Repair of my FTdx5KMP

After a nice X-Mas down at Varberg at my daughter's Place I'm back home. And I also got some energy to replace the OLED display on my FTdx5000MP. It is quite a lot of screws and flat Cables and connectors to remove. And it is a Heavy piece of radio to move around on my table.
But I managed to get them replaced and here are the proof!

The right one was not so bad. But Mid and Left was not readable. But now they are all back!!!
And I have checked all functions and all is fine.
So back to chasing DX!

CUL

New IOTA confirmed.

First activation of AF-111 arrived in form of a QSL! Nice and Quick as Always when the QSL mgr is MM0NDX. QSO was on the 8:th of November. QSL in my hand 17 December!
Worked them on 20 m SSB and the phone QSO was also a new one for Phone DXCC. And all was confirmed in both Club-Log/IOTA and LoTW. Super!

It is nice with a new IOTA and I also got Liberia on Phone!!!

Well, that's all for now. CUL

New never befor activated IOTA confirmed!

Yesterday I've got the QSL from EI9FBB working from KP4/EI9FBB. And the Island was NA-249P, Vieques Island  from the Puerto Rico's Coastal Island Group. And this is a new Group after the RSGB Convention in 14 October 2018. And here are the proof!

Here are the front and back side of the QSL card. This put my IOTA score up to the fantastic sum of 543 confirmed Islands!!! Just a few to go to the Honor Roll of 556!

Enjoy! CUL

TX0A on 40 m.

Wow! The QRM:ers really have a huge ball! But I can hear him. But my 1 KW and a single vertical with 4 elevated radials want get through the pile on 40 m from 60 deg North. A snowball in hell will have a better chance!!?? The pile is enormous as you can see on my monitor.

Hope he will try 30 where I have a 2 el yagi up 20 m. Hope that will give me a better chance to Catch OC-113.

But I don't understand the QRM.ers goal. Why destroy for all the serious IOTA chasers. And I Think it is getting worse over time. What to do about this problem???? Any idea?

CUL

Sad Sad News!

I've just got information that a very dear Friend and a very skilled ham radio operator/contester has gone SK!
It is Jan Hallenberg SM5DJZ, SM5D.

Ham radio community has lost a real good ham and a great friend of mine.

RIP Janne!

TX0A and some white fluff!

I awoke to this scenario this morning. I had not ordered it. Must be some wrong delivery, or.......? Anyway it is here again. And I guess I have to live with it at this time of the year.

And temp is around freezing (32 F).

TX0A has arrived at OC-113. Hope they will get antennas and equipment ashore safe. Also hope of some better conditions then TX0M. Best of luck to the Team. I will lsn and try to work them.

CUL

New one confirmed on 160 m!

Yesterday I received a new one for 160 m. It was 9Y4/LY2IJ, Arunas. And I also have it on LoTW. So all is just fine as you can see on the card. Looks like a nice Place.

This was one of the QSO's that made my DXCC on 160 m complete. QSO was in March 2018.

And the WX here in Sweden is quite warm fore the season. At the moment it is 6 C ( 43 F ). But later this week some snow is predicted!

CUL

New on 80 m!

QSL keep on coming!!
Today I received the card from Christmas Island. Worked them on one of my missing slots. And that was 80 m. Now I have just 160 to go for VK9X. Nice card from the team of G2NF, G3SVL, G3WGN, G3WPH and the famous Nigel G3TXF. All good operators and good ears. Just called a few times and I was in the log. Nice work of my vertical.

Thanks for cfm via LoTW and the card to my Collection.

CUL

One more IOTA cfm!

They are slowly entering my log. Yesterday I've got a quite rare IOTA confirmed. It was AS-065, Idlidlya Island in the Chukotka Group. Call used was RT65KI and operators was UA0KBG, UA3AKO and RA3AW. This Group is only claimed by 14% of the IOTA chasers. And now I have it!!!

Nice card! Thanks to the team.

Wx here in Sweden is a bit colder now. We have gone below freezing and at the moment it is 0 C ( 32 F ) and overcast. But no snow in the near future.

CUL

Latvija is 100 years old!

Latvia is celebrating 100 years as a Nation. They have issued some special call's for the event. YL100K, -R, -L, -V, -Z. To get the top First Class Award you have to have a QSO on 4 different bands with all of then. And I did that. The most difficult one to get a QSO with was -R and -Z. But here are the proof of my achievement.

