This is my review of the 2022 ES-season which I enjoy on 6m and 4m. Notice that the main mode for DX on 6m is FT8 these days on 50.313 MHz and 50.323 MHz. On 70 MHz the main FT8 frequency is 70.154 MHz. I only have a modest station consisting of a IC-7300 with max. 100W on 6m and 50W on 4m. Antenna is a homemade YU7EF duoband beam 2x 5 elements @14m height in my tower.
I mounted the antenna into the tower quite early this year. Surprise was the first transatlantic DX with PP5BK (Brazil) this year on may 15 . It is not a new DXCC but nice to work such a long distance on 6m.
21-May. First new band DXCC was on 4m this year. A QSO with LX/PE1ITR (Luxemburg). It surprises me that I did not hear/see many more from LX on 70 MHz previously. Rob was so kind of reading this post and commented with a link to his 2022 setup from a beatiful location in Luxemburg.
22 May. I almost worked YU7EF (the designer of my antenna) last year with MSK144, but in the end we could not finish the QSO. This year it was easy to work him in a strong opening on 4m. My second new band DXCC.
24 May. Real super DX on 6m and my first new band DXCC this year was a QSO with ZD7BG from St.Helena. Actually very special, propagation came up late in the evening, I worked him and he quickly disappeared into the noise. Real magic and very sporadic.
5 June. Next new 6m DXCC was a QSO with BA4SI from China. It didn't happen last year, but this time I was lucky. Picture is from his QRZ page.
The stacked yagi system does well...
9 June. Unusual CW contact for a new one on 6m. D4L from Cape Verde was worked. He showed up on FT8 later. I worked him again on 12 June. Both contacts confirmed at LoTW.
11 June. It was luck again! Working Albania. A QSO with ZA/IW2JOP for a new one on the 4m band.
12 June. 4m was really hot. I worked Z35Z from North Macedonia for a new one on that band.
12 June. Next my DXCC nr. 39 on 4m. A QSO with, I guess the most famous station from Israel, 4Z4DX Dov. It was also the last new DXCC on 4m this year. Remember there are not many countries that are allowed to transmit on 4m. This band is a real DX challenge.
12 June. This day was really great for DX. Unexpected but true I worked Mexico. QSO was with XE2X. New 6m DXCC.
9 July. Seen South Korea a few times on 6m in the past. But never actually made a QSO. I was lucky this time and DS4EOI came back to me finishing the QSO. Propagation was strong into that direction that day, I also worked 17 Japanese stations. It was also the last day with strong enough DX possebilities for my modest station. I'm now counting 108 DXCC on 6m.
Receiving DX is another story. I receive far more as I can reach with 100W. I believe a better, bigger antenna and 4 times the power output I use now would have brought me a lot more DX this year. But what is the fun if you work everything at once...
Here is a list of DX stations I received but did not work this season:
20-May LU5FF Argentina 20:09 UTC
22-May ZS6NK South Africa 17:39 UTC
23-May V51WW Namibia 17:34 UTC Signal -25dB
23-May ZD7MY St. Helena 20:34 UTC
25-May 7Q7CT Malawi 17:36 UTC
27-May 4U1ITU Geneva ITU 08:06 UTC signal -20dB
04-June D44EO Cape Verde 16:58 UTC
04-June C5C The Gambia 17:47 UTC
05-June BD4WN China 07:26 UTC
05-June BA5DX China 07:30 UTC
05-June HL4CJG S.Korea 09:32 UTC
05-June HL3DE S.Korea 09:26 UTC
05-June JV1A Mongolia 09:26 UTC
06-June VR2XYL Hong Kong 07:25 UTC
06- June VR2CO Hong Kong 07:26 UTC
06-June VR2CH Hong Kong 07:27 UTC
06-June BV3UF Taiwan 08:45 UTC
09-June 4Z1TL Israel on 4m 17:41 UTC
11-June 9N7AA Nepal 06:44 UTC
12-June ZC4RH Cyprus SBA 10:43 UTC
12-June XP3A Greenland 20:04 UTC
22-June JT1CO Mongolia 11:16 UTC
24-July 9N7AA Nepal 07:58 UTC signal -8dB
24-July VK8AW Australia 08:10 UTC signal -11dB
24-July 4F2KWT Phillipines 08:53 UTC signal -19dB
24-July BV6KO Taiwan 09:36 UTC signal -18dB
24 July BV7KL Taiwan 09:34 UTC signal -18dB
10 July. Several Dutch stations made a QSO with KL7J and/or KL7HBK from Alaska. I was on but probabely the only Dutch station that was just outside the propagation path. It was frustrating to see fellow Dutch stations just 50-100km south and west from me making the QSO while I did not receive anything from Alaska at all. But never mind, there will be another time...
ES-season is over now for me and I will dismantle the antenna, waiting for next season it will be inside the garage. It would not survive winter and the large winds that occur at that time of year. Besides that, I have a few other projects that are waiting to get their place in the tower.
If you enjoyed this post I would like to direct you to some other ES-season reviews from 6m DXers which are a interesting read.
https://ve3vn.blogspot.com/2022/08/6-meter-season-diminishing-returns.html
http://blog.dxers.info/2022/08/6m-season-wrap-up.html
Updated 29-12-2022: Exchanged photo from LX/PE1ITR see also comments
Hi Bas,
ReplyDeleteI suspect that with the rising solar activity we may have a chance of some kind of TEP and maybe some F2 propagation this year.
Partly because in the past maxima we did not have the real weak signal modes like FT8. I suspect some surprise openings using FT8, and maybe even with SSB/CW may appear.
Vy 73 de Jan OZ9QV
Yes Jan, I heard about that before. I do not really believe it will happen this year. But of course I will probabely be wrong. I might to keep the 6m beam in the tower a bit longer to see what will happen with F2 and TEP. 73, Bas
ReplyDeleteGood morning Bas, a very successful ES season for sure congrants.
ReplyDelete73,
Mike
VE9KK
Tnx Mike, I did my best. However, if I only had more time.... Anyway, I was not disappointed this season. 73, Bas
ReplyDeleteSome thrilling results there Bas. And well deserved rewards for all your efforts over the season. Well done!
ReplyDelete73, Tom, M7MCQ
www.m7mcq.com
Every year at the start of the ES-season I think...."is it worth the hassle to mount the VHF beam into the tower". And yes it takes time and also frequently monitoring 50.313/323 FT8 takes time. The advantage is that I can work remote from my laptop, Iphone or Ipad from everywere if there is internet. The ability to do that gave me a lot of opportunities to work stations that I would not have seen otherwise. For example, Mexico has been worked during a tea break at the gardenhouse. Korea was worked at my morning coffee break. All with remote connetion to the shack. The only thing I cannot operate yet remotely is the antennarotor. Something I have in mind for the future. Tnx for the comment Tom and I hope this blog continues to give you inspiration. 73, Bas
ReplyDeleteHi Bas,
ReplyDeleteNice to work from LX. I was there that weekend specifically to participate in the IARU 70 MHz Digital Fashion Contest. I came first in Region. I see a picture on your website, but here is a link to a picture of the actual setup and location.
http://pe1itr.com/expeditie/2022-la-dxpedition/img/20220522_061701.jpg
73 Rob PE1ITR
Bedankt Rob, wat een prachtige lokatie daar. Ik heb de foto in het verhaal gezet en de tekst aangepast. Nogmaals bedankt voor de nieuwe op 4m. 73, Bas
ReplyDelete