Author Archives: dh8bqa

Some fun in the 144 MHz NAC/LYAC tonight

It’s been a while since I participated more seriously in the only 4 hour long NAC (Nordic Activity Contest) and LYAC (Lithuanian Activity Contest) evenings which take place regularly every Tuesday and Thursday on different bands. Tonight was the first … Continue reading

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QRP in the WPX-CW using the Elecraft KX3

My motivation to participate full-time and high power in the WPX-CW was quite low this time. Currently I’m rather in “VHF mood” enjoying 6 & 4 m as well as waiting for more Sporadic E on 2 m during my holidays. … Continue reading

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SØ – Western Sahara #136 on 6 m

Well, not much worked during the week. Bands were rather flat. 6 m just only opened quite nicely this evening but I spent most of my time on 4 m again as there was a big ES opening in Western … Continue reading

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Building a 50 MHz notch filter with coax cable

Holidays now! 😎 Decided to visit my goddaughter Anna-Lena (now 4 years old or better young ) near Frankfurt/Oder. Her father is my good friend Sandro, DD3SP. While there he mentioned interference of S5 to S7 between his 50 and … Continue reading

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ZP – Paraguay #135 on 6 m

Another day without any ES overhere. Was not very sad this time as I could spent all afternoon in bed trying to recover from a flu I caught on Friday and not fearing to miss anything on the bands. 😉 … Continue reading

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TJ – Cameroon #134 on 6 m

Propagation sucked today. Six and above stayed closed all day long. Thus I had to rely on Meteor Scatter to work something new. The Camb-Hams are currently active as GS3PYE/P from the Isle of Mull, IOTA EU-008, in the relatively rare … Continue reading

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More 4 m and first 2 m Sporadic E this year

What an interesting day! Just worked two OH1’s on MS for a new country and square before leaving for QRL in the morning. So could only watch all the fun on the cluster and DXMaps website. Seems 6 & 4 … Continue reading

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First 4 m ES opening + 6 m ES/TEP link

Father’s Day is a public holiday overhere so I had the chance to be at the station early morning already. Sporadic E season has started and the whole day saw massive ES propagation over all of Europe. MUF went up … Continue reading

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Wrong W1AW Worked All States Award received :-(

Was happy to find another letter of the ARRL in the mail box today. Could only have been the applied for W1AW WAS and indeed, it was. 😉 But very unhappy as it is not what I applied and paid … Continue reading

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My first week on “four”

Having spent my first week on the new for me 4 m band it might be a good time to sum up my first experiences. As anticipated the band is very interesting. Despite running QRP only into a small 5 ele Yagi … Continue reading

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Small Aurora tonight

Had a rather small Aurora opening this evening with signals fast in & out. Worked: —————————————————————— TIME CALLSIGN LOCATOR TX RX BAND MODE PROP. QRB —————————————————————— 17:05 LAØBY JO59FW 55A 55A 2 m. CW AUR 784 17:13 SM5KWU JO89IP 57A 57A … Continue reading

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First 4 m QSOs done

Finally found a bit time late this evening and worked my first two 70 MHz tropo QSOs with Greg, SP3RNZ, in JO92 (300 km) and Marek, SP2MKO, in JO93 (267 km). Also tried with SP9HWY in JO90 (465 km) whom … Continue reading

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DFØFA results DARC May VHF contest ’15

Back from the “mountain”. Well, “hilltop” is certainly a better description for our location about 100 km north-east of Berlin near the German-Polish border. 😉 Expected bad weather but after all we were quite lucky! A few guys already made … Continue reading

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Temporary permit to use 4 m in DL again! :-)

German BNetzA informed today (Amtsblatt 8/2015, Mitteilung Nr. 412/2015) that they allow German class A radio amateurs to operate on 4 m again during the upcoming Sporadic E season. 😎 Effective from today the permit is valid until 31 August 2015 … Continue reading

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WPX-SSB 2015 raw scores published

Raw scores for this year’s WPX-SSB contest were published yesterday. Seems I can be proud of placing 1st out of 6 participants in Germany, 2nd out of 52 in Europe and 6th out of 85 worldwide! 😎 The points differences … Continue reading

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Centennial Points Challenge Award

Unexpectedly something in the mailbox again today! 🙂 That’s for sure one I’m really proud of and one of the few that will find it’s place on the shack wall! I really like all the new designs of ARRL, be … Continue reading

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SP DX contest certificate received

 Found the winner certificate for my last year’s entry in the SP DX contest in the post box today. I have to admit I liked the “old design” of the contest certificates much better! Remember my participation quite well as … Continue reading

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Japan International DX Contest CW

No radio activity here since Easter. Had a marker in my calendar that JIDX-CW would be this past weekend. Wasn’t in the mood to participate on Saturday, thoughts were rather in a QRL project I’m handling right now. Also saw … Continue reading

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Antennas, antennas, antennas

Been busy the week before Easter with some antenna work. Weather was just awful with heavy storms and even snow on two mornings! So I prepared the new 6/4 m Dualband Yagi indoors and could only mount it on Good … Continue reading

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CQ-WPX-SSB 2015

Another WPX-SSB is done. Although not planned I managed to take Friday off and drive the 700 km to the station the night from Thursday to Friday already. Was certainly the better choice than driving after QRL on Friday evening … Continue reading

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