a decent number of QSOs today, but conditions were very unstable with a lot of QSB.  very few of the QSOs were longer than a couple of minutes.  Sill, Iceland and the Azores as well as a wide spread of others.

S512IAPMC	Slovenia
PA1WD	Netherlands
TF6JZ	Iceland
DK6KL	Germany
CU3AN	Azores
9A209A	Croatia
IT9QQO	Italy
UR5HRV	Ukraine
DK9NM	Germany
IW2BDH	Italy
F8BMX	France
US5LSC	Ukraine
IW2NLM	Italy
F4EZK	France
CT1DDW	Portugal
HB9W	Switzerland
F4GIH	France
DG9MGU	Germany
DH0FAB	Germany
OE5LHM	Austria

Again, a little light on 20m today, a few 59+60 stations and very little else.

most notable QSO was a new US state, AF3R in Delaware.

EA3KT	Spain
DD7OR	Germany
DK5ZK	Germany
DL1LAN	Germany
RW3PJ	Russia
OK1XPP	Czech Rep
DH2KK	Germany
HB9CPH	Switzerland
PE1BVQ	Netherlands
EA3AHH	Spain
EA1MAM	Spain
AF3R	USA DE
IZ5WPT	Italy

so, the mileage top 20 on 20m SSB now stands at:

PT0S	St Peter & St Paul Rocks	3943
KC9KBB	USA IL	3869
W8PT	USA OH	3414
5N4EAM	Nigeria	3372
AF3R	USA DE	3308
RC9O	Russia	3297
N2NC	USA NJ	3206
K2WCT	USA NJ	3184
K2QBV	USA NY	3152
K2WY	USA NY	3096
KB2UZY	USA MA	3052
K1RAW	USA MA	3000
KB1VXH	USA MA	2996
W1KBN	USA MA	2986
WB1GQR	USA VT	2970
KB1CSI	USA NH	2966
RK9DM	Russia	2543
RA3QPK	Russia	2466
RA3QPK	Russia	2466
VO2NS	Canada	2412

More work on Morse.  And after asking on several forums the general consensus is that the manual is wrong and it's perfectly fine to leave the Morse key plugged in permanently.  so I need to master the art of Morse!

Propagation very sparse on 20m today.  Just a few QSOs so I spent my time working on my morse.  I use the lcwo.net page which is a very good tutor.

I have a morse key which I now have wired up to a 1/4" jack and the Yaesu FT101B seems happy enough beeping and blipping away.  I am still a fair bit away from making my first QSO though!

Here's today's log

DF4VK	Germany
SM0ITO	Sweden
PD3R	Netherlands
IZ5WPT	Italy
DL4IAL	Germany
F6BFI	France
IZ1TUG	Italy
SP3SLD	Poland
EA3BFX	Spain

another long chat with Horst DF1QA.  this is the FIFTH time we've chatted, and i mean chatted, not your contest "callsign 59 bye bye" rubbish!  two other contacts of interest, CU7CG in the Azores, and my first contact in Latvia, YL3ID

EA3AHH	Spain
IZ3BJS	Italy
DL1AZZ	Germany
F4DZG	France
LA8XH	Norway
CU7CG	Azores
DF1QA	Germany
EA3YO	Spain
DL0AGU	Germany
LY1NDN	Lithuania
DL1PV	Germany
DC7AI	Germany
DK2CC	Germany
DK8QX	Germany
OZ7IS	Denmark
DL3PU	Germany
DM2AOC	Germany
OH5ZN	Finland
YL3ID	Latvia

today marks a month since I first plugged the FT-101B into an antenna, so there is an excuse for a few totals....

today I got few new countries, in Wales, Slovak Republic, and Algeria

DL7UKR	Germany
F4GMW	France
ON2PU	Belgium
UA3PQ	Russia
PA1EDB	Netherlands
EB1ADD	Spain
IS0COY	Sardinia
2W0CTL	Wales
DK5KN	Germany
DD8VX	Germany
IZ0RTT	Italy
DL9OBL/M	Germany
LA9LRA	Norway
DF5YA	Germany
OM5LR	Slovak rep
DF9YG	Germany
DL4DAZ	Germany
DF9YG	Germany
DL1GKE	Germany
UR9IT	Ukraine
EA2HXO	Spain
7T50I	Algeria

so in the last month....452 HF QSOs as well as a load of local rag chews through the GB3NI 2m repeater

42 countries

Islands:
Majorca
Minorca
Azores
La Palma
Teneriefe
Sao Miguel (Azores)
Iceland
Jersey
Sardinia
St Peter and st Paul rocks


7 US states: IL, MA, OH, NJ, NH, NY, VT

so, in all, I'm VERY happy!

