Ham DX Monitoring Opportunity

[gcgrotz]

This weekend is a great chance to monitor a ton of Ham DX in a short time. Anyone at all interested in DXing on the Ham bands should give it a listen.

The CQ World Wide DX SSB contest is this weekend, 00:00Z Oct 25 through 23:59Z Oct 26. This is one of the bigger DX contests on the calendar with stations from all over being active.

I'm planning to get active with 100 watts to my new 40 meter vertical.

 

[nexus]

Yes CQWW is one of the biggest contests in ham radio, and for the past day or two I've been listening to power stations come online testing their stations out. I haven't heard 20 meters this active in a long time. I recorded a small 15 minute segment of audio from all across 20 meters. I even worked a School Club station calling CQ.

Radio used: Kenwood TS-2000
Antenna used: homebrew 20 meter wire dipole about 7 feet off the ground. (its been down because of hurricane season)

Even at just above the height of my head its picking up and working stations all over the world. Band Conditions are good. Here is a taste of what HF sounds like to some of you folks who don't have SWL or HF radios.

Listen to the audio here: http://www.nexusradio.us/audio/HF20METERS.mp3

Jimmy... KB5FSV

 

[kb2vxa]

Contest season is upon us, when did it ever leave? Every weekend we're jammed with QRM up one side and down the other, forget about a decent rag chew amid all that chaos so it's off to 160 and the WARC bands to work a bit of DX in peace. (;->)

 

[k9rzz]

"CQ CONTEST?" Yeah baby !!

I could make some comment about nets taking up half of 20 meters, but anyway my radio interests are elsewhere right now. I tried getting off work for CW Sweepstakes ... not to be. Perhaps phone?

Good luck to all !

Edit: During CQWW, take a listen to 80 meter phone ... conditions have been good and a person should have no difficulty hearing Europe or Japan (depending on which coast you're nearest).

 

[smason]

Everybody's 5 9 even the ones you can barely hear

 

[ridgescan]

I'm not a ham, but I hear a lot of folks who are get very annoyed with this "contest" because apparently guys run way over legal power, are using frequencies set aside for emergencies, etc. Is this true?

 

[k9rzz]

I'm not a ham, but I hear a lot of folks who are get very annoyed with this "contest" because apparently guys run way over legal power

I can't say that it doesn't happen, but it's rare. The difference between 1.5kw (legal) and 3kw (illegal) is 3 db ... you can't notice that when he's already 40db over S9. I'd say it's more common in a HUGE pileup in non-contest times when trying to work rare DX on the other side of the world. The guys who probably would run illegal power would rather add another tower, or more antennas to help them win. W6AM (Silent Key) used to be accused of running illegal power ... not at all, he just had phenomenal antennas!

using frequencies set aside for emergencies

Which frequencies are used for emergencies ONLY ?? Inexperienced ops may stray higher and higher in the bands and accidentally interfere with some of the nets, but the older ops are lower in the bands, "in the trenches" where QRM is King and rates are high!

 

[kb2vxa]

Well you're right there, the big guns have big antennas and full legal power never hurt, well that is unless you run with the cover off. (;->) These guys only come out of the woodwork for contests so I tend to overlook them.

Then there was Ivor GI0AIJ who spanned the big pond with mind numbing signal using only 100 watts and at the last low point in the sunspot cycle no less. Oh, having 6X6 monobanders up 90' on individual rotatable towers didn't hurt either. His station used to be open to house guests rather like spending a week at W1AW but not having heard from him for several years I don't know what's up with him now.

Then there are always band conditions and they can always work against you even more when there's an opening than when not. The North American continent is such especially on 20M that there is an "Iron Curtain" on each coast. We have various names for them usually Kilowatt Alley being part of the phrase and they're nearly impossible for someone on the opposite coast to penetrate. I've tried going full bore and using a 3el beam up 60' to no avail but on the other hand sometimes being slick and sneaky pays off. I'll not go into "operating skills" except to say that one who knows the ropes stands a far better chance with a peanut whistle than a lid with a flamethrower.

Then there's persistence, often annoying the hell out of them pays off. I had a great laugh when I finally caught the attention of one only working the big guns. When he told me the only reason he answered me was to shut me up after an hour and a half of pestering him I nearly fell off my chair.

