Remote DX @PE4BAS

iPhone SE with Google remote desktop chasing DX...

Chasing DX is something special. You need to choose the right time and keep an eye on the cluster.But it doesn't tell all. There can be surprises so you need to keep alert an eye or ear as well.

Chasing DXpeditions is almost an art and in the past years was time consuming and you need a special skill. Not everyone has that skill because most of it is patience....besides that you need a lot of time. I remember hours and hours of calling and trying to find were the DXpedition was listening. Sometimes I was lucky, sometimes not.

But since FT8 was born chasing DX is easier, not that time consuming anymore and even stations with a modest setup can chase... Another big advantage is remote operation, using a smartphone, tablet or computer you can actually DX everywhere you want. Using teamviewer or google remote desktop or similar it is easy setup, just take over the desktop at home and there you go. There is only one disadvantage, you need to keep your station on when away from home. Personally I don't like that and so I only work remote once and a while. Today I decided to work remote since it is probabely the last day we can try working VP8PJ from South Orkney Islands. Tomorrow they will dismantle the stations and get ready to go home. My experience is that working DXpeditions is easiest at their last day of operation. However there always is a risk they have to leave early due to unexpected weather changes or any other cause.

The idea was to check 20m and 15m during my breaks on the job. But all I saw....no VP8PJ. Yes I saw countries all around me making contacts. I even saw a cluster spot from Portugal that there was almost no one coming back on FT8 F/H. But really I didn't see VP8PJ at all on both bands. I really thought something was really wrong so at my lunchbreak I did some calling on 15m which resulted in DX with Oman and Indonesia, nothing wrong with my station. But it was not before 16:30 UTC that I saw VP8PJ slowly coming through. So I did try to make it.....but others did as well. It was only until I was already at home before, after a few unlucky responses, I got the final RR73. At least one mission accomplished. When I was at diner I got a message from neighbourstation PA4O that VP8PJ was visible on 10m....this was really unique. I knew I had only a few minutes to try since this kind of propagation never last long. Luckely I was at home since remote switching of antennas and turning the beam is not yet implemented here yet ;-). To make a long story short....it did happen.