Currently viewing the tag: "The King"

First !! ever KH2L to TF QSO on Top Band.

By On · 1 Comment · In Amateur Radio

Last year I almost finished a QSO with KH2L in Guam.

The contact was ruined by a  LID with a HB9 call who began calling non-stop on top of the QSO preventing KH2L from hearing his report.

Seconds later the window of opportunity was gone and I have not heard Ed on 160 meters since.

Apparently the LID was cheating by listening on a remote Web based receiver, since he probably could not hear KH2L at all from his own station.

He did not account for the inevitable delays over the internet, causing his transmissions to be completely out of sync with what was really happening.

Although this could be chalked up to a beginners mistake – after all there are many moral aspects of DXing that need to be thought about and we all make mistakes,  a cheater will always be found out eventually.

At the time I did not respond to the LID in any way, but perhaps I should have sent him an email asking for an explanation.

This morning, I saw KH2L spotted on my private DX cluster and immediately listened for him on the JA Beverage but he was quite weak.

The amplifier tripped and another 4 minute wait ensued but KH2L was still there and I was able to raise him for #140.

This is the first ever QSO between Guam and Iceland on 160 meters.

Of course the recording software did not work for some reason, I must usually start a new log file in Win-Test to solve that issue.

The contact has already been confirmed on LOTW.

While checking the LOTW award status, I discovered that I had a confirmation from SV5DKL in Rhodes, Dodecanese, which I had completely overlooked.

The DXCC-160 now stands at 141.

What a pleasure.

Happy New Year in the Arctic

By On · 2 Comments · In Amateur Radio

The first QSO in the new year was with JD1BMH in Ogasawara.

The recording is made with almost 30dB of pre amplification from the JA Beverage.

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BA7IO was also heard with clear signals but I was unable to raise him.

BU2AQ in Taiwan was also worked for the second time and we exchanged HNYs.

I took some photos of my view, the first photo is towards the North, the Arctic King may be seen in the distance.

The second photo is taken towards the South.

A day in the life of the Arctic King

By On · Leave a Comment · In Amateur Radio

Yesterday I worked JD1BMH in Ogasawara for a new country and zone.   This morning I was up early and was called by JD1BMH for a second QSO immediately followed by a QSO with JD1BLY – also in Ogasawara !

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Earlier I made a few QSOs with several JA stations:

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Eduardo, TI8II in Costa Rica was worked for a new country #134.

This afternoon after adding another 16dB of pre-amplification using a DX Engineering Receiver Preamplifier 0.3-35 MHz – DXE-RPA-1 to the already present 12dB pre-amplification in my Beverage antenna system, I tested the system on 160m.

The noise level at my location is so low at times that I can actually get away with almost 30dB of pre-amplification from the already high output of my Beverage antennas.  Receiver protection is included by switching the extra preamplifier off automatically during transmissions using a The DX Engineering TVSU-1 Time Variable Sequencer Unit.

I am now experiencing a new smoothness in my station along with peace of mind.

Several weak JA stations were worked and it was revealed that they would not have been workable without the extra amplification.

My reception is no longer only crystal clear, now it is powerful and crystal clear.

It seems that the Arctic King is even more powerful than I thought.

VK6GX called and we exchanged 559 reports, a bit later HS0ZEE in Chiang Mai, Thailand was worked for #135 and Zone 26 and Ross, 9M2AX also called me with excellent signals.

It is all rather hard to believe.   Audio files will be posted in the Online Audio page soon.

NOTE: 01 January 2010.   The recording time stamps in the recording were corrupted for some reason.  The entire file may be listened to here:    

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or downloaded directly:      -http://tf4m.com/audio/160M_28Dec-31Dec2009.mp3-

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First ever QSO with Ogasawara

By On · Leave a Comment · In Amateur Radio

This morning I got up early and called CQ on Top Band.

I was called by KH6ZM in Volcano, Hawaii and we had a QSO-twice !

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and later by JD1BMH in Chichi-Jima in the Ogasawara Islands.

