Category - Blog

Calm before the Storm on 17m

jh7vhz

As we wait for the Storm to arrive (see previous post) I decided to have an hour on 17M just to see what was about. Things seemed poor but started on 10 and 12M with the odd EU contact and not much else.

Having qsy’d onto 17M I put a few calls out on RTTY and worked several Russian stations with reasonable signals when I heard the first JA calling.

One of the first in the log was Ume – JH7VHZ (see image left) from Towada, Aomori, Japan. It was a really strong signal (599 +10) and after a short qso with Ume, hopes were high of a few more from the Far East.

During the next 90 minutes I managed to log 27 JA stations in all. Interesting was that there were no other Countries in the log whatsoever other than the JA. With only one DX Cluster spot from JA, it seemed strange that no other DXCC was apparent. Nevertheless it was a great afternoon with most of the stations being new JCC/JCG areas for me – Happy Days! –  Syonara Ume!

Complex eruption of the Sun – CME on it’s way

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On August 1st, the entire Earth-facing side of the sun erupted in a tumult of activity.

There was a C3-class solar flare, a solar tsunami, multiple filaments of magnetism lifting off the stellar surface, large-scale shaking of the solar corona, radio bursts, a coronal mass ejection and more.

The movie recorded by extreme UV cameras onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory shows an enormous magnetic filament breaking away from the sun.

Some of the breakaway material is now en route to Earth in the form of a coronal mass ejection (CME)

Nuccio I0YKN – SK

retro-2-copia

I was very saddened today to hear of Nuccio Meoli’s passing. Many of you would have worked him very regularly.

He was a keen activator of programs such as Italian Castle Awards, World Antarctic program and many others.

Our condolences from the UK to his family and many many friends in the Ham Radio community.

VYØV & news of another ‘new one’ from Cezar VE3LYC

VY0X


Great to receive confirmation of East Pen Island (IOTA NA-231) this week with another beautiful Qsl card from our friend Cezar VE3LYC. (…bringing me up to #485 IOTA claimed.). The images give you real examples of the pretty frozen, icy environment in which he lived for a few days activating this very rare IOTA. (see previous Blog entries for more information on his past activities).

With the card came news of his next trip to another new one, Pelly Bay Islands (NA-208). He has just been issued with the callsign VYØX, this operation intending to last for 5 days, August 11 thro 15th. Cezar tells me :-
”It will be the northernmost point that I have ever travelled to, overtaking Lulea in Sweden. Weather and propagation conditions are of concern”. He also has to bear in mind the unpredictability of the locals in these areas ‘‘who’s minds can also change like the northern weather hi”. Seriously though its a tough one!!
Anyone that would like to assist Cezar with funding for his trip is asked to make donations to tiberius.trifu@gmail.com via Paypal.

Full details of the planned trip can also be found on Qrz.com using the call VYØX………………..all the best & safe journey Cezar, we’ll be listening for you!!

‘GR2HQ’ hits the air this weekend!

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The UK Headquarters team will again be active in the IARU Championships this weekend. This is the 8th year that the team has taken part in the contest ‘nationwide’ using several calls over those years such as GB5HQ, GB7HQ and new for this year ‘’GR2HQ’’ (website), a new and unique prefix.

This year the team has expanded to include more than 60 experienced contest operators, operating simultaneously from 16 locations around the UK. The main 20M stations are in Northern Ireland and Orkney Islands. Other stations are on the Isle of Man, the Midlands, East Anglia, Wales and Somerset etc.

Please try to work the team on as many of the possible 12 band slots that are available (only dual-mode Contest [SSB & CW]). Sometimes it is difficult to work within the UK on the higher bands but with ‘Sporadic E’ in full swing anything is possible. On 10M for example, the GR2HQ station will be operating from several different locations during the 24 hours of the contest.

There are several Awards available again this year. This award is available to any licensed radio amateur who makes contacts with GR2HQ during the IARU HF World Championship contest on 10-11 July 2010 on a minimum number of bands/modes (maximum is 12 : i.e. 6 on CW and 6 on SSB)

Bronze award: GR2HQ on three band/modes
Silver award: GR2HQ on six band/modes
Gold award: GR2HQ on nine band/modes
Platinum award: GR2HQ on all twelve band/modes

All UK Stations are encouraged to work other HQ stations and other IARU stations in addition to working the UK HQ station. The full rules of the IARU HF Championships can be found at www.arrl.org/iaru-hf-championship

Have fun, support ‘your team’ and most of all, enjoy the event!!!

Ramsey Island (GWFF-072) team back again!

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Once again the members of the Strumble Head DX and Contest Group (SHDXCG) are heading over the water to activate the rare Ramsey Island (DXCC – Wales, IOTA EU-124, WFF GWFF-072). Activity will take place between July 22nd and July 26th or 27th (all dependent on tides) using the club callsign MC0SHL.

This trip also takes place during the RSGB IOTA Contest (July 24-25th) where they  will be on the air using the club contest callsign MW9W over the weekend. They will again try to make as many contacts both before and during the contest.


They will have3 stations using the following equipment: two Elecraft K3 Transceivers, one Yaesu FT2000, two G3TXQ Hexbeams, 80m Dipole, 40m Vertical and three Acom 1000.
The team will be using MC0SHL on 17 and 12 meters during the contest to try to give as many contacts on these bands. They will be on the air mostly on SSB, but with some RTTY and CW thrown in.

Full details on last years trip can be found here and also in the Gallery.

G3WLV back Qrv with Optibeam OB6-3M

G3WLV

With assistance from Malc MØBZH and myself I am please to say that eventually last night Jack G3WLV was back on the air!
His previous install suffered a serious headache when a fallen tree crushed it so the new Optibeam OB6-3M replaced it as of yesterday.

The OB6-3M is a german designed high performance multi band 20/15/10m Yagi with patented efficient feed system. It is a computer optimized and field tested yagi without traps and with full size elements on all bands. It has 2 elements on 20 (moxon), 2 on 15, and 2 on 10 meters all on a 10 foot boom.

Most of the work had been prep’d by Jack prior to our arrival but as always, getting beam antennas in the air in confined areas is always a challenge. Good luck Jack, hope to hear you on the air again soon (groundwave hi)!

Diode Comms

DIODE



DIODE Communications supply all the wide ranges of cable available to date.

They specialise in RF Cable, Cable assemblies and RF connectors from LF to Microwave. They are the UK dealer of Ecoflex and low loss Pro Cables.

DIODE Comms. can also give you competetive quotes on all available Ham Radio equipment from Tranceivers to Antennas.

Check out the link above or click the image to the left to be direct to their website.

EPC WW DX Contest ‘Country Winner’!

M0OXO

Pleased to receive this Award a few days ago for the EPC WW DX Contest 2009. Lets hope the 2010 results are favourable too when they eventually get published!

MCØSHL Qrv from GFF-015

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Members of the Strumble Head Contest & DX Group were again qrv during the last week as MCØSHL. Whilst down in Wales for the marriage of two good friends (and members of the group), several periods of activity became available.

The Club house for the guys is located in the Pembrokeshire National Park (GFF-015) and using the G3TXQ Hexbeam (available from MW0JZE) and the FT2000, just short of 800 qso’s were made during the time in Wales.

Logs have now been uploaded to the EW4DX Logsearch for anyone eagerly awaiting a contact with this very active area. Qsl Cards are via Tim M0URX. Congrats to Rob and Jane!