A First Class Diploma after 30 QSO's. But if you are clever (don't apply on moi) you only need 20 QSO's to get the same result. You can use any modes. Lots of fun and predictions on higher bands between YL and SM5 is difficult. But low bands was generally S9+20 db.
So you have to the 18 of Nov to get it! So go for it!!

CUL

Some new band slots from 9X0T

A very nice QSL fell down into my mail box yesterday. It was from the Italian DXpedition Team with I2YSB, Silvano as Team Leader. Worked them on a few missing slots and on all modes. But the card is something over the normal. Or what do you all Think of this?

Wow!!! I like this. And as Always the QSL from Silvano's team the quality is super.

WX is upside down here in Sweden. It is very warm for the season. Temp outside is 8 C ( 46 F ) and overcast. So I still haven't put on the stud tires on my car. I keep Close Watch over the WX progress and have the Tools ready!!??

CUL

VP6D on 80 m!

Finally on the last day of the VP6D operation I managed to get into the log on 80 m. Puh!! This was a challenge for me. Reason that I do not have so good take-off towards 300 deg is a dirt road and a fence in that direction. So my radials in direction 270 - 350 deg is only about 7 to 10 m in length. And I can't extract them further. Compare the QSO's with YJ0GC and VK9XG where I just called a few times to get QSO. And the soil here is not so good. About 1 Feet Deep there are primitive rock and that don't help much. But here are a screen shoot as proof.

QSO with VP6D on 80, 40, 30 m CW and 30 m FT-8. I didn't make any big effort to Catch them on any further slots.

Wx here in Sweden is very warm for the season. Temp at the moment is 3 C ( 38 F ) and clear sky. During the day with the help of the sun we will reach around 10 C. And that is warm.

CUL

New band slots worked

Wow! Super conds on 80 m yesterday. Worked both YJ0GC and VK9XG within 15 minutes on 80 m. And this morning I had VK9XG confirmed in LoTW ( ! ) and YJ0GC I was in his log. And a few hours earlier I worked 8Q7YC on 30 m. But it was super fun to Catch both Vanuatu and Christmas Islands on 80  m.
So next goal is to see if it is possible to do the same on 160 m. I Think VK9 will be the easy one and a big challenge to get YJ0.

Here are the Vertical Antenna used for transmitting on 80 m. RX antenna is K9AY. But it is hard to see the vertical. It is 24 m (78') high and a variable capacitor of around 800 pf is in series with the feed. Picture was taken in March this year. And yes, it is snow on the ground.

Wx here in this part of Sweden is getting normal. Temp at the moment is -2,5 C ( 27 F ) and clear sky. Winter is around the corner!!

CUL

ATNO received!

An all time new one arrived in my mailbox today. It was KH1/KH7Z from Baker Island.
Worked them on all modes but only on one band slot. And this was 20 CW, SSB and Digi. And I didn't Heard them on any other band slot. But I was quite occupied with steam engines at that time. Any way, here are the prof!

Nice card from a very remote Place on Earth.

Thanks to the team for QSO and QSL!!

CUL

New IOTA cfm.

Yes! Yesterday I received a new IOTA. It was OC-254 Ta Island in Mortlock Group. Call used was V6J and QSL mgr was Mami JP3AYQ.

Here are the proof. Nice card and many thanks to Mami. This pushed my IOTA score up to the fantastic sum of 539 Islands. But still a bit to go to get the into the big guy's league.

WX here in Sweden is very warm for the season. At the moment I have 8 C ( 47 F ) and clear sky. Hope this nice weather will stay a while!

That's all for now. CUL

Antenna work in the sky!

Yesterday I helped a friend to adjust EME antennas. It is EME antennas for 6 m and the upper ones was pointing in some strange directions. This was due to strong winds a few weeks ago. Luckily I'm not afraid of heights so this was not a problem.

But now they (the antennas) is pointing where they should!!

It is quite warm outside for the season. At the moment it is 13 C ( 54 F ) and some overcast. And the prediction for the coming week is even warmer. So I will keep the summer tires on until there are some major Changes in the prediction.

All fire wood in and some new tires for my car!

This morning I managed to work 9X0T on 40 m CW. And this was a new one for me. Miss Rwanda on 160 and 80 m. But I'm not sure about the condition's on the low band's.

I  have loaded all 4 bags of fire Wood into my Wood shed. And together with the remaining fur and pine Wood I think I'm good for the Winter. Temp outside at the moment is 1 C ( 33 F ) so we will have frost tonight. And I have not started any back-up heating yet. I just start a fire in my log stow and that is keeping my house warm through the night.

