Since 0000 UTC Saturday morning (Friday night here) the bands were absolutely humming. Hard to find spectrum that wasn't occupied by someone calling 'CQ TEST" or with two stations engaging in an exchange. It's now 0000 UTC Monday morning here, and the bands are eerily quiet.
The weekend was like all the others around here - super busy. I did not get to spend nearly as much time on the air as I wanted to; but I did get a couple of hours last night and then a couple more this afternoon. I added quite a few new countries to my Diamond DXCC tally. Not as many as I would have liked; but I should be well on my way now.
The bands seemed to be in good shape and I even heard some activity on 10 Meters and joined in the fun there. My plan of action was to "cherry pick" and work the louder stations I was hearing, thinking that would give my QRP: signal the best chance of being heard. I didn't stick with that strategy, however and ended up working quite a few weak ones, too. It pretty much turned out that I was able to work anyone that I called. I even got a new one that I have never worked before - QRP or QRO. I worked ZD8Z on Ascension Island for the first time ever. Unfortunately, the only station that wasn't able to pick me out of the din was OA4SS down in Peru. I tried for quite a while, but in the end was not successful.
I have tomorrow off for the long President's Day weekend. I am so tired right now that I am going to turn in early and I will get my QSO for the 20th, tomorrow.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Hello Larry, Good to see you had fun in the ARRL int. DX contest. This contest is fun working from Europe, cos the receiving station knows that you are running with QRP. E.g 599 001
ReplyDeleteI made 12 QSO's with 2.7 watts and lower. 73, Bert