We were unable to complete the QSO on the first try, but I called him a bit later when conditions had improved and we made the QSO solidly.

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This is the first ever QSO between Ogasawara and Iceland on Top Band.

JD1BMH sent me his recording of the QSO.

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Thanks for a new country #133 and WAZ – Zone 27!

I now need QSOs with Zones #2, 26 and 37 to complete WAZ on Top Band.

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Ears of Steel – Stew Perry Topband Distance Challenge 2009

By On · Leave a Comment · In Amateur Radio

I operated for 14 hours in the Stew Perry Distance Challenge and made around 400 contacts.

Conditions were poor with some Auroral activity.   Despite the poor conditions, I made a few juicy DX contacts, notably CE1/K7CA for a new country and Zone 12, VK6DXI for the longest distance worked – 15.800km, and KH6LC in Hawaii.

Several QSOs were made with Japan, but the US was noticeably absent.   Only a handful of US stations were worked, despite conditions allowing contacts to be made to the West Coast.

All QSOs may be listened to on the Online Audio page.

I observe with dismay, the low quality signals that descend on 160 meters during contest weekends.  Key Clicks are rampant and several stations made it hard to operate near them due to their dirty transmitters.

Generally it is a pleasure to operate on 160 meters and I may have to reconsider my contest participation, as this is simply not enjoyable.

I am using a Yaesu FT1000MP MK V with key click modifications in place and the radio is fitted with an INRAD roofing filter and a 200Hz CW filter in the 455kHz IF cascaded with the stock 250 Hz filter in the 8MHz IF.

I receive with an array of 8 Beverage antennas, coupled through a K9AY preamplifier with excellent overload characteristics.

I used a very nice feature of the Win-Test contest logging software that is called Targets Tracking which enables real time comparison of last years rates compared with the current rates on an hourly basis.

My effort earned me a beautiful award for the Top Score North of 60° Geomagnetic Latitude.

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160m 12 December…WAS in three days.

By On · Leave a Comment · In Amateur Radio

Conditions are improving, there is less noise and signals from the west coast of USA are stronger.

WAS on 160 via LOTW is almost completed in two days of operation – only ND, UT and WA have still not confirmed via LOTW.

Update: 13 Dec 0600z   -WA confirmed on LOTW,  North Dakota and Utah not yet….:-)

I know I worked a couple of stations in UT, not sure about ND.

Update 13DEC:  W0ZTL in ND was worked on Nov21 and a second time on December 10th.  The Direct QSL cards are on the way !   Will QSL direct to the Utah contacts as well to be sure.   This means that I Worked All States on 160 meters in three (3) days !  What  a pleasure.

Update 14DEC:  Jim, N7JW informed me that we exchanged QSL cards for an earlier QSO we had in January 2006.   The card is already in hand for UTAH !!  Only ND remains to be confirmed.

There has been some discussion on the Top Band reflector about how easy it is to work WAS and some stations in the US have done so in only a few hours.   Congratulations on this, but let us not compare the difficulty of working from the Auroral Zone at 65 degrees North, with working Top Band from more southerly locations.

This was only made possible with superior transmit and receive antennas and with the cooperation of excellent propagation.

Working ZL or KH6 has never been thought even remotely possible from TF on Top Band.

Long Live the Arctic King.

If you worked me from one of those states, I would appreciate a prompt upload to LOTW – thanks!

I have uploaded all QSOs to LOTW and will be QRV tomorrow night as well to enjoy these conditions while they last.

The highlights of the session were working KH6AT in Hilo, Hawaii for the second time and working Tree, N6TR for the first time on 160meters.

Update, 13DEC:  KH7C was worked this morning for the second time and KH6AT was worked again for the third time proving that the performance of the Arctic King is no fluke !

I used N6TR´s  Contest Logging program TR Log for a while and I found it to be absolutely the best logger I have ever used.   I did give up on DOS eventually though, but I still miss the quality and precision of TR while using a Windows logging program.

I have heard N6TR numerous times but never with such tremendous  signals before.

Finally LU6QI in Argentina was added to the log as DXCC entity #129 on Top Band.