I also picked up 4 ea new Nokkian Nordman 7 Winter tires with a lot of studs. In this part of Sweden it is best to have tires with studs for safety.

Nice eh.........??

Tomorrow I will roll out my extra radials for the 160/80 m vertical so I will get better performance. Hope I will be able to Catch 9X0T on low band.

Back to radio. CUL

New one on 160 and some nice colours

This morning I managed to work  one of two missing UK calls on 160 m. It was MD0CCE, Isle of Man. The remaining call is GU, Guernsey and I will Catch that prefix eventually. Mode was FT8.

Have worked 9X0T on a few slots. Called him this morning on 40 m CW. But no QSO. And the normally Lid's was calling on DX frequency despite he was signing "UP" after every QSO!!!???

Had to take a Picture of a very nice tree due to colours of autumn.

And, Yes! There is a cow in the bottom of the Picture.

Back to Radio. CUL

Just passed equinox and first frost.

Well, it is down hill the next few months ahead. We have just passed equinox and it will get darker for every minute now on! This morning I had to get the ice scraper to clear the window of my car.

So I have to check my Winter tires ASAP.

But I have got the first of 4 bags of Wood. So I have to load it into my shed so it will be kept out of the rain that eventually will come.

It is about 1,5 cubic meters of Birch Wood. I have about 4 cubic meters of fur and pine Wood and with the additional 3 bags I'm good for the coming Winter.

On the radio front not so much. I have worked RI0B from AS-087. And that was a new one for moi!

Well, that's all for now. CUL

Some more rare IOTA's and my last preheat.

On Saturday I will have my last preheat of a steam Engine as a Foreman. That's include loading coal and water of the small BLJ4 "Långshyttan". It is from 1897 and in mint condition. And here it is last Sunday at Marielund during shunting.

The shadow is moi!!!

Last week we had a terrible rain shower at the Station. And after it had passed we Catch sight of this good-looker in the sky.

IOTA's! Well back to the nice confirmation I received yesterday. It was from Russian Robinson Club 25th anniversary. First one was C96RRC from AF-088, Mozambique Isl.

And the second one was C98RRC from AF-066, Inhaca Isl. So thanks to the team RZ3K, RA1ZZ, RK8A, RN3BZ and R7AL for adding to my IOTA score. And I'm now up to 538 Isl confirmed. Thanks!!

Well, That's all for now. CUL

Some rare IOTA's and QSL's.

Still occupied with train duty. Now I have been working as a fire man. Lot of fun!! But it is hard to keep steam pressure around 10 to 12 kg.

I managed to get a QSO with V6J on CW 14 MHz. QSL on order for OC-254.

And to day I received QSL from Cezar. It was from his H4 operation. He was active from Mbanika Is, OC-168, as H44R. And here is the QSL as proof!

And the second was H40D from Tahua Is, OC-179. And here are the proof!!

And as Always nice cards from Cezar. He has also some great ears as he Always hear my week sigs!!

Well, that's all for now. CUL

Long time, no see!

Well, I'm still alive. I have been occupied with steam Engines quite a lot. And I have been examined as head guard or in Swedish train commander. And during this trip I had these nice chick's as passengers!

And all went well.

We have also brought out in the Bright sun light the old steam Engine "Rimbo" (SRJ 3). And this Engine is old. It started into traffic during 1885! Yes! 1885! And we have plans to get it up and running!!
Look at this beauty!!

Nice, eh!!!!!!!!!

Radio!

Well I have been chasing V6J and he is also a new IOTA for moi. But so far no success.
But I will keep on trying.

CUL

An ATNO has been worked! And some fire gard performed.

Yes!
I have worked KH1/KH7Z on phone and CW on 20 m. And there is the only band I have Heard them on. And I'm confirmed in Club-Log! Super.

Received QSL from 3C0W. Worked them on some missing band slots. And here are the proof!

Super operation from YL2GM and YL3AIW and YL2KL. Thanks for some fun time at the radio.

On the 28 of June I was on fire guard the whole day. Almost 12 h behind the steam Engine to Catch if they might light a fire due to sparks from ashtray or chimney. But we didn't find any fire. And here are a Picture of the fire guard train. It is diesel Engine (Scania strait 8) but it is very noisy inside due to strait cut gear-wheels. But all Went well!

It is in mint condition and nicely restored.

Well, back to chasing KH1/KH7Z.

CUL

YES! YES! YES!

I finally got it! It departed customs 7 of June. And today it fell down in my mailbox.
And I've got s/n #3.148. So there are only 3.147 Before me that has achieved more than 100 DX on 160 m. I'm proud!! And here are the proof!

