I'm a believer...

Yes, I am. No, I'm not religious. But I believe in QRP. QRP with 5W or less. And yes, DX is possible, even with SSB. But you need to be patient, need to have time, need to be at the right frequency and need a lot of luck. If you have all of it you work the stations you desire. Easy? No absolutely not! But it will give you more satisfaction. Besides that if you work DX QRP you accomplish something other HAMradio operators find hard to believe.


Propagation forecast is "poor" for 12m today. However, I don't care about poor. I just listen and see if the DX is there. And yes, through the day I heard DX several times on the 12m band. That doesn't mean I work the DX, just listen. Then in the evening greyline propagation lifted a little. I made a QSO with KC9NBV, Indiana, USA.

Amazing? No, not amazing. This morning was amazing. Calling CQ on 30m. I was answered by ZP5RPO from Paraquay. Wow, that is what I call DX. But more amazing a few minutes later my CQ was anwered by ZL3NB from Bill from Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand. A distance of about 18500km.

So, you see, I am a believer. A QRP believer, even when propagation is not that good.

I'm now at 65 DXCC in the 100 DXCC in 100 days QRP challenge. 35 to go...

Some stats:

http://ny4g.blogspot.nl/2016/01/qrp-challenge-update-as-of-day-5.html

A cycle within a cycle

Everyone knows the sunspot cycle. A cycle that is there with a timespan of about 11 years. The amount of sunspots gives you an idea of propagation on the HF bands. Anything around 100 or above is good.  At the moment we just had a peak of suncycle 24 and sunspots are going down.  With the decline of cycle 23 back in 2004/2005 I already noticed another cycle. It is the rotation of the sun in about 27 days. That could mean that "good" or actually better propagation is appearing every 27-28 days as well as any active sunspots will appear again within that time. This can especially be noticed when in the solarcycle minimum. I've been searching for this phenomenon on the internet but only little can be found. Though I noticed it several times through the low sunspot years and others probabely did as well. But it is not known by many HAM radio operators.

Find some excellent written info understanding HF propagation here:

http://www.qsl.net/co8tw/Understanding%20HF%20propagation.pdf

A day by day International Sun Spot Number can be found here:

http://sidc.be/silso/eisnplot


Best 10m propagation this month was at 16 February when I worked 7P8C with only 5W on 10m. At least, that was my best day. Several HAM radio operators noticed that commonly best 10m propagation occurs after a sunspot peak. Counting 27 days from the peak whe see at the day by day plot the next peak could appear around 1-3 March, it doesn't mean that the propagation will be excellent those days but expect better propagation at the end of next week. Last week propagation was low. I've been calling with 5W to obtain some new DXCC for the 100 DXCC in 100 days QRP challenge but unfortenately signals were too low and there were only a few weak spots from my signal. So instead I switched to the new 60m band which was open for a short moment. I worked MM0GGI John from north of Scotland. And then for a new DXCC on 60 TF1EIN Heimir was calling me. Of course this were 100W contacts. Signals were not that good on 60m either.

Some new certificates

A while ago I received the certificate for being 3rd at the Frysian 11 cities contest. Working the 12 multipliers in that contest is a important thing. The FRAG (Frysian Radio Amateur Groep) did submit a very nice "Worked 12 multiplier - 11 cities contest" certificate last year only to their members who worked the 12 multipliers. But together with the organizing VERON section A14 they decided to send the certificate for non members as well this year.

I received the certificate and want to thank the organizing radiogroups. If you like to have this certificate as well next year I already invite you to participate in this contest and try to work these 12 multipliers.