HK0NA - Malpelo Island

I was able to complete 3 QSOs with HK0NA on Malpelo Island this weekend. The first QSO came Saturday afternoon on 12m SSB. I only called 3 or 4 times before they came back to me. It was a great thrill to work the 12th Most Wanted DXCC entity (2011 100 Most Wanted Countries Survey) with just 5 watts and a magnetic loop. On Sunday, I worked them on 15m SSB and 17m CW. Between the three QSOs, I probably only spent about 20 minutes calling with the majority of the time spent in the pileup on 17m CW. I would like to complete a RTTY QSO, but their RTTY signals have been very weak and the pileups have been terrible. Maybe next weekend.

Here's the screen shot from Club Log showing that I am in the log on 12m SSB (they haven't uploaded the logs from this afternoon yet).

Malpelo Island is rarely activated, so it's important to work them on as many bands and modes as possible while the HK0NA team is there. The island is nothing more than a piece of volcanic rock about 235 miles off the Colombian coast. It is unoccupied except for a small Colombian Army post. Due to the rugged terrain and strong currents, it is very difficult to land on Malpelo Island. The Colombian Navy provided transportation to the island.

Check out the photos from the DXpedition here: HK0NA Photos

The DXpedition's main website is here: http://hk0na.com/

PJ4C

Well, the HK0NA pileups are terrible. I hope I'm able to break through more towards the end of the DXpedition. Who knows when Malpelo Island will be activated again. I did work PJ4C on Bonaire on both 20m and 15m RTTY this weekend as they work towards the world record for RTTY QSOs in a single DXpedition. As of this evening, they were approximately 2,000 QSOs short.

I first broke through on Saturday night on 20m RTTY, but they logged me as N8HMV despite attempting to correct them several times. This afternoon I found them and worked them on 15m. They got it right this time, as I confirmed that I was in the log through their website. Just a few minutes ago, I worked them on 20m as I was seeking relief from the crazy HK0NA pileup. I'm confident they got my call right this time.

Screenshot of QSO with PJ4C on 15m RTTY

Screenshot of QSO with PJ4C on 20m RTTY

DXCC Certificate

My DXCC certificate arrived in the mail on Friday. Although I had the QSL cards to qualify ten years ago, I never bothered to have them checked or do the paperwork. A couple of weeks ago, I finally reached 100 confirmed entities on Logbook of the World and applied for the award.

2012 ARRL RTTY Roundup

The ARRL RTTY Roundup is one of the biggest RTTY contests of the year. Participation in RTTY has been increasing for many years and, despite less than perfect conditions, the data segments of the bands were jammed with RTTY signals during the contest. On 15 meters, I worked stations as low as 21.072 MHz and as high as 21.134 MHz. On 20 meters, I worked stations as low as 14.067 MHz and as high as 14.141 MHz. I did not get a 40 meter antenna out as I was not able to operate on Saturday night and I only worked one station on 10 meters during the contest as I missed the peak and did not check the band until later on Sunday afternoon. My goal for this contest was to make 100 QSOs.

One other great thing about this contest is that the District of Columbia is a multiplier and DC stations are highly sought after. It's too bad I don't have a station where I can run effectively as I'm sure I could attract some good pileups. 

The contest started at 1800Z on Saturday and I started right away working P49X in Aruba at 1802Z. The first hour went very well as I worked 17 stations on 15 meters. I consider that a good rate running just five watts into a magnetic loop. Interesting stations worked during the first hour include 4U1WB, the World Bank Amateur Radio Club here in DC, FM5CD in Martinique, VE1OP in Nova Scotia, and HI3TEJ in the Dominican Republic. I ended up working 20 more stations on Saturday afternoon for a total of 37 before going QRT to head out Saturday night to meet some friends to watch the Detroit Lions playoff game.

I woke up just after 1300Z and continued to work 15 meters to grab several European mults, including DL5AAX in Germany, EI3GRB in Ireland, OL8M in the Czech Republic, UX0FF in Ukraine, RK3DXW in European Russia, LY1R in Lithuania, 9A5W in Croatia, IV3KVC in Italy, G4DBX in England, EA1DR in Spain, and GI4SJQ in Northern Ireland, which was DXCC #103 worked from this station. After 1500Z, all of the stations worked were Carribean, Central America, South America, and US/VE, mostly on 15m and 20m. I did go to 10 meters and worked XE2AUD for the Mexico mult at 1921Z. At 2330Z, a half hour before the contest ended, I went QRT after working TG9SM in Guatemala for one final mult. I ended up working 133 stations in 27 states/provinces and 26 countries, easily exceeding my goal for the contest.

