work VK0EK on 160, 80, 40, 30, 17 and 15 m CW and on 20 m SSB. Missing one RTTY QSO and 12 and 10 m. Would be nice with a RTTY on 12 m!!?? And there are still some time left Before they go QRT.
A bit different story for the FT4JA. I have worked them on 30 and 17 m CW. On 15 m SSB and 20 m RTTY. Have been lsn on 40 m and 160 m. And what a zoooooo! The pile on 160 was 60 db over S9!
But as I have them on all modes and there is still some time left for the operation I just rest my time and keep moitoring them.

Have to show you a Picture of my daughter jumping with her new horse. Looks fine, or.........??

Well, Back to the radio and some coffee.

Take care all of you readers out there and CUL.

Two new IOTA and some nice QSL card.

I've got some QSL's from the buro yesterday. In the bundle there where two new IOTA's. NA-181, Barnard Island. Operator was VE7KDU/7. The other IOTA was NA-010, Cape Breton. Operator for this IOTA was VE1/DJ8QP. Both new IOTA's was entered into RSGB IOTA and will be on my next update.

Then, in the same bundle of QSL i have to show you some nice Pictures. We start with VE7IG worked in May 2012. Look at this card!

Impressive animal! We do not have Grizzly Bear In sweden. Only Brown Bear.

Next card is from a remote Place on Earth. It is from South Shetlands Isl, King George Island. It was worked on 160 m, 80 m and 20 m. Call was RI1ANF.

This last QSL made VP8 almost complete. Jus missing a few modes as RTTY and SSB on some of the VP8's.
Click on the Pictures and enjoy!!??

Today I will shift tires on my car from Winter tires with studs to sommer tires. So hopfully the winter is over for this time??!!

CUL