Lew,  W7AT, who also made it into the log last night says it beautifully:

“The language of 160M is CW”

I concur from the bottom of my heart.

tf4m WAS
 
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4 New Countries with the Arctic King

By On · Leave a Comment · In Amateur Radio

Last night the band was very noisy.  I had planned to stay up all night in case conditions were good but only stayed for a short time.

I was called by 8P9NX in Barbados for a new one and later by VU2BGS and 4S7NE for two more new countries and Zone 22.

Some notable calls were FM5CD in Martinique and UK8DAN in Uzbekistan.

The day started well, with BU2AI being logged for a first QSO between Taiwan and Iceland and  Zone 24.

You may listen to the QSOs by entering the call signs.

JT1CO worked on Top Band

By On · 1 Comment · In Amateur Radio

When I turned on my radio today, JT1CO in ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia was booming on 160 meters.

As I waited for the amplifier to warm up, I recorded his signals and he was worked easily for a new country and Zone 23.

I now believe it may be possible to get WAZ (Worked All Zones) from TF on 160 meters.

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It is quite likely that this is the first time Mongolia is worked on Top Band from Iceland.

FIRST !! Top Band QSO with Hawaii from Iceland.

By On · 13 Comments · In Amateur Radio

The night of 09 December was spectacular.   I began the operation with the thought of working on my WAS (Worked All States) award for 160 and as the terminator moved across the US, stations from the western part of the US became audible.

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After a small break, I decided to continue and see if I could get a West Coast US station in the log so I continued on the band.

I think I probably worked all 50 states during this session, I was called by many W6 and W7 stations and several KL7 stations were also logged.

The highlight of the session was being called by KH7C in Hawaii, followed later by KH7XS and KH6AT.

These are the first QSOs in history between Hawaii and Iceland on Top Band and I was really not expecting this to be possible, but the Arctic King and my large Beverage antennas, coupled with a zero-noise location made this possible.

It is also entirely likely that the West Coast USA QSOs made last night are the first in history from TF.

Note:  N6ND informs me that some stations in California have worked TF3CW in January 2008.

Note:  TF3SG informs me that he worked CA and BC on 160m SSB last January.

I have uploaded the log to LOTW.

I recorded the entire session:

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What an incredible pleasure !

The QSO with KH7C:

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The QSO with KH7XS:

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The QSO with KH6AT:

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All my audio files may be downloaded from my web site.

Cluster spots showed the excitement.

N5GH            1822.0 TF4M         GOOD SIGNAL IN MS TONIGHT!         0535 09 Dec   Iceland
W6UQZ-@         1821.9 TF4M         call corr – thumbs!                0535 09 Dec   Iceland
N5GH            1822.0 TX4M         GOOD SIGNAL IN MS TONIGHT!         0535 09 Dec   Not Found
W6UQZ-@         1821.9 TF4A         Grt ears!  TNX new one!            0531 09 Dec   Iceland
K6SRZ           1822.0 TF4M         tnx #121 top band                  0514 09 Dec   Iceland
K7LAY-@         1822.0 TF4M         3 hrs paid off                     0451 09 Dec   Iceland
WO1N            1821.9 TF4M         Good Ears…                       0432 09 Dec   Iceland
K5WK            1821.9 TF4M         going strong                       0411 09 Dec   Iceland
NL7Y-@          1822.0 TF4M         S9 in AK – Amazing                 0341 09 Dec   Iceland
K4SV            1822.0 TF4M         Nice sig QRM by caller SPLIT?      0333 09 Dec   Iceland
W2WC-@          1821.3 TF4M                                            0329 09 Dec   Iceland
W2TN            1822.0 TF4M         Great sigs                         0324 09 Dec   Iceland
WM3O            1822.0 TF4M         tnx for qrming me                  0308 09 Dec   Iceland
KS9W            1822.0 TF4M                                            0258 09 Dec   Iceland
N7RT            1820.5 TF4M         New #222 on 160                    0208 09 Dec   Iceland
W0BKR           1820.4 TF4M         (UP AND DWN)                       0202 09 Dec   Iceland
W0FLS           1820.5 TF4M         just darn loud                     0147 09 Dec   Iceland
W1YIF           1820.5 TF4M         Tnx new one!!!!                    0140 09 Dec   Iceland
W0SEI-@         1820.0 TF4M         HUGE SIG…..TNX                   0136 09 Dec   Iceland
W4QN            1820.5 TF4M                                            0131 09 Dec   Iceland
W4SVO           1820.4 TF4M                                            0118 09 Dec   Iceland
N6ND            1820.5 TF4M         QSX 1820.67 Tnx new one on 160     0118 09 Dec   Iceland
K9US            1820.7 TF4M         very stong tonight                 0052 09 Dec   Iceland
K0PY            1820.5 TF4M                                            0044 09 Dec   Iceland
ZS1REC-@        1820.5 TF4M         Thanks new one!                    0024 09 Dec   Iceland
HI3TEJ-@        1820.5 TF4M         Tnxs fer new one                   0017 09 Dec   Iceland
ZS1REC          1820.5 TF4M                                            0002 09 Dec   Iceland
K0HA            1820.5 TF4M         .                                  2344 08 Dec   Iceland