Here's my score summary as posted to 3830:

ARRL RTTY Roundup

Call: N8HM
Operator(s): N8HM
Station: N8HM

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: Washington, DC
Operating Time (hrs): 11.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
   80:     
   40:     
   20:   47
   15:   85
   10:    1
------------
Total:  133  State/Prov = 27  Countries = 26  Total Score = 7,049

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

Lots of activity on the RTTY bands and conditions were decent. Very happy with
the QSO total, but I am a bit disappointed with the mult total. All contacts
made with 5 watts and an AlexLoop Walkham Portable Magnetic Loop on my
apartment balcony. It would be nice for RTTY contests to include a QRP
category. Thanks to the ops who took time to dig my weak signal out of the
noise.

Rig - Yaesu FT-817ND
Interface - Signalink USB
Logger - N1MM
Antenna - AlexLoop Walkham Portable Magnetic Loop

And the QSO Map:

Portable Operation in Michigan

I traveled to my home state of Michigan during the holidays and brought along my gear. Though I didn't end up doing much operating, I did make a few interesting contacts.

My equipment was the same as I use at home: Yaesu FT-817ND, Signalink USB, and an AlexLoop Walkham Portable Magnetic Loop. Instead of my desktop computer, I used a Dell Mini 10v netbook running the Windows 8 Developer Preview. All of this equipment fit into four small bags. The transceiver and netbook were carried in my carry-on luggage while the antenna and miscellaneous accessories were carried in my checked luggage.

Clockwise from top left: 1. AlexLoop Walkham Portable Magnetic Loop in carrying case, 2. Targus netbook case with Yaesu FT-817ND, Signalink USB, MFJ Power Supply, and Miracle Ducker antenna,. 3. Case Logic Portable DVD Player case with wire antennas and accessories, 4. Targus netbook case with Dell Mini 10v netbook.

Unfortunately, my camera tripod would not fit into my suitcase, so I traveled without a suitable support for the antenna. When operating, I set everything up on my grandparents' oversized chair and ottoman.

Operating JT65 from my portable setup.

I set up the station first on December 23rd at around 1900Z and operated PSK31 with Fldigi. I worked KF4RWA in Tuscaloosa, AL on 20m, KJ4TLB in Clermont, FL on 15m, KA1BSZ in Fairlee, VT on 20m, and CO2VE in Cuba on 20m.

On December 26th, I set the station up earlier (just after 1400Z) to try to work some DX on JT65. After just a few minutes of calling CQ, my signal was copied all over Europe on 15m.

Viewing my PSKReporter JT65 spots using the Hamlog iPhone app

With the antenna tuned to 15m, I proceded to work W4JHC in LaFayette, LA and N5YLJ in Wichita Falls, TX before taking a break for breakfast. At 1614Z, I worked F5RRS in France.

View of my netbook screen after working F5RRS on 15m JT65.

I went on to work EA7DUD in Spain at 1629Z, GM4UYE in Scotland at 1650Z, and EI1DG in Ireland at 1713Z.

Shortly after 1730Z, I went to check out 20m and worked W1VVV in Hampton, NH at 1755Z.

PSKReporter spots as of 1748Z on December 26th

Shortly after working W1VVV, I saw KL8DX in Healy, AK calling CQ. As I follow KL8DX on Twitter (@KL8DX) and am a regular reader of his blog (My take on 63 Degrees of Propagation), I was determined to complete a QSO with him. He had quite a few callers, so it was tricky to get through with my weak signal. Finally, I was able to get through and complete the QSO at 1847Z. He gave me a decent signal report of -16dB and copied one of my signals at -14dB.

Screenshot from KL8DX of our QSO.

That was the last QSO I made while in Michigan. It was quite fun to make several DX QSOs with Europe and Alaska with such a minimal setup and an indoor antenna.

CQ WPX SSB and eQSL.cc eDX Certificates

In addition to the QRP DXCC certificate I received in the mail last week, I received a couple of electronic certificates over the weekend.

The first is for placing #2 in the USA 3rd Call Area and #10 in North America in the SOAB QRP category of the 2011 CQ WPX SSB Contest:

The second is the eDX award from eQSL.cc for confirming over 75 DXCC entities on eQSL.cc:

I will have a couple of posts tonight about my portable operations from Michigan as well as the 2012 ARRL RTTY Roundup.

QRP DXCC Certificate

Just got back from 13 days in Michigan and my QRP DXCC certificate was waiting for me in my mailbox.

For more info see this post.

Later I'll have a post about my portable operations in Michigan and then coming up this weekend is the ARRL RTTY Roundup.