As you all know from reading this blog, my main interests in Amateur Radio are QRP, CW, portable ops and DX. I don't consider myself a hardcore DXer. I will look for it, I will work it when I hear it, but I'm not one of those guys that has the Cluster send alerts to his smartphone. I'm not one of those who will set his alarm clock for 2:00 AM just to work a new one. I will, however, bump up the power and leave QRP land to work a new one if I hear it. I did that last night.
I consider myself one notch above the "Casual DXer" level.
I was fooling around playing with Logger32 and LOG4OM. While the computer was doing its thing, I saw Easter Island and Qatar spotted on the Cluster. These were two new ones that I have never worked before. My first move was to bump up the power to 75 Watts. I'm enough of a DXer to want them in the log that I'll try to get them in there using QRO power first and will worry about QRP later. Jumping into each pileup, I was surprised to actually work each on the first call. Qatar was a nice and clean QSO. Easter Island took a bunch of repeats, even at higher power, but I did hear my call and a "TU" at the end.
Afterwards, I got curious about how many countries I have worked. I went to Log of the World to do a bit of research. I have 165 countries confirmed via LoTW. The problem is, that I have worked a bunch of countries via Hams who don't use LoTW. If I send out QSLs to each of these and get QSLs in return, I will have 185 countries confirmed. I am a bit "iffy" about being in the logs of one or two of those, so 183 is probably more likely.
I know that with my set up here (antenna situation, in particular) - I am not DXCC Honor Roll material. The probability that I would ever reach that level is slim and none, and slim left town. I just don't have the antennas, or the will power to get me there - as I have said before, I am not a hardcore DXer. But, if someday at the end of my Ham career, I could have 250+ countries confirmed, I'd be a happy camper.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Great contacts at any power level!
ReplyDeleteGood progress Larry, not bad at all.
ReplyDeleteAfter you download your LoTW file to Log4om, it will show with color coding which stations are confirmed thru LOTW, and what stations use LoTW. It makes dx chasing addicting.
I have been chasing those same stations you mentioned. Good job!
Kelly Ellison - WB0WQS