#10m #FT8 HamAlert & almost 30 years ago

SFI:71 SN:0 A:4 K:0

I'm shure many will not be contesting on 10m this weekend. We are (almost) at the bottom of the solarcycle. The propagation on 10m is the worst since years. Only the die-hards, the fighters, those that don't take any contact for granted will take part this year. It will be hard, but we all know miracles can happen. There is something called winter ES, and it could happen any time around mid december....

But not today...

And still my ODX was 9284km....I received ZY4F at about 17:38 UTC. But PSKreporter doesn't show. Not the first time, PSKreporter doesn't spot everything.

I started monitoring at 6 UTC again and like the previous days I threw out a few CQs, and was spotted in Germany and France. Could it be meteorscatter? At lunchbreak I logged in via remote from my job to try some 10m FT8 again. I saw RA2FL from Kaliningrad was spotted.....again. I really would like to know what his setup is? I can find few info on this station on the internet. I didn't manage to reach him but then another magic thing happened, another memorable contact was made with PD3LPA Louwrens from Maassluis....

You could think, that's the Netherlands what's so special? It's only 300km distance or something like that. Actually I was not aware of the QSO being so special till I searched for the call on QRZ.com.
Louwrens is a new licensed radioamateur but has been bitten by the radio bug long time ago. We have made a contact long ago when we both were 11m pirate radio operators and there was no FT8. We did it on SSB on 27MHz at 20-Dec-1989 almost 30 years ago. It was a memorable contact as we both remember it was a 59 contact even on that skip distance, propagation was completely different from what it is now of course...I also made a recording back then. Can't find it right now but know Louwrens has it as well. It is strange we know each other from radio, we spoke each other 30 years ago and still are busy with this great hobby. I never met Louwrens in real life and he's living at the other side of the Netherlands, we both have a complete different life  but are still connected. Something that makes this hobby special...

I have to mention, the last couple of days I was spotted by PB7Z Bernard....well, same story....we made contacts almost 30 years ago on the same 11m band. Though Bernard is living about 50km from my home and we have regular contacts. I know Bernard personally and he's also one of the PA6AA contest team members. I'm shure Bernard will be doing some contacts in the 10m ARRL contest this weekend....

Now, back to the title...

Trigger setup, all spots 10m

If you are seriously into contesting you try to find ways to increase your score. So, I have a good tip that I want to share. I've written about it before. It's the most valuable app on my phone called HamAlert. I've tried it today to see what would show up for 10m only and if it would be of any interest. And it is. HamAlert does alert you with spots from PSKreporter, RBN and DXcluster. I did receive about 35 spots today with the setup I made and expect a lot more tomorrow. I don't think I will be on the radio all the time since I have other things to do. But imagine there is winter ES showing up and I would miss it. With the HamAlert app, I get the message for shure...

Ok, I'm shurely aware, the trigger setup above will spot me as well. So, if you get a message on your phone that I'm spotted. Give it a try ;-)

If you participate in the 10m ARRL contest this weekend I wish you all good luck and many contacts. Be brave and believe in the propagation ghosts, they will support you...

#10m #FT8 12-Dec-2019 too late...

SFI:71 SN:0 A:6 K:0

There was a small opening around 19 UTC to south america, Unfortenately I was too late and not at the station. ODX was LU2DAJ 11619km. I did a few CQs later on and was received around europe but no one came back to me. Started monitoring early again around 6 UTC. A few CQs resulted again with some spots from Germany. Special to me was a solid copy from PD1RP Peter who's transmitting from Amsterdam at around 15 UTC, Peter is one of the team members from the PA6AA contest group.

I think best chance in the 10m ARRL contest will be between 10-16 UTC with a path possebility to south america between 17:30-19:30 UTC. Unfortunately my time at the possible evening path will be occupied this weekend but will do my best to make some european contacts.

#10m #FT8 #MSK144 Meteorscatter fun!

SFI:70 SN:0 A:4 K:0

Another day of bad propagation. Same propagation numbers....it didn't look very promising. But....there are surprises.

ODX PY4AZ 9387km today.

I started monitoring FT8 early (6 UTC) and threw out a few CQs, I was received in Germany already. Then around 12 UTC I did a few CQs again via remote. And again I was received in Germany and Kaliningrad. But the big surprise was in the evening. I tried some CQs to the south and was received in Germany and Switzerland. Just for the fun of it I turned the antenna west to see if anyone from the UK was listening, I saw some traces but at first there was no decode. Then I started to receive some meteor pings from 2E0XXO Stu. He was even transmitting "METEOR PINGS" but FT8 is just not suitable for Meteor Scatter. Luckely I was just checking my e-mail and found Stu's message if I would like to try MSK144. So I started WSJT-X (JTDX has no MSK144) and just tried....and surprise surprise, we did make a valid contact. My first meteorscatter contact on 10m.

Actually Stu proposed 28.385MHz but I made a typo and entered 28.365MHz. I wasn't aware of this but Stu still found me....I really don't know how he did it? I think this contact is just as memorable as the contacts I made with Australia at the 1st of this month. Real 10m magic...