WSPR 12m 2nd Feb. 2025

 1W in the gainmaster 1/2 wave vertical at 16m above the ground

12m has significant less users compared to 10m I think.

On RX I received EP4HR from Iran. The station that looks like it is in the pacific probably has his locator wrong. It think it is also a station from Iran.

I love WSPR Watch app on my Iphone. It gives some more interesting info. And the map looks so much better but my iphone is just too small to make a screenshot.

Interesting that 5000km is the best distance for me on 12m. Signal reports are sometimes very strong. Like +6dB in the US. 

WSPR 10m 1st of Feb. 2025

Transmitting 1W WSPR-2 in a 1/2 wave gainmaster at a height of 16m above the ground.

First new one on WSPR in 2025. ZD7BG from st. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Above my RX efforts.

My quest to learn CW (14)

 Slow it goes. But the rate is going faster. To learn ICR I increased the speed to 30wpm after I got this advice from several people. 30wpm is just slightly faster as 28wpm so there is no trouble at all to decode for me. However it is all about the real speed...

I'm trying to do training outside of my comfort zone. So that's plain text training with 30/20wpm. It is a ridiculous fast speed and I got only 70% right on average. But it helps me decoding lower speed after I did this training a few times. The lower speed is 30/14wpm which I use for callsign, word and figure (numbers) training.

The initial plan was to make a CW QSO everyday. But unfortunatly that's impossible for me. It was a good plan but in real life I have not enough time. However I made a few POTA hunting QSOs and a few with the WWA stations. Just exchanging reports that is, and even that I screw up. But it seems that doesn't matter. At least I'm on the air with CW. The goal is to make a decent QSO in the future but that will take a long time I think. I'm trying to decode CW that's on the bands. I found some nice slow CW on 80m on several days. But even that is difficult to follow. Yes I do hear some letters and abbreviations but I can't really figure out what it is all about. I really have respect for those people that make CW QSOs like it is their second language. But hey, learning English was not a matter of days or a year for me. It took at least 10 years of school before I mastered it. My daughter picks up english from the internet, she learns fast, at least understanding and speaking it. But grammar is a whole other story, she really needs to learn that on school. And after that, exercise in real life. Just like learning morsecode...

I also have fun with CW. I try to decode the word from morsle.fun everyday. Here are my stats so far:

The PACC contest is in 2 weeks. Since I partake in the QRP section, which is a mixed section, I really need to train CW for that to gain some extra points. I have no illusion I will ever win this section since the top contesters in this section will use 2 radios at the same time. But at least I'll do my best to get as high place as possible.

CQ World Wide 160-Meter Contest participation

 Last participation in this contest was in the winter of 2023. Since time is an issue right now I just participated in the early morning of Saturday and Sunday before I had to go. Main goal was training my CW skills. I was using the IC-7300 @100W and my inverted-L with autotuner. Of course I only used my ears and brain to decode. I even called CQ a few times with some success. Average transmission speed at my side was 20wpm. I'm not able yet to decode a complete callsign the first time I hear it but after repeating two or three times I'm able to complete the callsign. Even with speeds up to 30wpm or higher.

The PACC will be more difficult as the DX is sending progressive numbers. Of course I'm training numbers as well as the abbreviated ones like T for 0, A for 1 and N for 9. But if it goes too fast I will not be able to decode, that will be my worst nightmare in the contest. Anyway, I should relax, it is just a game...

Faster as expected

 

I surprised myself. It took me only a couple of days to do this practice at 28/13wpm without any errors. I continue with a speed of 28/14wpm. Normally I only do 2 or 3 of these practices a day. I concentrate myself on callsign training and numbers training for the upcoming PACC contest. I also try to make a CW contact every day only with my radio, my ears and the morse paddle. Oh my, I make so many faults sending morse. But it seems no one cares... I will get better in time. Excuse me if I send 4 dots instead of 5 when sending 5, I seem to have no control over it.

2024 Statistics

 

2024 was certainly the year in which I worked the most DXCC compared to all the previous years. I seems phone is still my preferred mode. But CW is increasing. Digital modes is mostly FT8/FT4, it is what it is. You can't stop the digital future. Compare this to 2006 just for fun:

I did 100% phone in the year that I seriously got back into amateurradio. What a difference it is...

Well, you can see that the radio hobby is primarily something I do in winter. I have less time in summer. Feb, Mar and Okt are the contest months for me. 

Lots of SSB, a little more CW compared to last year. Lots of FT8/FT4. Less VARAC contacts. And surprisingly 2 MSK144 meteorscatter contacts. I always want to do more experimenting with all kind of digimodes. But in real life I don't think of that when in front of the radio.

I was surprised by the number of 160m contacts. I counted it again and indeed I made 453 QSOs on 160m. I'm not surprised by the number of QSOs on 10m. Most contesting I did was on 10m. This year it looks like 30m and 17m are left behind. I try to do more on the WARC bands, and most of the contacts there are "DX". It only looks that I'm more often on the other bands but it isn't. It is only because of contest contacts.

My DXCC numbers at the end of 2024:

I've also seen stats from LOTW and or stats from confirmed DXCC. For those hunting for awards that may be necessary. I don't really care if a DXCC is confirmed. Working the DXCC is enough for me. I don't have to prove anything to anyone...

Agenda 2025

 

As always for archive purposes...

My radiohobby agenda for 2025. 

Feel free to copy.

I always have to balance my time between my family and hobby. With a agenda and planning I want to prevent conflicts if possible.

08/09 Feb. 12-12 UTC 24 hrs PACC 2024 contest (SOAB QRP)

29/30 Mar. 00-24 UTC 48 hrs CQWW WPX SSB 2024 contest

24/25 May 00-24 UTC 48 hrs CQWW WPX CW 2024 contest

25 May Beetsterzwaag radiorally

25/26 Okt. 00-24 UTC 48 hrs CQWW DX SSB 2024 contest

8/9 Nov. 10-12:30 local time PA-beker contest CW / SSB section 2024

16 Nov. 11-14 local time Friese 11 steden contest 2024

29/30 Nov. 00-24 UTC 48 hrs CQWW DX CW 2024 contest

13/14 Dec. 00-24 UTC 48 hrs 10m ARRL 2024 contest