With Varying Frequency - Amateur Radio Ponderings

The W9 Bureau has been busy sending on inbound QSL cards.

Nice haul with a couple special events, IOTA & such. Here is the list:

• AO5KB (Spain)
• AO5MB
• CT3FT
• CU2A
• EA1ABT
• EA1AQO
• EA1NE
• EA1WS
• EA5DBF
• EA7HBP
• EA8ZS
• EB7AEY
• EF8A
• EH7SMM
• FS/N9QGU (3 cards)
• FY5KE
• G3WGQ/P (Lindisfarne EU-120)
• GI0VJE
• GM3OFT/P (Orkney EU-009)
• GN3XO/P (Rathlin EU-122)
• GP0STH
• GW6GW
• HP1WW
• JQ21QW
• LZ1900K
• LZ2007EU
• M0BZH
• MN5ALJ
• MU5W
• NP3U
• OA4WW
• OE3GCU
• OH3PS
• OM2VL
• ON4AMM
• OS8A
• P33W
• PA0CLN
• PJ4/G4IUF
• RA9XY
• SJ9WL
• SO2R
• SP9LJD (2 cards)
• SV3DCX
• TZ1T
• UA3AFJ
• UA6GP
• ZP4KFX

Thanks all for exchanging QSLs!

73

Steve
K9ZW

(click on map for bigger version showing where St Kitts is)

Our fellow blogger and friend Scott NE1RD of 100 Pound DXpedition bloging fame is off with his XYL Sandy for a well deserved Island Vacation.

The ARRL Bulletin listed his effort as:

ST. KITTS AND NEVIS, V4. Scott, NE1RD will be QRV as V4/NE1RD
from St. Kitts, IOTA NA-104, from October 24 to 31. He plans
to run QRP power in the upcoming CQ WW SSB contest. QSL to home call.

Though Scott NE1RD assures us that he will be running more than QRP this trip!

Keep an eye on Scott NE1RD’s 100 Pound DXpedition blog for the latest information!

73

Steve
K9ZW

Have been feeling like 9-land was a DX Blackhole, watching the spots from other parts of the country for the 3B7C St Brandon Island DXpedition.

The few openings always seemed to be while I was busy working.

The few days early in the week I didn’t feel well, I had neither the voice nor will to spend so much as a moment on the radio, not to mention a cough that would spoil any QSO.

So this saturday while doing chores I left the station on, TX-disabled, and listened on 14.145 USB until I was rewarded from across the room hearing “3B7C listening up five” at a 5/5 level.

Quickly I toggled the TX to enabled (a button on the N4PY Control Software), double checked by spilt (I set it RX 14.145 TX 14.153 being careful about the band edge), listened for a “QRZ?” and called.

I was pretty certain we completed the QSO, but QRM from someone tuning an amp right on 14.145 made it fairly tough going. I was pretty certain I heard “K9ZW 5/9, QRZ?” and logged the QSO.

Very pleased to find that QSO (my only attempt) indicated as logged at the 3B7C end, showing on their website’s Logsearch this morning.

I had a classmate at Graduate School who heralded from Mauritius, which bought the uniqueness of this area of our world to my attention. It was nice to log one of the rarer QTHs from his home area.

Squeaked, but logged.

73

Steve
K9ZW

This caught my eye - a partnership between a major travel agency and radio amateurs to make a DX location a possibility for Amateurs from around the world:

Palau Rental Shack

Now if I could only convince my XYL…..

73

Steve
K9ZW

I’m about half way through transfering my paperlogs from the Washington Island WI-001L operations into jlog for OS-X.

The resulting adif file will be uploaded to eQSL & GlobalQSL, ported over and added to my MixW master log and eventually will find it’s way to LoTW.

Should take but another hour or so.

73
Steve
K9ZW

When I can get a chance I have been firing up the FT-2000 and the Orion II to compare them.

Last run of stations worked included VK9NS, KH6QR, SP3GXH, OE3RSB, UT3IZ, UR9MC, EW7LO, UA4DK, RA3AJ, YO3APJ, 4N4BB, RN1NGJ/P, ON8DM, 9A5AN/P, LA4GHA/P, OJ0/OH3RM, OT0M, UR9IDX, AA1KS (Moose Island Maine), TM4KAR, AO5KB, EA7AEY, IC8DAK, Z25T, 2E0PLA, VO1RYL, LA7WNA, WK2B, V44KJ, J79RM, and IZ8JAI.

Perhaps 3 times I’ve received less than a 59 or 59+

Both rigs are running great. I’m going to try and set up a sked and do some A/B comparison with the same station on the other end.

Helped fix some rotor issues, a minor difficulty with the FT-2000 mU Tuning Units and a couple smaller items. Word is that the IC-7800 is on its way back after Icom did the needed warranty work, and that I should have this rig to do an A/B/C comparison before I leave.

73

Steve
K9ZW