I still have to cross the equator, but I have time, right?

Not a lot of time spent on the radio this weekend.

just 5 QSOs, including another Island.

EA6BG on the Island of Majorca where I spent many holidays as a child.

as usual, all 20m SSB

HE5LC	Switzerland
EA6BG	Spain Majorca
EA4DNO	Spain
IN3BYZ	Italy
CT1CPS	Portugal

today's highpoint was a QSO with PD8SL.

this was my first QSO on HF with a female operator! 

as well as being a red letter day for me, it was also a red letter day for Carla, as this was her first ever HF QSO.  Poor wee pet sounded really nervous, not only speaking on the radio, but also in a foreign language.  Well done Carla!!

A bunch of other European QSOs as well......

PD8SL	Netherlands
PC2EBE	Netherlands
PA1FE	Netherlands
OE5CNM	Austria
EA7/G1WUU	Spain
PA6N	Netherlands
SA0ARJ	Sweden
HB9ETH/M	Switzerland
ON2FJ	Belgium
F5TZY	France
DL1WM	Germany
LA3NO	Norway
DL1EKH	Germany
DL6DYL	Germany
PD1JOL	Netherlands
US5LSC	Ukraine
IZ1XTG	Italy
PD3E	Netherlands
DM3KF	Germany
DL1NKS	Germany
PD1JKS	Netherlands
PA3BRB	Netherlands
DL8PW	Germany
PA1JMN	Netherlands
PD2HE	Netherlands
DL0GEO	Germany

a new country today!  Estonia.  ES5MG. 

EO6KDG	Austria
ES5MG	Estonia
F1BBU	France
DK6UO	Germany
DJ6PE	Germany
DL5HAB	Germany
DD3FU	Germany
SV3GLL	Greece
LX1NT	Luxembourg
PD4JL	Netherlands
PD1BM	Netherlands
PD1ET	Netherlands
LA5WTA	Norway
RA3QPY	Russia
UA1CDA	Russia
EA3GIN	Spain
SM5CCQ	Sweden

also today I took a wander through google maps and the How far is it?  website to get the ACTUAL distances for a few Russian stations so the top 20 for distance NOW stands at:

PT0S	St Peter & St Paul Rocks	3943
KC9KBB	USA IL	3869
W8PT	USA OH	3414
5N4EAM	Nigeria	3372
RC9O	Russia	3297
N2NC	USA NJ	3206
K2WCT	USA NJ	3184
K2QBV	USA NY	3152
K2WY	USA NY	3096
KB2UZY	USA MA	3052
K1RAW	USA MA	3000
KB1VXH	USA MA	2996
W1KBN	USA MA	2986
WB1GQR	USA VT	2970
KB1CSI	USA NH	2966
RK9DM	Russia	2543
RA3QPK	Russia	2466
VO2NS	Canada	2412
RC6U	Russia	2376
UA4PNT	Russia	2228

a day of Netherlands QSOs with a few others thrown in!

notable stations were OP1V/M with his 1600 watt linear in the car.....
PI4C which is the CRASH 40-45 Air War and Resistance Museum in the Netherlands, operated by PA3BOH who I spoke to yesterday operating under his own call,  and DL0DPM which was Clubstation Museum für Kommunikation Frankfurt.

RA6ABO	Russia
F4GFT	France
DL3LAH	Germany
DL0DPM	Germany
UR4MU	Ukraine
PD4SRL	Netherlands
PD0MGX	Netherlands
PA3GHI	Netherlands
SP6CRZ	Poland
RD3N	Russia
SM0EAD	Sweden
OP1V/M	Belgium
EA1BYQ	Spain
PI4C	Netherlands
PD4SAM	Netherlands
IK5JXR	Italy
OK3PJ	Czech Rep
LA7DK	Norway
PD1JKS	Netherlands
LA4URA	Norway
UR4EF	Ukraine

a load of QSOs today, including 2 US stations, and a repeat contact with Russian RA3PA.

spotted a quirk with QRZ.  if the station isn't registered, then the address obviously isn't in the database.  yet there's still a distance given..... I ASSUME that this is the middle of the country?  dunno, but the stations working from outside their own country with another national prefix still get a distance on QRZ.......

anyway, several times over the last few days I've heard KB2UZY calling CQ and handling pileups.  I'v tried but not got through.  today, I had my CQ answered by a KB station and fed the call into QRZ and lo and behold a bunch of photos that look very familiar!!  Nice one!!

