DX - December 2018

Second Op Jack says: "XT2BR is listening for JA stations.
Why aren't we calling, Pop? My name starts with JA."

QRP

Who I've worked in December (KX2 CW @ 5W).

• E51DWC South Cook Is. - Worked 17m (12/13)
• H7/RC5A Nicaragua - Worked 20m (12/04) - IOTA NA-013
• H7/N3QQ Nicaragua - Worked 20m (12/04) - IOTA NA-013
• HA8IB Hungary - Worked 20m (12/07)
• PJ2ND Curacao Is. - Worked 20m (12/04)
• V31MA Belize - Worked 80m (12/18)

Medium-Rare Wave

I've been playing with mediumwave DX a lot lately, using the NRD-515 and Kiwa Air-Core MW Loop. It's not very often that I do this, I don't know why. The 515 has a pair of custom Kiwa filters (3.5 kHz and 8.0 kHz bandwidths) that I installed back in the mid-90's when I acquired this radio. This is the first time I've used this gear since moving to Cedar Key. It still rocks. There is still some good stuff on the AM dial late at night!

#shackcleaningsunday

Against all expectations, I actually did find a floor beneath all the wires and dust bunnies.

DX - November 2018

DX I worked in November (all CW).

• 5B4AJC Cyprus - Worked 30m (11/19)
• 8P9AE Barbados - Worked 80m (11/16); 17m (11/17) - QRP DXCC #59
• CT9/DL5AXX Madeira Is. - Worked 17m (11/29)
• CT9/LZ2JE Madeira Is. - Worked 40m (11/23)
• CT9/OM7LW Madeira Is. - Worked 20m (11/21)
• FG/F6ARC Guadeloupe - Worked 20m (11/23)
• H7/Russians Nicaragua - Worked 20m, 17m (11/29) - IOTA NA-013
• HG5DX Hungary - Worked 80m (11/19)
• J8NY Saint Vincent - Worked 20m (11/27) - QRP DXCC #64
• PJ2ND Curacao Is. - Worked 17m (11/29)
• PJ7AA Sint Maarten - Worked 40m (11/23)
• PZ5T Suriname - Worked 30m (11/23) - QRP DXCC #63, New 30m
• TI/KL9A Costa Rica - Worked 20m (11/23)
• TK/S53CC Corsica - Worked 40m (11/23)
• TK/S57K Corsica - Worked 15m (11/21) - QRP DXCC #61
• VP2EJS Anguilla - Worked 15m, 20m (11/21); - QRP DXCC #62
• VP2MUW Montserrat - Worked 20m (11/21)
• VP2V/K6NAO British Virgin Islands - Worked 17m (11/17) - QRP DXCC #60

QRP DXCC total (worked) is now at 64 entities, up from 58 when I left off in August 2017 - six new ones out of 24 contacts. I can live with a 25% ATNO rate. Lol!

Mail Call!

Received from buro 20-Nov-2018

Early operations from NA-076

At the moment I'm working on a makeover for the Cedar Key Historical Society's web site, and as I was flipping through old photos I came across this healthy dose of Hallicrafters goodness! Click the photo to enlarge it.

Back again.

I've been tuning around since Wednesday with the little rig (at 5 watts) and a short wire (poorly matched) at the ass end of the sunspot cycle. Could it get any worse? 🤔

Making a few contacts, added a couple of new ones for the QRP DXCC chase (8P9 and VP2V) bringing me up to 60 worked. But damn, it's hard to make Qs! So much easier with the KPA500...

The KX2 is an amazing radio. I'm making this my main rig until I accomplish two goals: get the Tarheel and ground radials installed, and work QRP DXCC. I don't think I'm going to get 40 new ones by the end of the year, but maybe by February and the Orlando fest. The Tarheel screwdriver, though... that would definitely help with the DXCC goal.

I've been working in WordPress for a couple of clients and loving it, so this blog may be undergoing a major redesign soon.

The Jackonaut has called dibs on my office/shack, so he's the Second Op now, relieving the Tiny Brown Kitten of those duties.