To the T2T team members, THANK YOU FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING OPERATION.  In spite of the weather, murphy, the travel bugs, et al, you folks have done a superb job.

I will continue to listen on 160 and hope I get lucky.  Excellent signals on 40 to US East Coast this morning at sunrise my time.

KA3NRX, you have brought back some good memories!  One of the things I listened for back around 1980 during my first days of DXing was the flutter of the polar path to the east coast.  It meant "juicy DX" a la SE Asia, Asiatic Russia, Mongolia, or central Asia.  It still does mean that, at least for late night US East Coast time for me.  Early mornings I hear the stations coming over Europe on skewed path, loud and with no flutter.

Nothing more exciting than a quite 15 meter CW band and a flutter happening around 2300 local.  Gets the blood going like a cup of strong java.  Thanks for the reminder, OM!

W2IRT, thanks for the info.

KA3NRX, you are correct, Sir, 1985 was the year of his passing.  The Albanian dictator's name was Enver Hoxha (pronounced HO juh).  The ONLY reason I know this little piece of non-relevant trivia is because my father did his later-in-life Masters' thesis on Albania about the time they kicked China out for not being Stalinist enough in their communist practices (1970's) about the time I got my ticket as a teenager.

I do remember my first ZA QSO circa 1990.  Could hardly believe ZA was ever going to be on the air.  How times change.

W4KYR, good analysis.  But what about the FT817 does CW and SSB and digital modes and FM?  And coveres some general receive (air, FM).  Also has built-in keyer, accessory jack, bunch of other stuff the other rigs don't have.  (Sorry, could not resist, as I am a biased and proud owner of the FT817ND)

Ahh, wait long enough and the Koreans will eventually reunite and the P5 entity will be deleted.  Then you won't need to worry about it! 

Now, Yemen is a different story entirely.  That one will be tough to resolve.

Speaking of "never heard here, mainly due to bad luck" includes XX9, V8, A5, S2, XW, EP, 9N (whoops, just heard them tonight for first time ever!).

Heard but never worked for some unlucky reason: VR, 9V.  Should be easy, right?  I don't get it.  I have worked XU twice, XV twice. YB several times, 9M6 and 9M2 several times (all this year), DU twice, P2, T6, AP, UK, EX, EY.  EZ is off the air but I have a card from 1990.

Always a challenge.  287 worked and counting.  Every day is a new day, another chance to work some new DX.

73, Mark Lunday, WD4ELG

WX7G, I am DROOLING over tha balloon vert and salt lake for reflectivity!  How well does it DX?  Do tell!

CW (of course), 4O3A, 600 mW measured on my wattmeter at a distance of 4995 miles = 9000 miles per watt on 20 meters.  Of course, I was using my hex beam at 50 feet, so that helped 

While driving home from work on evening, worked VP5/W5SL on a hamstick and my FT817 on 20 CW with 500 mW.

What would be noteworthy is if we started reporting distance divided by effective-radiated-power.  I can crank out QRP QSO's all afternoon on the hex beam on 20 meters.  But if we switch to 40 and go with a lower dipole, then that's a different challenge.

This ham WG5G is my inspiration.  Honor Roll DXCC on QRP.  And it shows clearly that it's not about the power out...it's ALL ABOUT THE ANTENNA!

http://www.qrz.com/db/WG5G

That fake beard is also in the AES catalog for the same product.  Somebody must have had a few martinis over lunch in the marketing department, and it was so funny that it has remaind there for years.

If you ever doubt the ability to achieve top level DX honor roll, check out WG5G.  He did it QRP.  Which proves the axiom from my first Elmer: it's ALL about the antenna.  Maximize the antenna before buying an amp:

http://www.qrz.com/db/WG5G

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

N7SMI, check out my blog at http://wd4elg.blogspot.com.  I worked 225 with wires and 100 watts.  I went to a hex beam and 500 watts and then really started getting competitive.  Part of that is due to the improving sunspots...the 225 was in the doldrums from 2004-2009.  You CAN do this, it just takes patience, time, and skill.  Multiple yagis and high power decrease the time needed, but there is always a skill factor involved.  Believe me, I busted dozens and dozens of pileups with 100 watts and wires.  I did it with patience and by following the tips of the DX experts.  My advice is to read, listen on air, ask questions, listen on air, listen on air!

Also, improve your antennas before getting an amp.  Read about low band DXing with ON4UN, the ARRL Antenna Book.  Vertical wires like an inverted L or a half square for the higher bands will get more out than a low dipole (lower angle of radiation!)

Never give up, share your stories, and most of all have fun!  DX IS!

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

W2IRT - well-said, OM!

Congrats, Chuck!  I'm in your rear view mirror at 235 and climbing.  LOVE LoTW!

Best conditions since I don't know when!

AP2NK 20 CW Fri evening.  9M6XRO 12 meters this evening.  Never have heard AP or 9M6 in the 34 years I have been a ham.  It's all about timing and luck, I suppose.

Ditto on the QRP, 5 watts on 15 meters.  BLEW ME AWAY, had no idea he would hear my pipsqueak signal from US East coast.

VA2FSQ, we're throwing a LOT at you, OM.  Lots of us willing to help.  Myself for one, I had an Elmer back 35 years ago who taught me so much about DXing.  I promised to pass it on to those who are interested.  His motto was "Help others just as you have been helped."  It's a good life lesson for me also.

Anyway, ping me offline anytime if you want to chat about all this, fire away with questions, etc.  I am not on the honor roll, but I have taken a lot of notes from the guys who are and tried to emulate their examples.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG
wd4elg@arrl.net