So it will go together with the rest on my wall. But this is the one I hold high. As I managed to get this with my simple vertical antenna and only 1 KW of Power. But I have a good receiving antenna. And that is my K9AY Array. And this antenna has made it possible to hear the DX. As some famous ham say "If you don't hear them, you can't work them".

So back to my TV to Watch some WC Soccer!!!!

CUL

Few items in my hand!

Today I've got the stickers for 5BDXCC and Challenge in my hand. And they are glued in position!

5BDXCC (9BDXCC) with the new 160 Meters sticker. Nice! Now I only miss 6 m. But that will be a different story. I have 60 confirmed and missing 40. Wonder how that will go!!??

And this is Challenge 2000 in Place. Next one is 2500. And now the struggle begins. With bad conds on high band it will be quite hard to get band slots in the near future. But I will try as hard as I can.

But the DXCC 160 Award is stuck at customs in Arlanda Airport. There are some new rules regarding declaration and gifts and merchandise. I have sent an e-mail and I'm just at the moment waiting to see how it goes!??

Well back to radio! CUL

160 m DXCC Award marked OK in LoTW!

Yes! My DXCC diploma is marked in LoTW and in the mail on way to moi!! And also 2000 challenge and sticker for my 5BDXCC (now 9BDXCC).

I have been working as a Foreman for heating the steam engine and loading coal.
And on Sunday I had to work as a fire Watch running a diesel train approx 5 minutes behind with a tank waggon loaded with a lot of water in case of a fire due to sparks from the steam Engine. We have had no rain since end of April and fire hazard is the highest what we have on the scale according the weather guys. And it is 5E. E stands for "extreme".

Here are Pictures during pre heat on Saturday afternoon.

Pressure is Rising. We can start to move the train at 7 to 8 Kg pressure and also start the injectors to work.

And on Sunday when I was on fire guard we had the train pulling 6 passenger waggons and 1 cargo waggon. Passengers was students celebrating end of term and more than 400 was taken out to Lenna for breakfast. And here are a picture pulling out from Uppsala with almost full throttle!!!

Picture taken with my iphone from the diesel train. And we did not create any forest fire!!!

Back to radio.  CUL

160 m DXCC Award OK in LoTW!

YES!
My application for DXCC 160 has been approved and is OK in LoTW. DXCC Award report is correct and I also have 2006 for my Challenge Award and I'm also holder of 9BDXCC. Now it is time to wait for the items to arrive in my mail box. Meanwhile I have been out playing with steam trains.

 



This is the small Engine we have operational. It is from 1898 and in mint condition. And I was working as brake instructor.

Back to  radio. CUL

Wow! How did this happened?

Got an SMS from a friend and it stated that I was No: 1 in SM, No: 21 in EU and 22 in the World!!??
In what you might ask. Well, it was in 2017 CQWWDX CW contest 160 m.
And here is the proof!

Amazing!!!! I have been struggling to get 100 for a DXCC Award. And hopefully it will land in my mail box soon!!

Time of wonder is not over yet!!!

CUL

First time under full pressure and some new IOTA

This weekend we had both Engines under full pressure. And we performed some short test runs. No major leaks and we filled them both with coal. So we are ready for the summer traffic. And here are proof!

Picture taken with my I-phone.

In between all the work with the steam Engines I have managed to work H40D from OC-179 and C96RRC from AF-088. Both are new for me. But I can tell you that H40D was week and he must have very good ears. Amazing. Quite a big pile on both of them.

Now I have to do some maintenance on my DR-650 bike. I have to check and adjust the valve clearance. To do that I have to remove frame covers, seat and fuel tank. I'm tired Before I have started.

CUL

Low activity at the moment.

Not so much activity at the moment. Reason is that I'm waiting for the update to ARRL DXCC. But I have worked Cezar (VE3LYC) from H44R OC-168. And now I'm waiting for them to go to OC-179 with the call H40D. Seen them spotted as H44R/P.

Spring is here. All of the White fluff is more  or less gone. Lots of bird's has arrived and I can show you two Pictures taken with my I-phone.

First I will show you all a bunch of Whoopers.

Whoopers is a swan we call a singing swan. Not so common that they stop for lunch in this part of Sweden.

Next is a bird that can wake you up in the morning with a loud trumpet blast. It is a Crane.

Sharpness is not so good as I used my I-phone and not my Nikon. But here you are.

Well, back to radio!

CUL

Yes! I'm home!