YU175SB	Serbia
DF9JL	Germany
F1FJR	France
PD0LDX	Netherlands
PD4K	Netherlands
ON5LS	Belgium
OZ1CIW	Denmark
LA3CSA	Norway
KB2UZY	USA MA
PA3BOH	Netherlands
I1OOU	Italy
PD0MNF	Netherlands
ON3KP	Belgium
SM5CQR	Sweden
YO9APK	Romania
DF1JM	Germany
DF8VP	Germany
DL8FFI	Germany
F4EOP	France
IW2NYG	Italy
IZ5OHJ	Italy
PD2ND	Netherlands
PA2FBN	Netherlands
ON5PK	Belgium
DJ7BS	Germany
K2WY	USA NY
RA3QPK	Russia
DJ4OA	Germany
DN5NC	Germany
OH1JTL	Finland
CT/SM5XW	Portugal
IZ2YJK	Italy
DF2NH	Germany

and the top ten distance chart has two new entries!

PT0S	St Peter & St Paul Rocks	3943
KC9KBB	USA IL	3869
W8PT	USA OH	3414
5N4EAM	Nigeria	3372
RC9O	Russia	3297
N2NC	USA NJ	3206
K2WCT	USA NJ	3184
K2QBV	USA NY	3152
K2WY	USA NY	3096
KB2UZY	USA MA	3052

US states worked chart is as follows.....

WB1GQR	USA VT
W8PT	USA OH
K2QBV	USA NY
K2WY	USA NY
N2NC	USA NJ
K2WCT	USA NJ
KB1CSI	USA NH
KB2UZY	USA MA
K1RAW	USA MA
KB1VXH	USA MA
W1KBN	USA MA
KC9KBB	USA IL

So, thats 7 worked. 

only 43 to go!!

Not a record breaking day, but a load of  good QSOs around Europe.  I dropped down onto 40m for a while and had my CQ answered by MX0SSW which was a teacher in a school radio club.  it was approaching break time and he asked me would i mind staying around and talking to a few newly licenced m6 kids..... OF COURSE I would!  great kids and of course I filled an envelope with QSL cards to send off IMMEDIATELY!!

PD1RA	Netherlands
DJ1ND	Germany
DF1QA	Germany
IZ8PNF	Italy
CT1GTP	Portugal
PA3ATD	Netherlands
DC6FW	Germany
PD1BM	Netherlands
MX0SSW	England
M6CWW	England
M6LPN	England
LA7RHA	Norway
OZ6LN	Denmark
DL9GUL	Germany
DG8OP/M	Germany
PD3TRU	Netherlands
ON5GQ	Belgium
F7BBD	France
IK8TGH	Italy
LY8BV	Lithuania
IZ3TXM	Italy
DL3MN	Germany
IZ3XKU	Italy

only a little time on the air today, but it was competition day again and there were a million stations screaming out and then swamping each other with QRM.

I had a few chats here and there, but I did answer a few of the contest folks.

last weeks contest had a number that had to be given, which was the number of QSOs that that station had had in the competition so far.  I answered one of the contest CQs and gave my call and a number I made up just to keep him happy.  he said I was wrong!!!  didn't I mean 27?  apparently this weekends competition wanted you to add your ITU zone.  ho hum!

any way, today's QSOs listed below.

UR5ZFU	Ukraine
DL9KT	Germany
OZ8CTH	Denmark
DL7DON	Germany
DK4WO	Germany
RA3QPK	Russia
F5OBI	France
WB1GQR	USA VT
N2NC	USA NJ

and the distance top 10 has yet another new entry!!

PT0S	St Peter & St Paul Rocks	3943
KC9KBB	USA IL	3869
W8PT	USA OH	3414
5N4EAM	Nigeria	3372
RC9O	Russia	3297
N2NC	USA NJ	3206
K2WCT	USA NJ	3184
K2QBV	USA NY	3152
K1RAW	USA MA	3000
KB1VXH	USA MA	2996

and WB1GQR makes it to #12.  I'm getting further all the time!

some competition on today with loads of stations calling for the rubber stamp QSOs.

Somehow I managed to get a couple of nice chats with folks through the mayhem.

todays contacts....

DJ3ST	Germany
LA8MOA	Norway
DD9WL	Germany
EA4EED	Spain
PA0AWZ	Netherlands
PD1TV	Netherlands
ON5YS	Belguim
DK7IF	Germany
9A5D	Croatia
UT3QD	Ukraine
RC9O	Russia
DL41AL	Germany
RC6U	Russia
F4GHB	France
PD0GBS	Netherlands
IZOTTE	Italy
LY2BIS	Lithuania
OH1WZ	Finland

and a new entry at #5 in the distance charts!!

