HF Contacts 12m

Playing around with my various ATU's and bit of lawnmower lead in the loft this morning.....

Just bagged me my first QRP Japan contact!

FT8 5W

JA9GPG - Japan


Just glad the "air" doesn't have feelings because I didn't half punch it!

5814 miles on 5 Watts - Never say never.
 
(Bit of a lift on helped though. )

Spot on Victor made up for you.
Just got a couple but on 15 but will go on 12m now and see what i can do.

Edit
Just got one JA4OK 
5875 miles but i am up and across the country from you lol.

Edit
Had 3 on 12m but only one confirms.
Hope you get a star for yours Victor.
Band gone silent now for me.

Well done Alan, glad you grabbed some of the lift going on. (Very much up and down.)

I was chuffed because I was testing out the differences between the ATU's I've made. (A T-match, Pi, Z-match, various link-coupled and a simple L-match.) As you know FT8 frequencies are almost always busy so good for RX purposes. It was only because I was on 12m at the time testing the Pi-match and noticed the lift so clicked on the Enable TX.....didn't expect to get an answer from Japan!

Probably more pleased that it was almost accidental and I got a reply from a test CQ.

Doesn't look like they're a QRZ log user so probably won't get a confirmation, (less than half actually do), but not fussed so long as it's in the log.


Still not fathomed these ATU's with certainty yet though.

Well b*gger me, just had a USA contact whilst posting.

That'd be my first too!! (Think my original Pi-match does well up there.)

Two firsts in a day, can't be bad.


FT8 5W

N9SW - USA

QRZ confirmed too!


That'll keep me happy for a little while, one end of the world to the other on QRP.

Well something is working don't touch anything lol.
5 i got into Japan 3 on 12m and 2 on 15m.
3 of them don't use QRZ 2 gave me a star and waiting for the other to update his log book.
I have been after New Mexico and first thing this morning just before 6 i think it was i saw Mexico on 40m so clicked on it and went on checking my emails.
Well very shortly i got the Bing woke me up but then i realized in was not the New Mexico i wanted should wake up before i play radio lol.
Still playing with this aerial not happy with it yet i know i can get it better well i think i can.

Getting out on 17m.

I noticed 17m had come alive so popped for a shifty. (On a roll. )

Didn't take long before some eejit was splashing over the even transmission windows!


I'm still on a buzz from today anyway so started pulling apart some vintage junk I was given for the switch gear. Decided the Pi-match is the best all rounder so sticking with that and the L type for the low HF bands.

You do well with your antenna Alan mate and your coastal QTH doesn't half help some. You could swap with here deep dark hole in Bedford if you'd like? 


Anyway, off for me tea now. Take it easy.

Well done Victor.

Much appreciated Mike, especially after the re-inspiration I gained from your FT4/FT8 work.

Only one contact for me today, but a new entity so very happy, though nowhere near as far away as your Japan Victor. Worked using my usual setup.

EX0DX - Kyrgyzstan

Well done Neal.

(Another country I'd like in the log.)

Pushed a 'volunteer' up into the loft today (my poor suffering missus!) to add another 11 foot or so of wire to the ends of the doublet. 44 foot did well so we'll see how 66 feet goes.

New entity for me yesterday, usual setup.

SP9FIH/VP9 - Bermuda

New one for me yesterday that I am very surprised and happy I managed on only my second call, usual setup. I think seemingly the whole world being on 10m for the contest helped making it quiet for me.

J28MD - Djibouti

I had my first ever maritime mobile contact on Thursday. FT8. It shows as Taiwan on QRZ, but looking at their tracking link they were sailing from Brazil to Portugal and when I got them they were closer to Portugal. So not as exciting as first seemed, but still happy to get a /mm in the log 

BX8AAN/MM

I don't frequent 12metres enough but got two new ones yesterday, both FT8

16/7/2023
07:54 EL2BG IJ46
16:59 3C3CA JJ43

Got A25R in the log yesterday on 12m, FT8 10W. At least I mean they are in my log, they are not showing in their Clublog log yet, which isn't a good sign, but I am not surprised...

Did anyone else work them on 12m yesterday or see them operate? There was something weird going on. Either they were operating two stations on 12m at the same time, or there was a pirate on. Two A25Rs were showing up on exactly the same times in different segments of the graph, and they kept jumping around. When I did get through one responded with my signal and the other then responded with the RR73 whilst the first responded with RR73 to someone else. Never seen anything like that before.

Whether genuine or not, managed a couple of days back on 17m and 20m, FT8 10W, and those two are in their Clublog. That's entity 159 for me. The QRZ Africa badge is coming along very slowly but steadily. At one point some time back I thought Africa was just not going to happen for me with my signal having to fire through two neighbour's lofts before getting outside, but although hindered, the signal is getting out just. I smile each time an African contact is made, miracles can happen.

-

Edit: Just checked again, I am in their log for 12m. Yes, get in! Am happy

Worked them Saturday, it was 181st DXCC.

As to jumping around, yes I believe is normal for Fox and Hound mode.
Fox has signals 60Hz apart and they should be txing evens.