Monday, August 27, 2018

#JT9 activity days last weekend

Contact map (click to enlarge).
Event: RDRC JT9 activity days 2018
Software: JTDX 18
Logger: HRD5
Station: Icom IC-706 MK2G 25W
Antenna: Multiband Inverted-V 2x20m open line fed, apex 12m agl
Total distance worked: 95882km

Even less time compared to last year. At sunday there was a radio blackout due to a surprise CME. 20m went well late saturday evening when I finally had time to start. This year I decided to give JTDX another go. JTDX was previously the software to make JT65/JT9 contacts with better results compared to WSJT-X. But now I think the difference is not that big. However it is nice to experiment with other software packages. JTDX did a good job but the interface is different from WSJT-X. The big advantage is the partially autosequence on JT9. Sunday was the ideal JT9 day, no propagation or very weak, excellent for weak signal modes. Sundaymorning 20m was dead, no signal could be heard. 40m was were the activity was. Sunday evening late, no propagation on 20m, 40m again was full of JT9 signals. Different from last year, there was only activity on 40,30 and 20m. In the end I made only 28 QSO and ODX was with YV5OIE Venezuela (7999km).

8 comments:

Paul Stam PAØK said...

Hallo Bas, ik had alleen zaterdagochtend wat tijd voor JT9, veel Russen en Oost-Europa gewerkt. Toch wel weer leuk om JT9 te doen. 73 Paul PAØK

John AE5X said...

Hi Bas, I had to work over the weekend so wasn't able to participate as much as I'd hoped. I don't think too many NA stations were on JT9 and propagation was such that I did not copy much DX. And I think FT8 has ruined my attention span - I found the 60-second cycle times to seem like an eternity!

73,
John AE5X

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Ja inderdaad veel oostblok, hier ook. Uitschieters waren HI, YV en OD. 73, Bas

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Hello John, what a pity you had to work. There was enough activity on 20m saturday evening from the US/Canada (your saturday morning/early afternoon). But around 00:00 UTC there was a radio blackout and 20m was wiped out. Actually I found it quite nice to wait 60 sec for a next over. In the mean time listening music and reading blogs. JTDX does have partial autoseq. so I didn't have to pay much attention after all. 73, Bas

Unknown said...

Hello Bas
This is my first contest, it was fun and I guess it was not that bad :) My ODX was with YV4YY Venezuela (9224km) 73 Krzysztof SQ4KKG

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Hello Krzysztof, congrats with your first "contest". I hope you did enjoy. Same ODX as me, although the distance was bigger :-). Hope to meet you on air some time. 73, Bas

Hans said...

Hallo Bas, toch nog door de bedrijven heen met JT9 bezig geweest. Wat JT9 QSO's gemaakt en verder veel "geluisterd".
Het blijft een prachtige mode, al was het wel weer effe wennen. Zeker als je een paar keer FT8 gebruikt hebt, maar ik blijf voorstander van JT65 en JT9.
73 Hans, PE1BVQ

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Ik blijf ook absoluut voorstander van JT9 en JT65 met een voorkeur voor JT9. Maar ja, als er geen tegenstations zijn zit er niks anders op en ben je veroordeeld tot FT8. We zullen er mee moeten leren leven. 73, Bas