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Unexpected Surprise: What Are The Odds? ATNO DXCC
15 April 2022 | by I have a story for you. All of it is true, but I have not changed my name.
Wow! I am always amazed at those moments in my amateur radio hobby when spontaneous joy is had by unexpected events.
Iran worked as ATNO DXCC 2022-APR-14
On Thursday, 14-April-2022, at about 17:30 Universal Time (UT), the unexpected occurred, and it started by accident.
I have been reorganizing my radio shack. Once I moved my main transceiver (the Icom IC-7610) from one desk to another, and had it back in operation, I left it tuned to a random frequency, in the CW mode. It was just sitting there, hissing away with the typical shortwave sounds of a frequency on which no one was transmitting. And me? I was going about reorganizing my radio shack.
After a while, I heard the start of a Morse-code CW signal; the operator was sending a CQ call–a transmission that invites a response from anyone who wishes to have a QSO with the calling station. What I heard was, “CQ CQ DE EP2ABS EP2ABS…”
NOTE: This transceiver, my Icom IC-7610, is listening with the new antenna—the 254-foot doublet up at 80 feet–that was raised up into the air here at my QTH by a fine crew from Hams in the Air.
I looked up EP2ABS on QRZ dot com, because I did not know from what country/entity the EP2 prefix on callsigns belongs. I was excited to see that EP2 is from Iran!
I started answering his CQ call, “DE NW7US NW7US,” for at least ten minutes; each time he sent his CQ, I answered. Finally, I heard him answering me, “NW7US NW7US DE EP2ABS 5NN…”
I answered back, sending my signal report, “5NN 5NN DE NW7US TU”
Soon after that simple exchange, he confirmed our QSO by posting our QSO to Logbook of the World (LotW).
Thus, by accident–as I had simply left the transceiver tuned to a randomly-selected frequency and stayed on that frequency listening while doing my chores–I heard the Iranian station calling CQ. What are the odds!?!?
This is my first QSO with Iran, another All Time New One (ATNO). How cool!
Note: This is a testimony to the work from the crew that did the fine work of getting this antenna installed. Here is a video presented by Hams on the Air:
73 de NW7US dit dit
6 Responses to “Unexpected Surprise: What Are The Odds? ATNO DXCC”
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Good for you! I’ve been lucky enough to get a few rare ones by just tuning around at the right time, but never like that. Sometimes life works out just right!
Hi Tomas NW7US. Well done! You are obviously very elated at working someone from Iran. For my part, working from home in the UK, other European stations is pretty pleasing! Last weekend, during a OK/OM contest, I worked a Slovakian contest station – in Madeira! I was dead chuffed at that (very pleased). I will be calling CQ SOTA, POTA and WWFF tomorrow from a hill called Gun, using just 10W. Listen out for me! Best wishes. 73 de G1TCH.
Excellent work! I’ve made a few unexpected random contacts by accident too. But none as exotic as Iran. I’m fairly new at ham radio and was totally amazed the first time I talked to a station in Europe, again when I made a contact in Chile. This is a great hobby ain’t it? Keep on QSOing! 73! Mike K2PRR in Pennsylvania.
Years ago, when I was on the air a lot, I built a simple 80-10m dipole based on a design from a British ham, whose call sign I do not remember. It consisted of the antenna wire, a short length of twin lead and the rest of the feed was coax which connected directly to my transceiver or (later) to my transmatch. I would like to sell (or give away) the antenna to someone who could use it — but I would like to give proper credit to the designer. I wonder if anyone remembers such an antenna. It was billed as the G????10-80dipole (pretty descriptive) and was written up in ham literature in the 1970’s.
Gerry Chmielewski, WB2RWU:
I suspect that the name of your antenna is, G5RV.
They are simple antennas to make, and there are many for sale in new condition. If your G5RV is in great condition, I am sure some new-to-HF ham would be blessed with your gift.
Here are some links about G5RV antennas:
https://g.nw7us.us/3EQV1e7
https://g.nw7us.us/38vWLNW
https://g.nw7us.us/3vglI8W
Tomas,
Thanks very much. I believe you are correct.
I built my dipole with TV twin lead, and it served me very well — my most exotic contact from my NYState location being an RS-5by6 from a missionary in the jungles of Colombia. The antenna is definitely in good condition, and I will seek out someone who might be able to use it.
Thanks again.
Gerry