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Back to the Radio/ A Little QRP DX
10 April 2013 | by As documented earlier I have been distracted recently with other, non-radio pursuits. So tonight I sat down in the shack and flipped on the KX3. I loaded my QRP log into my DX4WIN logging program and went shopping for DX. Needed DX is highlighted in yellow on the packet cluster as each spot is compared against my QRP log. After the log loaded the screen lit up with yellow. So many choices, who do I chase?
There are some battles you want to pick and others that are best left alone while operating QRP. VK9CZ was spotted on a couple of bands, but that pileup was hopeless. There was a spot for JT1CS on 15 meters. I called several times before I had him in the clear, "de AD5A"....."?"....."de AD5A", "QRZ de JT1CS....". So, he can't hear me. I give up on that fight and I moved up the band a couple of KC's and call another JT, but like the first, no joy. So maybe tonight I will be shut out. Not the first time on QRP.
Next I see a spot for 5W0M on 15m CW, probably a higher probablity of a QSO so I move up the band and call. After about 10 or 15 calls I get in the log. Okay I'm feeling powerful now. Next a spot for D2AA on 20m CW. I wasn't optimistic as the signal had a lot of QSB, but I thought I wiould give him a try. After a few calls, I had him in the clear and he came back to my call. Two new QRP DXCC countries, not a bad evening after all. Then, as I was documenting my acheivements with this post, a spot for 5T0JL came up on 17m. I stopped typing to try for a QSO. If you have ever worked Jean, you know he sends CW at 40+ wpm , which is the top of my range. In fact at that speed I can only copy by ear, I can't write that fast. He also tends to have longer than normal QSO's, not just 599. So after 4 or 5 QSO's and through a decent pile-up, he pulled out my call. He gave me a 579 report. Not bad.
While I use a gain antenna, a log periodic at 55 feet, I'm a long way from big gun status. I am continually surprised at what can be worked with QRP.
These QSO's move my QRP country count to 136. Nice progress in recent weeks and a very satifying DX session on the KX3.
Mike Crownover, AD5A, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Texas, USA. Contact him at [email protected].There are some battles you want to pick and others that are best left alone while operating QRP. VK9CZ was spotted on a couple of bands, but that pileup was hopeless. There was a spot for JT1CS on 15 meters. I called several times before I had him in the clear, "de AD5A"....."?"....."de AD5A", "QRZ de JT1CS....". So, he can't hear me. I give up on that fight and I moved up the band a couple of KC's and call another JT, but like the first, no joy. So maybe tonight I will be shut out. Not the first time on QRP.
Next I see a spot for 5W0M on 15m CW, probably a higher probablity of a QSO so I move up the band and call. After about 10 or 15 calls I get in the log. Okay I'm feeling powerful now. Next a spot for D2AA on 20m CW. I wasn't optimistic as the signal had a lot of QSB, but I thought I wiould give him a try. After a few calls, I had him in the clear and he came back to my call. Two new QRP DXCC countries, not a bad evening after all. Then, as I was documenting my acheivements with this post, a spot for 5T0JL came up on 17m. I stopped typing to try for a QSO. If you have ever worked Jean, you know he sends CW at 40+ wpm , which is the top of my range. In fact at that speed I can only copy by ear, I can't write that fast. He also tends to have longer than normal QSO's, not just 599. So after 4 or 5 QSO's and through a decent pile-up, he pulled out my call. He gave me a 579 report. Not bad.
While I use a gain antenna, a log periodic at 55 feet, I'm a long way from big gun status. I am continually surprised at what can be worked with QRP.
These QSO's move my QRP country count to 136. Nice progress in recent weeks and a very satifying DX session on the KX3.
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