Now BTW none of this has anything whatsoever to do with contesting. In case I haven't made it clear previously... I HATE CONTESTS!!! (;->)

 

[k9rzz]

Ha Ha !

Even if you've got the gear, you've got to know how to use it. Story: Ages ago I was invited to operate a DX contest at a local 'big gun' (no longer even in ham radio) who plunked me down in the multiplier hunt operating position. I forget exactly what he had up there, but it was something like 5 elements over 5 elements at 120 / 90 feet on 20 meters, BIG hardline, BIG amplifier. I'm picking 'em off slowly when I hear a VK9 or something in the south Pacific, huge pile up. I called him ... nothing. Called again ... he worked someone else. Now the host ham sees that I've called the guy TWICE and didn't work him ... "Who are you calling?" I tell him it's VK9 who-ever and the host says "WELL! You've got to point the antenna at him!" and moves the beams 5 degrees. (just nudges it). I give one call - BANG the DX came right back. Ha Ha!

Often you've just gotta be in the right mind frame to deal with the QRM in contests as well. It can be very frustrating. Sometimes a group of us local ops will get together for Field Day, Sweepstakes, or a VHF contest and we'll all be happily working stations at our radios when one of us will get tangled up with some operator causing him grief in some way and yell out "YOU SOB! #*#(*&$!!@) ~~~ !!!!!!" (off the air of course). The rest of us just laugh, because we've all been there. Sometimes you just have to rip the headphones off and take a break.

I love contests, but they are trying at times!

 

[kb2vxa]

Oh that's a HOOT! Now here's my story which BTW this time includes the owner of that "super station" I wrote of previously. (A tech can't operate HF without a properly licensed control operator present you know, hi.) Once upon a time K2(I'll never tell) sat there yelling his brains out trying to work a guy in the UK but getting nowhere... with the beam pointed east. Now what's east of New Jersey? Put the atlas away and get out your globe and string, you're looking at Gibraltar. I nudged it to the northeast and WHAM, the G station came right back. K2 may have an Extra Class license and a college education but he failed geography. (;->)

"...and we'll all be happily working stations at our radios when one of us will get tangled up with some operator causing him grief in some way and yell out "YOU SOB! #*#(*&$!!@) ~~~ !!!!!!" (off the air of course)."

I lost count of the times certain hams forgot they were operating VOX. Now if you want a real laugh check this out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJpALdxzFzA

 

[nexus]

LOL!!!!!! That's great! I'm glad someone recorded that one.

Oh that's a HOOT!

I lost count of the times certain hams forgot they were operating VOX. Now if you want a real laugh check this out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJpALdxzFzA

 

[k9rzz]

Awesome. Glad that was put on YouTube !

 

[WA1CRZ]

If you want to have some REAL fun during a contest, just get on there and fire off some fake call letters. The ones that start with the prefix ZA or BY work the best!

 

[nexus]

CQ CQ CQ.... HELLO IS THIS THING ON??? heh heh

Special Message by me IN CW

 

[kb2vxa]

You really have to get to know this guy to appreciate him but since that's a rare event most have to resort to reading on the internet or listening in the AM windows. Ron Popiel eat your heart out, none of your inventions even come close to the Slime-O-Tron. Presenting the classic, the ome and only often imitated but never duplicated... TIMTRON!

http://www.geocities.com/talkRadio58/funnyhams.html

 

[elk2370bruce]

Thank you. I'll keep using my own call. 20 Meter CW was a blast during the weekend. Worked some REAL dx stations and will get the QSL's to my home to prove it. Use false calls??? Not funny and not ethical. I value the retention of my license and my self-respect.

 

[k9rzz]

More fun - actually travel to BY and operate legally!

 

[elk2370bruce]

More fun - actually travel to BY and operate legally!

I'd love to be part of a DXpedition! Unfortunately the costs involved will make my eyes bleed (along with my wallet).

 

[k9rzz]

Lots of CW on the ham bands tonight - ARRL Sweepstakes until 0300z.

 

[nationwide]

I enjoyed the CQWW contest, and used the opportunity to get some new DX in the log!