Fantastic job by most of the ops.  A couple times on SSB the op would ask for one call and work another - but for the most part they stick with one call until the QSO is complete.

FYI - Japan is as far away from FK/C as Europe.  By the sound of the pileups yesterday, there is a very high demand in Japan.  TX5K was really difficult to work on some of the bands through the JA and NA pileups.  Some of the JA's are adopting the European strategy of calling non-stop, which makes locating the QSX more difficult.

Assuming all my QSOs were with real TX5C ops and not pirates, I'm done with 9 bands and all three modes - an ATNO for me from KH2.  I'm going to sit back and watch until late in the expedition and if they start begging before chasing band-mode fills.  The Clublog leaderboards are great for racking up QSOs but a double-edges sword in that the little guy gets knocked around by the big gun looking for the 25th band-mode-fill.

-Dave KH2/N2NL

When I enlisted in the USCG in 1992, I had hoped to get assigned at LORSTA Marcus Island (JD1/M).  Billet assignment was pretty much the luck of the draw - each boot camp company would get a list of open positions and we would choose based on our class ranking.

When my company's list came out - no LORSTA Marcus Island.  Instead I picked LORSTA St. Paul Island, Alaska.  Quite a bit colder of a climate than JD/M, but it still met my goal of being somewhere "unique".  My primary goal was to see something new and get away from my home state of NJ (do you blame me?). 

Turns out that my orders to Alaska fell through - but I got to choose between an Ice Breaker (KC4 visits) and Guam.  I chose Guam and never regretted it.

I'm currently on my 3rd tour on Guam over 21 years of service.  Too bad the Loran stations are gone - when they went away, so did most of the rare DX postings available to Coasties.

Bob KD7P used to island hop back in the 80s to all the KH loran stations while a USCG Radioman. 

-KH2/N2NL

Best tip:  Listen and listen more.  Figure out the operator's technique.  Use it to your advantage while the masses continue to call blindly. 

The skilled operator from a weaker station will usually be able to beat out a poor operator from a loud station, at least on CW.

73, Dave KH2/N2NL

The 40mSSB op is working by numbers... which is incredibly frustrating.  60-90 min on 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0,1, then works only three 2's before hopping to the next number - with a screaming JA2 pileup still calling.

I got lucky on 30m while he was hopping around simplex, but I may have to wait until 40CW so I can finesse my way through the JA big guns.

-KH2/N2NL

FYI - log checkers for large contests such as ARRL DX and CQWW DX have their own database of calls and country files for scoring.  It doesn't matter if your logging software identifies it correctly.  The log checking software scores each log automatically, based on it's own scoring databases, assigning points and multipliers automatically.

73, Dave KH2/N2NL

WA2YUN works on Wake periodically and I've heard him on 20m SSB before (on a net).  He has a 6M beacon active even when he's not on island which the JA's frequently hear and it drives them nuts (hearing a robot with no human to work).

A KH9WF bad packet spot precipitated the madness today.... absolutely was KH0WF, not KH9.

73,
KH2/N2NL

Conditions have been sub-par for a good part of December and January, but that seems to be typical.  Hoping that things peak up in February and March, which they should.  Conditions from Guam have been pretty good into Europe but miserable into North America due to the aurora (polar path).  I keep listening most nights and I'll stay up late if things sound good for NA SR.

Robert ex-XQ6ET is now active at DU7TET and has been hitting 160m hard, looking for NA.  Keep an ear out for him; he hears very well as opposed to DU1IST who is loud but has trouble hearing. 

-KH2/N2NL

Definitely have to give thanks to TZ6BB as I made it into his log the other day, long path.  I got lucky and snuck in just before the JA zombie packet pileup guys descended on him in a fury.  Hopefully I wasn't too aggressive calling but I knew what was coming.  He had a really good signal here - especially for 100W - solid copy.

Hope everyone else has a shot who needs him.

73, Dave KH2/N2NL

HK0 used to be relatively common but in recent years, activity has waned.  I still need it on any band from here in KH2. 

San Andres is a great place to visit.  It's a wonderful island - sort of an "off the beaten path" tourist destination.

Not sure why activity has dropped off from there as it used to be a great place for contest expeditions.  I recall hearing some fall-out between local HK ops and foreigners operating portable from mainland Columbia; perhaps something has changed as far as licensing goes but I am purely speculating.

Dave, Can you please answer me a question?  I must have 1,000 QSL cards from Japan and they all have a JCC#.  Your QRZ page says you have JCC and JCG awards.

What exactly is a JCC# and where can I find out what the various awards are?  Also, what is a JCG award?  I have not come accross JCG numbers.

73,

Chris/NU1O
[/quote]

Chris,  Not to go off topic, but JCC = Japan Century Cities and JCG = Japan Century Guns.  JCC and JCG is sort of like county hunting in the USA.  "Guns" are like townships - a region that doesn't meet the requirements of a city.  Basically, you can break JA down into call areas, then prefectures (states), then cities/guns.  Many in JA chase JCC/JCG, I can hear them on 80/40m nightly, some of the rarer ones generate big pileups.  I get a ton of JA cards, so I can put them to good use, and I think many of the JA ops appreciate my interest in their awards which results in more contest QSOs for me.

http://www.jarl.or.jp/English/4_Library/A-4-2_Awards/Award_Main.htm

73, Dave

He's going to be a tough nut to crack from out here.  Very weak and always with a big NA or even bigger EU pile.

Heard him the loudest I've ever heard him on 15m tonight, 559 or so, but he got spotted.  Within two minutes he had a raging EU pileup on him and all hope was gone.  The "EU factor" strikes again... similar story with SV/A and lots of other stuff that's one-hop from EU.

-KH2/N2NL

I think he is real (DJ2EH op).  I worked him on 20m, and he was peaking the right direction.  He thanked me for responding with my 160m QSL card - and told me his home call was DJ2EH.  A pirate would not have known this (that I recently worked DJ2EH on 160 and exchanged QSL cards).


73, Dave KH2/N2NL

Definitely leave the radio at home.

I've found the Cubans to be very friendly but don't give the authorities any reason to give you any special attention.  Nothing good can come from that.  Their immigration/customs officials mean business.

-Dave

I definitely prefer CW to the digital modes.  My experience is that digital pileups are generally more chaotic, because for some reason it is easier for someone to push a function key to transmit a macro over and over than it is to send their call by paddle.  

Example:  JA SSB pileup on a DX station - maybe 5% will call non stop no matter who the DX station is trying to work.
JA CW pileup on a DX station - maybe 15% will call non stop no matter who the DX station is trying to work
JA digital pileup on a DX station - 50% or more will call non stop no matter who the DX station is trying to work.

EU is similar, but higher percentages across the board.

I am friends with several of the HC8N guys. 

The wife of station host HC8GR passed away some time ago after a long illness.  The HC8N team gave the family the space they needed during the illness and after, which is why the station has not been on the air.

You can imagine the effort it takes to keep a world class multi-multi station in a tropical environment operational.  It requires a huge investment of time and money.  The question arises - do you want to rebuild and continue or is it time to move on to other endeavors?  I think there are at least a couple of the original group who are interested in seeing HC8N on the air again.  I don't know when or if that will happen.  I do know that the QSL manager does a great job and would certainly be able to answer queries about LOTW, etc.

73, Dave