General comments
Dimanche 15 novembre 2009
Hi all,
That was fun to chase Easter isl on the bands, despite the difficult propagation conditions.
Finally, got them on 3 bands for sure (40/20/17m), and maybe 15m yesterday evening (to be confirmed, reports were WEAAAKKKKKKK !)
I'd like to thank my friend Stan (and his team) for all they've done to make this possible. He realized one of his dreams going there, and realized one of my dreams (certainly for many op's) to make QSO with them.
I do hope they'll have a safe trip back home and I'm looking fwd to hearing from him soon again,
Merci beaucoup Stan !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ronan
That was fun to chase Easter isl on the bands, despite the difficult propagation conditions.
Finally, got them on 3 bands for sure (40/20/17m), and maybe 15m yesterday evening (to be confirmed, reports were WEAAAKKKKKKK !)
I'd like to thank my friend Stan (and his team) for all they've done to make this possible. He realized one of his dreams going there, and realized one of my dreams (certainly for many op's) to make QSO with them.
I do hope they'll have a safe trip back home and I'm looking fwd to hearing from him soon again,
Merci beaucoup Stan !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ronan
Vendredi 13 novembre 2009
Hi all
A new one yesterday on 80m, quite early (21:30z) in a noisy band : FP/W8TOM from the French island St Pierre & Miquelon. He was actually S5 here, almost buried into the noise and some Russian QRM.This morning, I went back on 80m and heard him S7 in the clear. A lot easier conditions, and we made it again (just to be sure, HI !).
DXCC # 137 on 80m, 13 more to go to reach my modest first target (150)
73
Ronan, F8AFC
A new one yesterday on 80m, quite early (21:30z) in a noisy band : FP/W8TOM from the French island St Pierre & Miquelon. He was actually S5 here, almost buried into the noise and some Russian QRM.This morning, I went back on 80m and heard him S7 in the clear. A lot easier conditions, and we made it again (just to be sure, HI !).
DXCC # 137 on 80m, 13 more to go to reach my modest first target (150)
73
Ronan, F8AFC
Mercredi 11 novembre 2009
Hi all,
New one on 80m, and a VERY nice one : VK0BP, Bob, from Davis base in Antarctica.
5/5 report here, but in a noisy band.....Skip was definitely to France (a few friends also worked him, as F4ENK, F4DCG and F4FJH), so I jumped into and went through.
Thanks Bob for this VERY hard DXCC to get on 80m !!!!!!!!!!!
Ronan, F8AFC
New one on 80m, and a VERY nice one : VK0BP, Bob, from Davis base in Antarctica.
5/5 report here, but in a noisy band.....Skip was definitely to France (a few friends also worked him, as F4ENK, F4DCG and F4FJH), so I jumped into and went through.
Thanks Bob for this VERY hard DXCC to get on 80m !!!!!!!!!!!
Ronan, F8AFC
Mardi 10 novembre 2009
Hi all,
Nice new one on 40m tonight : TZ6JA on 40m.
Mac-san is used to be there every evening from 21:00z to 22:00z to talk with his home-land in JA. This is hard to make a QSO between 2 JA's, because he only takes 1 or 2 european in his JA list.
But tonight, yep, I could come through...
I already contacted him on 20m in 2007, but this is a new band for me (I already got Chris, TZ9A, on 20/17/15/12/10m confirmed). Just need Mali now on 80m, this is a hard task !
GL to all
73
Ronan, F8AFC
Nice new one on 40m tonight : TZ6JA on 40m.
Mac-san is used to be there every evening from 21:00z to 22:00z to talk with his home-land in JA. This is hard to make a QSO between 2 JA's, because he only takes 1 or 2 european in his JA list.
But tonight, yep, I could come through...
I already contacted him on 20m in 2007, but this is a new band for me (I already got Chris, TZ9A, on 20/17/15/12/10m confirmed). Just need Mali now on 80m, this is a hard task !