N5GH            1822.0 TF4M         GOOD SIGNAL IN MS TONIGHT!         0535 09 Dec   Iceland

W6UQZ-@         1821.9 TF4M         call corr – thumbs!                0535 09 Dec   Iceland

N5GH            1822.0 TX4M         GOOD SIGNAL IN MS TONIGHT!         0535 09 Dec   Not Found

W6UQZ-@         1821.9 TF4A         Grt ears!  TNX new one!            0531 09 Dec   Iceland

K6SRZ           1822.0 TF4M         tnx #121 top band                  0514 09 Dec   Iceland

K7LAY-@         1822.0 TF4M         3 hrs paid off                     0451 09 Dec   Iceland

WO1N            1821.9 TF4M         Good Ears…                       0432 09 Dec   Iceland

K5WK            1821.9 TF4M         going strong                       0411 09 Dec   Iceland

NL7Y-@          1822.0 TF4M         S9 in AK – Amazing 0341 09 Dec   Iceland

K4SV            1822.0 TF4M         Nice sig QRM by caller SPLIT?      0333 09 Dec   Iceland

W2WC-@          1821.3 TF4M                                            0329 09 Dec   Iceland

W2TN            1822.0 TF4M         Great sigs                         0324 09 Dec   Iceland

WM3O            1822.0 TF4M         tnx for qrming me                  0308 09 Dec   Iceland

KS9W            1822.0 TF4M                                            0258 09 Dec   Iceland

N7RT            1820.5 TF4M         New #222 on 160                    0208 09 Dec   Iceland

W0BKR           1820.4 TF4M         (UP AND DWN)                       0202 09 Dec   Iceland

W0FLS           1820.5 TF4M         just darn loud                     0147 09 Dec   Iceland

W1YIF           1820.5 TF4M         Tnx new one!!!!                    0140 09 Dec   Iceland

W0SEI-@         1820.0 TF4M         HUGE SIG…..TNX                   0136 09 Dec   Iceland

W4QN            1820.5 TF4M                                            0131 09 Dec   Iceland

W4SVO           1820.4 TF4M                                            0118 09 Dec   Iceland

N6ND            1820.5 TF4M         QSX 1820.67 Tnx new one on 160     0118 09 Dec   Iceland

K9US            1820.7 TF4M         very stong tonight                 0052 09 Dec   Iceland

K0PY            1820.5 TF4M                                            0044 09 Dec   Iceland

ZS1REC-@        1820.5 TF4M         Thanks new one!                    0024 09 Dec   Iceland

HI3TEJ-@        1820.5 TF4M         Tnxs fer new one                   0017 09 Dec   Iceland

ZS1REC          1820.5 TF4M                                            0002 09 Dec   Iceland

K0HA            1820.5 TF4M         .                                  2344 08 Dec   Iceland

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