Now I have 101 confirmed QSO's on 160 m. Today XT2AW fell down into my mailbox. So now it is time to apply for a 160 DXCC!! And here are the proof! Hat off for QSL mgr M0OXO. He understand the Word "Direct"!!

Nice eh!

And I also qualify for Challenge 2000 level. So this will cost some $$$. But what the h..k! You only lives once!
I have started the paperwork.

Still no spring.  It is around freezing outside and some Cold rain is falling. And tonight it will start to snow again!!

CUL

Struggling on 160 and Steam Engine fixed.

Well, still no new QSL for QSO's on 160. It is hard to just sit and wait. The QSL I have on order is the following: 9Y4/LY2IJ, XT2AW are both ordered via Pay-Pal. J79WTA ordered via letter. Hopefully I will get them Before next 160 season!!!????

I have been calling and chasing some other stations on 160 m. Sutch as HH. But they don't hear me from 60 deg North. Soon I will start to monitoring 50 MHz and try to achieve a DXCC on the Magic Band. So I will jump from Top Band to the Magic Band!!

But I have also been working hard at the Steam Engine stable. And here you can see the result!

All the maintenance have been carried out and it is ready to Go!

Wx is still very Cold during night. But during daytime it is on the plus side. But the prediction for the coming week is temperatures in region of 10 - 15 C and some rain. X my fingers.

CUL

Equinox and burned parts.

Well, today the sun is over the horizon for the next 6 months over the North Pole! Equinox is here and for us up at 60 deg North the Days is getting longer. But we still have a lot of the hated White fluff on the ground. And I Think it will take to end of May before we will see the last of it. But we never knew. There might be a warm spring and the sun might do some work to help us.

Have to show you the remains of the feed through. Had to make the Picture overexposed so you all can see the burn.

Click on it to make it big.

Hope the new Cable will be better. It is not so fun when in a big pile and suddenly the SWR goes through the roof!!!

No QSL for my 160 m QSO has arrived. And it is frustrated just to sit and wait when you are so Close.

Take care all of you. CUL

A new on 160 m!

Yes! I managed to work a new one on 160 m. It was 9Y4/LY2IJ. But I had to work him twice. First QSO was busted. He got me as SM5CBN!? And when I tried to correct this my tuning unit for 160 blow up again. Same fault as Before. A full developed fire. But now I have replaced the wire with a bigger one with more isolation. Hope it will last a bit longer.

It is the blue/Orange wire. And after replacement I worked 9Y4/LY2IJ again the next day and now he got my call OK. And I was in the Club-Log and QSL is on order. This means that when I will get the QSL's on order and together with the ones I have on DXCC-On line and LoTW I will have 101 QSO's on 160 and 2003 on challenge Award.
So to you out there PLS QSL me ASAP!!!!????

WX here in Sweden at the moment is quite warm 2,5 C ( 36 F ) and the snow on my roof have started to drift as you can see on the Picture.

So if the warm temperatures will persist it will come down with a bang! Unfortunately the prediction during the rest of this week talks about colder wx again. Temps around -10 C during the following Days to come. Not good at all.

These Pictures was taken with my I-Phone.

Well, that's all for now. CUL

Lot's of snow!

No new QSL's and no new QSO's on 160 m. But I've got a lot of the hated white fluff during the passed week. I guess I have around 2' of it ( almost 50 - 60 cm ). And the wind have had some impact to create some snow drift so on some places there are only a few inches and a few feet away it might be 3'-4' of the fluff. If you want some you can come and get it for free!!??

And temp during night has been low. Last night it was -19 C ( -2 F ). And at the moment (07:00 Z) it is -10 C ( 12 F ). So there are no mosquito's outside for sure!!!
Hope the weather will turn to some milder wx soon.

So that's all for now. CUL

Late QSL and no more "blue screen"!

Yesterday I received a QSL from the Niger operation performed in 2012. Call used was 5U6E and I worked them on two missing slots. 10 and 30 m CW. And here are the proof!

Thanks to F6EXV for response after a single e-mail. Only miss 5U on 160 m. Surprised? I'm not. I have a lot to do on 160 m. But I'm getting there. If I will get all the requests I have after QSO's on 160 m I will have 100 cfm!! So to all of you out there. If you sense that you might have to do some upload to LoTW. PLS DO!!!!!

My acer windows 10 lap top is doing fine at the moment. But you never knew when some "1" and "0" are doing what they not supposed to do!!??

Wx at my QTH at the moment is -5 C ( 23 F ) and clear sky. Sun rise is 06:27 Z. 07:27 local and the Days are getting longer.

Take care! CUL