GL to all
73
Ronan, F8AFC
Mardi 10 novembre 2009
Hi all,
I really can not complain about XR0Y for many reasons, and here are the "pros":
- My friend Stan is there !
- I got them on already 2 bands (40/17m). No sked, just pure fun in the pile-ups and great ears from them !
- They are facing difficult conditions there : Weather, power supply etc
- It would be a shame to be there and not to visit the area : Pictures of the statues on their web-site are just amazing, and make me dream more than a 3rd band
- Easter isl is not in the 100 mst wanted DXCC....
NOW the cons
- A bit more of "classical" band/modes combinations would be appreciated by many of us.
--> Even if Easter is less wanted than SV2/A (Mnk Appolo), it is nevertheless rare and quite difficult path from Eu.
--> 20m, in a classical SSB mode, would be greatly apreciated by many of us (AND NOT ONLY because I didn't get them there !)
- RTTY is a nice mode for sure, but shouldn't monopolize 50% of the activity. I've been watching the activities in the past few days...Last SSB was this morning (shortly on 40m)...Elsewhere, that was a few days ago....
- I'd apreciate personnally more activity on 20 and 80m (SSB). The only day they were on 80m, they were workable from here. But that was only the big guns day. Small pistols like me didn't get any chance...
Anyway, this is already BIG to put Easter isl on the air that we can only play the game..Don't forget this is a hobby, not a competition (as far as I'm concerned). I do hope they are having a great fun there, that they are enjoying the pile-ups.
Just keep on the GREAT job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ronan
I really can not complain about XR0Y for many reasons, and here are the "pros":
- My friend Stan is there !
- I got them on already 2 bands (40/17m). No sked, just pure fun in the pile-ups and great ears from them !
- They are facing difficult conditions there : Weather, power supply etc
- It would be a shame to be there and not to visit the area : Pictures of the statues on their web-site are just amazing, and make me dream more than a 3rd band
- Easter isl is not in the 100 mst wanted DXCC....
NOW the cons
- A bit more of "classical" band/modes combinations would be appreciated by many of us.
--> Even if Easter is less wanted than SV2/A (Mnk Appolo), it is nevertheless rare and quite difficult path from Eu.
--> 20m, in a classical SSB mode, would be greatly apreciated by many of us (AND NOT ONLY because I didn't get them there !)
- RTTY is a nice mode for sure, but shouldn't monopolize 50% of the activity. I've been watching the activities in the past few days...Last SSB was this morning (shortly on 40m)...Elsewhere, that was a few days ago....
- I'd apreciate personnally more activity on 20 and 80m (SSB). The only day they were on 80m, they were workable from here. But that was only the big guns day. Small pistols like me didn't get any chance...
Anyway, this is already BIG to put Easter isl on the air that we can only play the game..Don't forget this is a hobby, not a competition (as far as I'm concerned). I do hope they are having a great fun there, that they are enjoying the pile-ups.
Just keep on the GREAT job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ronan
Jeudi 5 novembre 2009
Hi all,
I got XR0Y on 40m too !!!!!!!!!
Actually, my youngest son woke up at 03:00am and logically woke his parents up too....After putting him back to bed, I quickly looked on the cluster and saw the first spots for XR0Y on 40m.
There I was, in the middle of the night, running to my "shelter" shack not to miss this opportunity.
The pile-up was not that big, but XR0Y was not that strong neither (up to S5 here). I called about 10min before being called back.
2nd band for Easter, that was my day.
When waking up "normally" at 06:30, I could see them on 80m...A lot more crowdy, and a lot wxeaker signal (peaking S3....preamp OFF). i tried, but in vain.
Let's see tomorrow morning, when the EU big guns "4-square" guys will have already made the QSO,
73
Ronan, F8AFC
I got XR0Y on 40m too !!!!!!!!!
Actually, my youngest son woke up at 03:00am and logically woke his parents up too....After putting him back to bed, I quickly looked on the cluster and saw the first spots for XR0Y on 40m.
