A couple of interesting EQSLs arrived today

After supper I snuck downstairs and checked my email….  I noticed a notification from EQSL and so I headed over to their site to see what goodies had arrived for me…

Two cards stuck out (from the rest) each for their own reasons….

The first one was from a DXPedition I contacted on 20m back in July…  According to their QRZ.com page they were not doing the Electric QSLs of any variety (no eqsl or LoTW) but as HRD sends out a EQSL every time I hit enter in my logging program there was no way really to easily not send one out…

Today this came in …

Which was a bonus…  Hopefully this also means that the DXPedition has decided also to upload to Logbook of The World as this would be a new one for me…

The second card was from a SWL.  I appreciate all the EQSL’s but the ones from a SWL are really special…  Its nice to get a signal report especially not from the area I was talking to and also there is a chance that the SWL will one day join our ranks as an Amateur.

I got my start with an old tube receiver listening to the BBC and Radio South Africa close to 50 years ago now….  There really was a magic of radio back then as computers (let alone the internet) were not around…  This even was before the madness called CB Radio had arrived…  Its always a treat to confirm a SWL Report…  and as this time I also had the EQSL from the party I was talking to at the time…  Its the first time that ever happened for me… Lots of QSLs and lots of SWL Reports but this the first that I got both…

An interesting way to end the day….

73bob

Got them 4 times so far…

Decided to strike while the iron was hot (so to speak)…  Although conditions have not been the best I have been able to grab the

5T0SP DXPedition on 4 bands so far…

Havn’t heard them on 20 yet and I am hoping for 10m…. Heard them on 80m (just) but I am hoping for slightly better conditions in the near future…

When they confirm on LoTW it will add to my DXCC count as it was a new one for me…

73bob

The evening is going GREAT as well

Talk about quick responses….

I’m sitting in the shack and listening on 17 m where I am supposed to be hearing the 5T0SP DXPedition in Mauritania Africa.  The cluster said they should be on 18.140 (listening up 10) and I have every thing set but hearing nothing.

Suddenly after about 10 minutes of static I hear “ 5T0SP listening up 10…”

I listen and instead of giving a report he calls again….

” 5T0SP listening up 10…”

This time I fire out my callsign and I hear back:

VA3QV 5/9…. 

Still shocked (its not supposed to be that easy is it?)…  I reply VA3QV 5/9 thank you and he goes on calling …  I am not hearing anyone else calling right now…

Just for a laff I decide to go to his  Club Log Site  and check out the details.  I type my call into the log search and find the following:

Less than 30 minutes from contact to confirmation…. 

It takes me longer to get a Pizza delivered…

I might have to wait a while for the LoTW upload but I have proof I got him and I can be patient…

Whatta day!

73bob

November – December 2012 Special Canadian Callsigns

I got this list from the Radio Amateurs of Canada Website and seeing that we have lots of events coming up that may or may not be using some callsigns you might not recognise I thought I would share them with you…

Thanks to RAC for providing the information:

2012-12-29 to 2012-12-30	CF for VA, CG for VE, CH for VO, CI for VY		Diamond Jubilee Year of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
2012-11-28 to 2012-12-28	CK3B	VE3JPP	50 years of Conservation NCC
2012-10-27 to 2012-11-25	VC3X	VE3SSJ	CQ WW DX SSB & CW contests
2012-10-27 to 2012-11-25	VC3J	VE3JPP	CQ WW DX SSB & CW contests
2012-10-27 to 2012-11-25	VD1M	VO1MP	CQ WW DX SSB & CW contests
2012-10-27 to 2012-11-25	VC2B	VE2BR	CQ WW DX SSB & CW contests
2012-10-27 to 2012-11-25	VC2X	VE2IDX	CQ WW DX SSB & CW contests
2012-10-27 to 2012-11-25	XL3A	VA3RVK	The Trans-Canada Highway 50th Anniversary
2012-10-27 to 2012-11-25	VC2T	VE2TZT	CQ WW DX SSB & CW contests

Now this list has me thinking because the first entry on the list tells me that I am allowed to use the CF3 prefix followed by my regular suffix for the time period that the RAC Canada Winter Contest will be running for…

The last time I did this was for the 2006 RAC Winter Contest when we activated Bate Island (CISA ON 283) at the same time that we participated in the contest using the callsign CF3RCS which in our case stood for:

Canadians Freezing 3 Real Cold Spot

We ran a multi op single transmitter station outside (solid roof but canvas walls) for the 24 hours of the contest.  FT897 and a 10m to 160m windom antenna along with 4 32 ah batteries and two propane tanks and a propane heater…  We almost froze to death but we did have fun….  Oh Ya…  Bate Island in in the middle of the Ottawa River between Ottawa and what was thn Alymer QC (Now called Gatineau)

Wonder if (6 years later) we are crazy enough to do it again???

Guys????  Anyone feel like going outside to play????

