November 2013 Wrap-Up

Good stuff in November!

DXCC - My Worked count jumped from 143 to 167 countries, I finally got my 100th LOTW confirmation for DXCC Mixed (including cards, the total confirmed is now 121), DXCC Phone is just 3 QSLs away, and I'm almost halfway toward DXCC CW with 49 confirmed. What is truly mind-boggling (to me, anyway) is that I've worked 103 countries on CW since firing up the rig again in June (mind-boggling because I only worked 15 countries on CW between 1987 and 2012). See my previous post for more thoughts on this.

CQ WWDX CW - I played in the contest over the weekend of 23/24-Nov to see if I could snag a few new countries on CW. I surprised myself by working 84 countries with 210 QSOs on 40m, 20m and 15m, twelve of them all-time new ones. Total score: 89,562 all-band, but I submitted my score as a single-band 40m Single Op Assisted entry after noting last year's W5 winner won with less than 5,000 points; my 40m score was over 24,000, so I rolled the dice hoping that I might place well in the 5th call district.

DXpeditions - I managed to work all the big DXpeditions this month. At least all the ones I could hear.

• XR0YY - Easter Island (20m Phone)
• K9W - Wake Island (40m & 20m CW)
• T33A - Banaba Island (40m CW)
• XR0ZR - Juan Fernandez Island (40m CW)
• N8A - American Samoa (15m CW)

Google+ -- There are several active ham radio communities on Google+. I encourage people to check them out, lots of good people the G. These are a few of the best:

• Amateur Radio
• Amateur Radio (different group, same name...)
• Amateur Radio DXing
• Ham Radio Digital Modes
• QRP Amateur Radio
• Minimalist QRP Group
• Elecraft
• Flex Radio SDR
• R.L. Drake Ham Radio
• Amateur Radio Flea Market Gone Wild
• Shortwave Radio
• Amateur Radio Operators
• Vintage Amateur Radio
• Ham Radio Equipment For Sale
• Ham Radio Homebrewing
• Homebrew Nation
• Mobile Amateur Radio

Random QRM:

• The K3/KPA500 combination continues to amaze me. I don't know that I pull off half the contacts I make without the afterburner. 
• Still find the Tarheel screwdriver to be limiting me but for what it is, it's performing as well as I can expect. My DXCC Mixed application has been submitted. 
• The JRC KY-3 straight key has finally been getting some use; I'm learning that my fist is a whole lot better with the KY-3 than it is with the paddles. 
• I replaced a single audio cable a few weeks ago and eliminated 90% of the RFI I was getting into my speaker system during transmit. 
• Priced out a hex beam with rotor, cables, roof tower, and everything else I would need. Looking at around $2,500. So it's safe to say that's not going to happen anytime soon. Looks like it will be Plan B for now: getting the R7000 vertical up on the roof. Maybe an inverted V for 12/10/6m, too, before it's too late for those bands.
• Where the hell did I put my Yaesu World Map??? I haven't seen it since the move to West and have run out of boxes to look in.