There I was, in the middle of the night, running to my "shelter" shack not to miss this opportunity.
The pile-up was not that big, but XR0Y was not that strong neither (up to S5 here). I called about 10min before being called back.
2nd band for Easter, that was my day.
When waking up "normally" at 06:30, I could see them on 80m...A lot more crowdy, and a lot wxeaker signal (peaking S3....preamp OFF). i tried, but in vain.
Let's see tomorrow morning, when the EU big guns "4-square" guys will have already made the QSO,
73
Ronan, F8AFC
Mercredi 4 novembre 2009
Hi all,
I've been waiting this moment for years actually, and one of my DX dream came true with this 17mQSO with Easter Island.
Needless to say this is an All Time New One, but most of all, one the DX entity I was dreaming to QSO with. A rare magic place on Earth !!!!
I'm also very happy to have contacted the guys (and YL with Vic) there. One of them being an "old" friend (Stan, SQ8X).
Signals were weak here, 1 hour after sunset. Barely readable, but he had GREAT ears to pick my signals, certainly one of the last one from Europe since I 'm located on the very Western part of France.
A few minutes after, I got a SMS on my mobile phone from Stan (and so from Easter isl !) saying I was well in the log..Better than on-line log !!! But a thrill to get a SMS from Easter island, this is BIG Stan, THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I missed them this morning on 40m..I put my clock at 06:30 local time, and went on 40m....But they just QRT'd...I thought this would be a bad day, but finally, got them on 17m.
The team is facing Huge troubles there..Missing equipment (not arrived by plane !), Terrible weather, Awfull power supply conditions. They can't not, so far, transmit around the clock...And openings to EU are rare from there...(the opposite being true HI)
73
Ronan, F8AFC
I've been waiting this moment for years actually, and one of my DX dream came true with this 17mQSO with Easter Island.
Needless to say this is an All Time New One, but most of all, one the DX entity I was dreaming to QSO with. A rare magic place on Earth !!!!
I'm also very happy to have contacted the guys (and YL with Vic) there. One of them being an "old" friend (Stan, SQ8X).
Signals were weak here, 1 hour after sunset. Barely readable, but he had GREAT ears to pick my signals, certainly one of the last one from Europe since I 'm located on the very Western part of France.
A few minutes after, I got a SMS on my mobile phone from Stan (and so from Easter isl !) saying I was well in the log..Better than on-line log !!! But a thrill to get a SMS from Easter island, this is BIG Stan, THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I missed them this morning on 40m..I put my clock at 06:30 local time, and went on 40m....But they just QRT'd...I thought this would be a bad day, but finally, got them on 17m.
The team is facing Huge troubles there..Missing equipment (not arrived by plane !), Terrible weather, Awfull power supply conditions. They can't not, so far, transmit around the clock...And openings to EU are rare from there...(the opposite being true HI)
73
Ronan, F8AFC
Jeudi 29 octobre 2009
Hi all,
Here is a short summary of my WAZ "score" on different bands
80m: 32 zones
40m: 39 Zones (I miss only zone 19 there !!!!!!!)
20m: 40 Zones
17m: 38 zones (I miss zone 31 and 1)
15m: 37 zones (I miss zone 1, 19, 31)
12/10m: 27 zones on each...
This brings my score for 5-B WAZ (80/40/20/15/10) up to 175, not that bad for my working conditions (and for the propagations conditions !).
But hey, after 3 years of activity, I realize that zone 1, 2, 19, 31 are hard to get.
I'm still wondering how I could get Alaska last year on 80m...HI
I'm now looking for zone 19 on 40 and 15m.
I'm calling every morning on 15m (21.210 +/-) between 07:30 to 08:00...This morning, BD4QH (zone 24) and RU0SU (Zone 18) answered me. But nobody from zone 19 (in between zone 18 and 24...)
