The world outside versus DX

Haven’t had a lot of time on the radio since the last post, I’ve been working in the garden in all the lovely sunny weather we’ve had recently.  We had our club AGM for the Appledore and District Amateur Radio Club recently and I’m now on the committee.

Last Friday I spent the morning at our club treasurers QTH, Laurence G4XHK not playing radio but playing guitar! Then in the afternoon I helped Dave G3YGJ put his slim Jim aerial back up on his mast. Other contact from club members were my regular email exchanges with Phil, G0BVD and a chat with Fred G0EOB, his XYL Helen G0EOA sat in their usual spot at Instow, and of course my rare visits to the club nets.

I’m also learning CW and we have our slow Morse practise every Tuesday evening.

So this weekend I finally get to play on the radio. On Friday I got a nice contact into J52HF Guinea Bissau and a quickie into the USA with WB2REM. Saturday was off to a great start with XW3DT in Laos, followed by my second contact with David A92GE but with my M0 call this time. Got distracted and did some stuff in the garden then back on the radio at 6pm and worked OX3KQ in Greenland, second time but again with the M0 call, HS0ZIQ in Thailand, then a real pileup buster into 5Z4FV Kenya. That was a very pleasing contact as the behaviour of some operators was appalling and if it wasn’t for the professionalism of the station it would’ve been a complete waste of time. In the end it was worth the wait and I was one of only 5 stations in the UK to work him before he went QRT. I finished off the day with a 5/9 contact into India with VU2RCT.

Sunday conditions were slow to pick up, and my first contact wasn’t until midday when I had bagged another new country, DU1EIB in the Philippines followed by a chat with Gary VK4FD in Queensland Australia before a trip out for some fresh air and sunshine. I came home and got another great contact into Nigeria, 5N7M. Conditions have gone very patchy since then but worked FM1FV in Martinique with a 5/9 both ways.

Nearly forgot to mention a great contact into East Malasia on the 16th of April. My QSO map is looking much more colourful! http://www.hrdlog.net/Map2.aspx?user=M0JKL

Very happy with how the Hexbeam is performing so far.