73bob

Thanks CY9M

This morning after checking the cluster this morning for CY9M as I has a faint hope that I might be able to get them one last time on 10-12 or 15m I noticed the post that mentioned that due to bad weather they were leaving early this afternoon (today instead of tomorrow) from St Paul Island.

I am guessing this means the WX tomorrow is expected to be bad as I can’t imagine them wanting to load up today in bad WX unless tomorrow was really going to be worse…

(usual disclaimer… check the cluster yourself for the most up to date information… I’m just passing on what I read on line! )

If you want to check the Environment Canada Weather Radar Map click Here

So thanks to the Operators of CY9M for giving us the pleasure of their company on the airwaves for the last 6 days.  I managed to get a new DXCC in the log on multiple bands (6m, 17m, 20m & 40m all ssb) and it kept me out of trouble for a few days…

It was fun…

73bob

Its the start of the Weekend

Between the Olympics starting up and this being the IOTA contest weekend I think I know what I wll be doing this weekend…  On the radio side of things I have gotten the Olympic Amateur Radio Special Events Station 2O12L in the log twice now.

Contacts have been made on 17m and 20m.  Depending on band conditions I can hope for contacts also on 40m and 80m with a slight chance of 15m.  Don’t think I have much of a chance on 10, 12 and I have nothing up for 160m

Now…

In addition to all the hype about the Olympics (radio and non radio) this is also the IOTA contest weekend.  As you know this stands for Islands on the Air.  This years event has me stoked because not only do I have a chance to get a few new DXCC into the log but one of those new DXCC entities is a Canadian Territory.

View Larger Map

CY9M is operating from St Pauls Island off the East Coast of Canada.  As I type this I can hear CY9M operating on 20m giving out contacts…  Sad part is that I can hear the people causing the pile ups…  I just can’t hear the reason for the Pile ups…  According to their website they will be active on several bands before the contest starts and then they will be active on 20m for the contest.

I will be spending lots of time in the shack or close to a radio this weekend in the hope of getting them in the log….

73bob

An early start to a Good Weekend

Although today is only Thursday…

The big stations have already been flexing their muscles in anticipation of the IOTA (Islands on the Air) Contest this weekend…

Between that and the Olympic Games Station  2O12L which seems to be on the air from London 24/7 its making it a very busy time for Radio Amateurs in their persuits of new stations…

Don’t forget to check the DX Clusters to see whats on the air… 

The CY9M DXPedition from St. Paul Island should be on the air soon (if not already)

As I have mentioned in earlier blog posts…  The days before a Major Contest are some of the best days to try for some rare DX as the big guns are out there testing their equipment.  If you look at the DX Cluster there are lots of stations operating as Callsign/exotic location…  They are testing out the antennas, and gear before they come on the air with the Contest Callsign.  If you want an easier pile up to break the days before the contest are for you…  During this time you are only competing with the DXers and not the Contester and the DXers during the contest…  Think about it…

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Some of my best QRP DX came just before a contest…  The bands were cooperating and I was able to push out a signal strong enough for the Big Gun Station to hear.  He was doing 99% of the work but without my 1% the contact would not have happened…

Its amazing what you can do with 5w and a buddistick…

So why not Get on the Air and make some contacts…

73bob

Some “Stuff” to get ready for…

Not that we need an excuse to do so but….

I would think about checking antennas, coax runs, antenna connections etc as we have a few events starting up in the very near future…

The Olympics are about to start and with this event comes the “Official Special Events Station for the 2012 Olympics…  Give a listen on the bands for 2O12L.  You can find more info for them on Twitter @2O12L.  Their Website is ( http://www.2o12l.com/)

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Also…

On the Twitter Topic I see that the the CY9M (St Paul Island DXPediton ) has assembled in VE1 land in anticipation of their trip to the Island.  You can check their website ( http://www.cy9m.com ) or their twitter account ( https://twitter.com/CY9M  ) for more information.  As I mentioned earlier this DXPedition has an Eastern Ontario Flair to it as a couple of the Operators are from Cornwall Ontario.  I am hoping to get Kevin VE3EN and Steve VA3FM in the log as it would be really neat to work an operator I know.  Also it would be especially neat to work Kevin as he was one of my first contacts from the Champlain Trail activation of June 1 2008 when I was operating as VC3C.

So now you have two events to plan for….

It also give me a reminder to fix up an antenna for 6m because as you know I broke the Delta Loop on the past weekend.

73bob

Super SOTA Activation- The VIDEO!!!!

Break out the popcorn and get all the kids around the computer monitor…

As you remember from reading the previous post…  Martin VA3SIE and myself went up to Mount Morissette yesterday and I made my first ever SOTA Activation…

Martin brought along his camera to document the activity and he has allowed me to share it with you…

Just remember when watching the video that the camera adds a few pounds (like about 100) so I’m not really that fat…  It also adds a few years (like about 15) so I’m not really that old either…

Thanks to Martin for allowing me to share this with you

73bob

CY9M DXPedition Press Release

Today brings us some news from the CY9M Team as they get ready for their DXPedition to St Pauls Island.

Click on their logo to go their website 

73bob