If anybody from zone 19 can proposes me a sked on either 15m (at those times) or on 40m (evening time, I got UA0WEC from z18 at 20:00z 2 days ago), I'll be very happy and glad to try !!!!!
73
Ronan, F8AFC
Here is a short summary of my WAZ "score" on different bands
80m: 32 zones
40m: 39 Zones (I miss only zone 19 there !!!!!!!)
20m: 40 Zones
17m: 38 zones (I miss zone 31 and 1)
15m: 37 zones (I miss zone 1, 19, 31)
12/10m: 27 zones on each...
This brings my score for 5-B WAZ (80/40/20/15/10) up to 175, not that bad for my working conditions (and for the propagations conditions !).
But hey, after 3 years of activity, I realize that zone 1, 2, 19, 31 are hard to get.
I'm still wondering how I could get Alaska last year on 80m...HI
I'm now looking for zone 19 on 40 and 15m.
I'm calling every morning on 15m (21.210 +/-) between 07:30 to 08:00...This morning, BD4QH (zone 24) and RU0SU (Zone 18) answered me. But nobody from zone 19 (in between zone 18 and 24...)
If anybody from zone 19 can proposes me a sked on either 15m (at those times) or on 40m (evening time, I got UA0WEC from z18 at 20:00z 2 days ago), I'll be very happy and glad to try !!!!!
73
Ronan, F8AFC
Lundi 26 octobre 2009
Hi all,
A short summary about the QSO's made during this CQWW SSB 2009.
One thing to note before : I was not chasing "points", I was just chasing zones and DXCC's.
Over-all feeling is a GREAT opening to Asia and Far-East on 10m !!!!!! Exceptional opening with many QSO's from Indonesia to Hong-King, Viet-Nam, etc etc.
15m was also as crowdy as 20m with a hue opening to America (North/Central/South)
Low bands were rather poor here, with too many noise/splatters etc. That was very tough to hear even some EU stations !!!!!
A non-exhaustive list of QSO's (the ones I find interesting)
4U1UN on 15m ! (i could get them on 80/40/20/15m, nice "activity week from them !!!!!!)
4U1ITU on 80/15/10m (I now miss ITU Geneva on 12m only !)
VE2IM (Zone 2, rare !!!!!!) on 80/40/20/15m...I only miss zone 19 now on 40meters to complete the 40 zones there !!!!!!
VP2MDG on 40/15m, new bands for Montserrat
FS/K1XM, YS1YS and 9M8Z on 15m (new band)
A short summary about the QSO's made during this CQWW SSB 2009.
One thing to note before : I was not chasing "points", I was just chasing zones and DXCC's.
Over-all feeling is a GREAT opening to Asia and Far-East on 10m !!!!!! Exceptional opening with many QSO's from Indonesia to Hong-King, Viet-Nam, etc etc.
15m was also as crowdy as 20m with a hue opening to America (North/Central/South)
Low bands were rather poor here, with too many noise/splatters etc. That was very tough to hear even some EU stations !!!!!
A non-exhaustive list of QSO's (the ones I find interesting)
4U1UN on 15m ! (i could get them on 80/40/20/15m, nice "activity week from them !!!!!!)
4U1ITU on 80/15/10m (I now miss ITU Geneva on 12m only !)
VE2IM (Zone 2, rare !!!!!!) on 80/40/20/15m...I only miss zone 19 now on 40meters to complete the 40 zones there !!!!!!
VP2MDG on 40/15m, new bands for Montserrat
FS/K1XM, YS1YS and 9M8Z on 15m (new band)
10m :
YB1C (New band + new zone, my last band for Indonesia
!!!!!)
3W1M (zone 26, new band + new zone)
VR2C (zone 24, new band + new zone)
SU1KM (new band)
FY5KE (new band, just miss FY on 12m now)
5R8FU (New band, just miss 5R8 on 80/40m now).
Lots of new states on 15m (I guess a dozen of new states.
Propagation was so good that I even didn't go on 20m !!!!!!!
