March 2015

DX - I was not quite as active in March as I'd been in Jan/Feb, but I ended the month with three all-time new countries and a YTD DXCC total of 164, up 13 from the end of February. Had a fine run of African DX, some easier than others. Here's the highlight reel:

• E51UFF North Cook Islands: ATNO #216. Worked op LA5UF on four bands (40/20/12/10), always weak but always in the log on first or second call. No ClubLog or LOTW. 
• E30FB Eritrea: ATNO #217 - This was tough, took a week before finally get in the log on two bands (12/20) in one day (15-Mar). Matched on ClubLog.
• A71EM Qatar: ATNO #218. Fairly easy, LOTW confirmation in three days. Tnx Juma!
• 9Q0HQ Dem. Republic of Congo: Worked on five bands (40/30/20/17/12) but the 17m QSO is missing from their online log. I'll take four. 
• 7QAA Malawi: Five bands (20/17/15/12/10), all ClubLog matched.
• 5Z4/DF5ZP Kenya: Second band (15) for the DF3FS/DF5ZP operation. No LOTW, apparently...
• 5Z4LS Kenya: ...but Nick G3RWF thankfully does use LOTW! Worked him on 12m and got LOTW the same day for DXCC Mixed #178.
• FR5DX Reunion Island: This was a nice catch! I was just tuning around the 20m phone portion and stumbled upon Erick in QSO with another op. Dropped my call after they were finished and got a 58 report back. No ClubLog/LOTW.
• V5/G3TXF: Only heard Nigel on one band (12) and got him in the log. ClubLog matched, LOTW confirmed a few days later.
• KG4HF Guantanamo Bay: Added two more bands (30/15) to the three QSOs in February (20/17/12), although the 12m QSO was busted. So this operation ended with four bands matched on ClubLog and confirmed via LOTW.
• 4Z5ML Israel: Finally found a 4X who uploads to LOTW! Thanks for DXCC Mixed #179, Alex!

Last 10 New DXCC Worked
218	QATAR	A71EM	3/27/2015
217	ERITREA	E30FB	3/15/2015
216	N. COOK ISLANDS	E51UFF	3/4/2015
215	LORD HOWE ISLAND	VK9LC	2/25/2015
214	REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN	Z81X	2/22/2015
213	KALININGRAD	UA2F	2/22/2015
212	COCOS IS.	TI9/3Z9DX	2/19/2015
211	KENYA	5Z4/DF3FS	2/19/2015
210	MAURITANIA	5T0JL	2/13/2015
209	CAMEROON	TK3SN	2/11/2015

Overheard on the Internet

Via Brian McDaniel on Google+ Amateur Radio community.

Actual SKYWARN exchange tonight:

Station: Net Control (&(AS*#^# This is K(^&A%^&@T&*#

NCS: Station Calling, you are not making it into the repeater.

Station: (&(A(*)(~~9&

NCS: I'm sorry, can you go to high power?

Station: I'm on &WT^JY#KW(Q(*QOI$OIJ% Over.

NCS: Please call one more time. This is KA1AAA.

Station: This (&(AKS KILO U(&ASN ONE ALPHA U*(&E ALPHA.

NCS: Ok, I got most of that now. Go ahead.

Station: No traffic.