Worked ZF1EJ today at 0030Z on 50.115.  Not a new country on 6m but still thrilling.  First 6M DX of 2013.  Probably Es as I am not sure the SFI was high enough for F2 on 6 but hopefully we will be there soon.  Anyone else get lucky on the magic band this year so far?

John AF5CC (Grid EM04to)

Look for BY4CD for China. I have worked them on 40 and 20 in the past 18 months with my minimalist setup.  They put out a really good signal.  Still waiting on the QSL, though via bureau.  Did catch BV1KE on 40m RTTY in the RTTY RU a couple of weeks ago. A new RTTY country but not a new band country.  Bahrain is on quite a bit nowadays.  Worked one last fall or so on 10m SSB for a new band country.  All this done with 100 watts and a dipole from the black hole of the midwest.

John AF5CC

So far in 2013 I have worked BV1EK (40m RTTY) and VU2NKS (12m RTTY).  Any time you can get zones 22 and 24 in the first week the Marathon is off to a great start.  VU2NKS wasn't real loud but had good print on him and very few were calling him.  That was a new band country on 12m and I still need VU confirmed on RTTY as well.  BV1EK was a new RTTY country, but already have Taiwan confirmed on 40.  Now to get zone 26 in the first month!

How are others doing so far?  I think I am up to 30 countries or so, but haven't been using the cluster and have had a few days so far with no operating due to work.

John AF5CC

My 3 foot tall MFJ mini ham stick worked so well that I now want to get into more mobile operation.  Using the UP/DOWN buttons on the 706s mic to send CW gets old after a while, so I am looking to get a set of mini paddles suitable for mobile operation. Something with a suction cup or magnet on the base would be good so I could attach it to the radio.

Any recommendations?

John AF5CC

Chris,

I worked him on November 25, 1988 at 0410Z on 20m SSB.  I would have been using a set of Kenwood Twins, and probably a random wire although I might have had my first mini quad still up by then, but I don't think so.  I was home on Thanksgiving break from Northeast Missouri State University (where Bill, W4AN also went) when I worked him.  That was sure a nice early Christmas present.

On my QSL the manager also circled Jan de Nova Island in red on the map on the front of the QSL.

John AF5CC

No luck here.  I think I used the newer address most recently and it was returned.  This would be a new one confirmed on CW and 30m if I can ever get a card.

John AF5CC

In  terms of FR4FA/J I have the same card  I send all of my cards directly to the ARRL for DXCC purposes, and they accepted it for Juan de Nova.  Good thing since that is my only Juan de Nova QSL.

John AF5CC

My dipole isn't exactly a G5RV. It is approximately 102 feet long, but uses a run of Radio Shack 300ohm twin lead to a 4:1 balun, then a run of RG-11 75 ohm coax to the shack. I am not sure how long the twin lead run is, probably 20 feet or so.  I am planning on moving the new balun closer to the shack so I can cut down the length of the coax run to 20 feet or so.

John AF5CC

I have a homebrew G5RV type dipole, and need to replace the balun at the twin lead/coax junction (I am currently use a 4:1 voltage balun there).  From what I understand, a 1:1 current balun would be much better in eliminating RF traveling on the shield of the coax. 

Any recommendations as to what the best current balun (at a reasonable price) is out there?

73 John AF5CC

I wish the FT5 entities were in the South Atlantic, then they wouldn't be that difficult from here.  They are in the South Indian Ocean, with the nearest one being over 10,000 miles from my QTH. Amsterdam and St. Paul is the only entity on the list that is over 12,000 miles short path for me.  I heard the FT5XO DXpedition on 30m pretty good one morning, but no QSO.  I have heard Crozet very weakly on 20m once, never heard FT5Z yet. 

John AF5CC

Pretty good year here with 100 watts and a dipole.  Worked 2 ATNOs (7O and E4).  New band/mode countries numbers for 2012:

CW: 7O
SSB: SU, TT, JX
RTTY: 20 including 1A0, E4, EY, HB0, VP8F, HK0M

80m: 3 (PJ7, NH8S, C2)
60m: 1 (KG4)
40m: 2 (VP6, UP) plus a zone 18!
30m: 9 (A3, CU, JT, C2, VP6, 5B, 5T, ZL9, 9M6)
20m: 6 (PJ7, 7O, E4, BY, FJ D2)
17m: 6 (TK, 1A0, D2, CT3, R1FJ, TU)
15m: 7 (TT, 7O, 4L, R1FJ, C2, FJ, TU)
12m: 19 (includes P2, R1FJ, ER, CY0, FK, 3D2C, OJ0, FW, HK0M, EL, 5T)
10m: 5 (ZD7, NH8S, TU, 5JN, EL) and a zone 18!

It was obviously a good year for me for 12m.  That is a great band.  Missed PT0S altogether, could have used them on CW.  Most of all, it was fun!  Even got 5 new grids on 6m, 6 new grids and a new state (Conn.) on 2m. 

Can't wait until 2013! 

John AF5CC

Nice antenna setup as well!  The monobanders look very nice.  The 2 meter beam is set up for the wrong polarization, though.

Went to Washington Island on my honeymoon in 1999.  Don't remember seeing his antennas then, wonder if he moved there afterwards.

John AF5CC

A used FT450 is the way to go.  Don't bother with getting an AT model with the built in autotuner, it isn't any good.  You should be able to find a used one for $500 or so. Built in filtering, builtin TCXO, built in CW memory keyer and voice keyer, and a good receiver.  Lots of rig for the money.

73 John AF5CC

Bought one of the MFJ 3 foot tall mini hamsticks last weekend for a trip to Iowa on Sunday.  When with 17m because I figured the bandwidth wouldn't be too great for it, and I could cover both CW and SSB most likely, which probably wouldn't occur with the 20m model.

I didn't expect too much out of a 3 foot antenna, but this far exceeded my expectations.  Covers the whole 17m band with a good SWR.  Worked Belgium, England, Portugal, Siberia, Canada, and all corners of the US with it yesterday during our 13 hour trip. I was running only 40 watts or so since I had the Icom 706 plugged into the cigarette lighter. 

I was so pleased with its performance I think I am going to order the 20m version for when I have to go mobile during contest weekends (when you have a daughter in gymnastics you go to a lot of out of town meets).  Figure I can tune it for either CW or SSB, whatever the contest of the weekend is.

If you are wondering about these mini hamsticks, I can recommend it highly so far.

John AF5CC

For the QRP DXCC you don't even need QSL cards.  I do think you need cards for the QRP WAS, though.  I am at 94 countries worked on QRP.  Think I might submit for QRP Worked All Continents soon if I can find the right QSLs in my stacks.

This QRP stuff can be addicting!

John AF5CC