QRP DXCC

I am now official. My QRP DXCC certificate arrived in the mail today. It was slightly bent by the USPS, even though the League did put a piece of cardboard in the envelope as a preventative. No creases, however, so you will never know once it's safely under glass and framed.


It's a rather neat certificate, although the colors are actually more saturated and brilliant in the little photo above as opposed to the actual certificate. From examining the life sized version, I would hazard a guess that it is an OHR rig that is being used (although I'm probably wrong on that) along with a Micronta power supply (I'm positive on that). I have no idea as to whether the wattmeter being used is homebrewed or commercial. The laptop is running N3FJP's "AC Log" program. The QSL cards on the desk indicate that the operator is AA1GW, although if you go to the ARRL Website and look at the list of QRP DXCC recipients, AA1GW is not listed. Perhaps the QSL cards are just props for the photo. I did notice that I do have one of the cards posted on the wall next to the map. The most upper right hand QSL card is FOØAAA - from the 2000 DXpedition to Clipperton Island. When I worked that DXpedition, it was at 100 Watts and one of the few SSB contacts that I have made in my Ham radio lifetime. I worked Clipperton again in 2008 - TX5C on 40 Meter CW at 5 Watts with the G5RV. Ann Santos WA1S was the op.

Does any of this matter? Of course not. I guess it's just all the years I spent in the professional photography field that get me noticing details like this.

The sunspot numbers do seem to be on the upswing; and I even noticed that some of the solar weather forecasts were calling for radio blackouts due to flares. Once we get into a good steady swing of good propagation, I might be tempted to try this again - but this time QRPp. THAT should get me tearing my hair out!

73 de Larry W2LJ