Hopefully the new cycle has effectively arrived (SSN = 28 today !!!!!!)
73
Ronan, F8AFC
Vendredi 23 octobre 2009
Hi all,
I do like the week before big contests like the CQWW this week-end. Expeditions are warming-up, and this is in general a good opportunity to get some nice ones in the log.
That was the case this early morning (04:30 local time) on both 40 and 80m...
I could log 4U1UN on both bands !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- On 40m, he was TX'ing on 7.163MHz (so above our 7.1MHz in france) and luckely listening down to 7.087MHz. I could recognize by his accent that he is frecnh (either F4EGD or F5CWU), so I took my chance to call in French, and it worked. It's funny how within a pile-up, human ears can distinguish ones's mother's tongue. I must have been lucky.
On80m, he was on 3.787 listening up 5. Nothing really strange here, except that the pile-up was destroying the entire 80m DX band. I knew I had no chance to call within the European big-guns, mostly because I was not in the grey-line whereas central/East Europe was in this grey-line. I just waited a few minutes when the guy said "listening up 2 to 5". Bu teverybody was still calling +5 only. I quickly turned my VFO to +2, and just called a couple of times before being logged. After my spot on the cluster, +2 became VERY busy too, HI! But I was already in the log !!!!!
I also logged J68JA and TL0A on 40m, making 3 new ones on 40m in a single morning, this is great !
At my sunrise, I saw some spots on 10m tfrom Eu to VK. I decided to go there and see what happened..Some VK6 (VK6Ir and VK6KRC) were logged easily with S7 signal here !!!!!!!! That was incredible to see such good conditions on a normally such soilent band at that time of the day.
Both of them enabled me to get zone 29 on 10m '(new zone there). !!!!!!!!!!!!
But propagation was slightly changing and I had to leave to the office when I started to hear HS0 and VU2 (HS0 would have been a new one + new zone too).
Let's see what happens this WE....I still need HC8, Galapagos, on 80m. This will definitely be the occasion (he was on 80m this morning, but I couldn't be active....)
GL to all
73
Ronan, F8AFC
I do like the week before big contests like the CQWW this week-end. Expeditions are warming-up, and this is in general a good opportunity to get some nice ones in the log.
That was the case this early morning (04:30 local time) on both 40 and 80m...
I could log 4U1UN on both bands !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- On 40m, he was TX'ing on 7.163MHz (so above our 7.1MHz in france) and luckely listening down to 7.087MHz. I could recognize by his accent that he is frecnh (either F4EGD or F5CWU), so I took my chance to call in French, and it worked. It's funny how within a pile-up, human ears can distinguish ones's mother's tongue. I must have been lucky.
On80m, he was on 3.787 listening up 5. Nothing really strange here, except that the pile-up was destroying the entire 80m DX band. I knew I had no chance to call within the European big-guns, mostly because I was not in the grey-line whereas central/East Europe was in this grey-line. I just waited a few minutes when the guy said "listening up 2 to 5". Bu teverybody was still calling +5 only. I quickly turned my VFO to +2, and just called a couple of times before being logged. After my spot on the cluster, +2 became VERY busy too, HI! But I was already in the log !!!!!
I also logged J68JA and TL0A on 40m, making 3 new ones on 40m in a single morning, this is great !
At my sunrise, I saw some spots on 10m tfrom Eu to VK. I decided to go there and see what happened..Some VK6 (VK6Ir and VK6KRC) were logged easily with S7 signal here !!!!!!!! That was incredible to see such good conditions on a normally such soilent band at that time of the day.
Both of them enabled me to get zone 29 on 10m '(new zone there). !!!!!!!!!!!!
But propagation was slightly changing and I had to leave to the office when I started to hear HS0 and VU2 (HS0 would have been a new one + new zone too).
Let's see what happens this WE....I still need HC8, Galapagos, on 80m. This will definitely be the occasion (he was on 80m this morning, but I couldn't be active....)
GL to all
73
Ronan, F8AFC
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