PT0S	St Peter & St Paul Rocks	3943
KC9KBB	USA IL	3869
W8PT	USA OH	3414
5N4EAM	Nigeria	3372
RC9O	Russia	3297
K2WCT	USA NJ	3184
K2QBV	USA NY	3152
K1RAW	USA MA	3000
KB1VXH	USA MA	2996
W1KBN	USA MA	2986

New kit!!

as mentioned yesterday I got a new antenna for the Baofeng handy.

Its a Diamond RH771, 40cm long and cost the princely sum of £3.99 inc post from ebay seller 

abeyerr

Took ages to get here, but if you can live with the wait, its a good antenna.here it is attached to the baofeng.

Next is a desk mic.  not a power mic, but a mic from a pager.  Its an Eagle, P658T PROP80.  it came with a 1/4" jack plug on it, so I had to fit a 4 pin mic plug and decipher the wiring diagram that I found on line.  it works well and I have had 3 QSOs with it and good reports on audio.

a good day with two new US states....

RX1A	Russia
DF4ZR	Germany
EA7JBD	Spain
F1JVY	France
SM6OID	Sweden
DK8PR	Germany
OH6ZS	Finland
HB9SBL	Switzerland
DC2AC	Germany
I2SIA	Italy
IK1QLA	Italy
YO8THG	Romania
IK1JNF	Italy
GI0MXT	Northern Ireland
K2WCT	USA NJ
KB1CSI	USA NH

so, 2 new entries in the distance top ten!

PT0S	St Peter & St Paul Rocks	3943
KC9KBB	USA IL	3869
W8PT	USA OH	3414
5N4EAM	Nigeria	3372
K2WCT	USA NJ	3184
K2QBV	USA NY	3152
K1RAW	USA MA	3000
KB1VXH	USA MA	2996
W1KBN	USA MA	2986
KB1CSI	USA NH	2966

I also got a new antenna for hew Baofeng handy.  14" long slim and flexible, and it doesn't get really hot when I use it!

Why is Ham radio great?

one of the reasons, is that every day is different.

yesterday, as dead as a dead thing.

only 3 QSOs after a whole day calling CQ.

IZ7YBG	Italy
IS0BSR	Sardinia
EA7AEQ	Spain

today?

only the morning and a world of difference.

F1VLZ	France
F8DWH	France
BD5ATP	Germany
DH2KK	Germany
YO8CHF	Romania
DL2AZ	Germany
LZ2LP	Bulgaria
DL1WER	Germany
PA4AE	Netherlands
US0GR	Ukraine
PD1ADK	Netherlands
DU5UO	Germany
DG4NEC	Germany
DK3FB	Germany
TF2MSN	Iceland
IZ2PG	Bulgaria

every QSO is good, but a new country is a little special, especially an Island.

a couple of days ago I heard a pile up on an Icelandic station where a million folks were trying to get through to him.  today, I called CQ and had an answer from TF2MSN. 

didn't recognize the prefix so I banged it into QRZ.com and was delighted to see it was an Icelandic station!

not only that, but.....

My Mrs and I are both teachers, and we see more people through a years work than most.  we see all sorts of names that folks have given their kids.  we've seen 'em all.  my kids go to school with Daniel Craig and Brad Pitts.

so, this Icelandic op, from the land of Vikings.......

was blessed with the MAGNIFICENT name of Odinn Thor.

20m contacts today

2 new US states, and a new SHORTEST QSO as well, only a mile away.

EA3DFZ	Spain
EA8TL	Spain Tenerife
DL9FCR	Germany
LX75RL	Luxembourg
EA7EQC	Spain
F5TZY	France
PD0RB	Netherlands
PE1RWY	Netherlands
DF6QB	Germany
LZ2SX	Bulgaria
UR5UB	Ukraine
OE5BVM	Austria
MI5JYK	NI
PA0AWZ	Netherlands
ON5ND	Belgium
DL4YAR	Germany
SM5MBP	Sweden
PD3R	Netherlands
HB9ROX	Switzerland
W8PT	USA OH
F6FLO	France
ON6VG	Belguim
UR3LL	Ukraine
UA3YHG	Russia
OE3EWI	Austria
OZ8CTH	Denmark
DK3WM	Germany
KC9KBB	USA IL
DK6AC	Germany
UA6BNC	Russia
RL3QI	Russia
OK1NG	Czech Rep
SM6GZA	Sweden
HB9LDR	Switzerland
UX2IQ	Ukraine
SM6VBZ	Sweden
IZ1SUZ	Italy

Some new entries in the top 20 mileage charts......

PT0S	St Peter & St Paul Rocks	3943
KC9KBB	USA IL	3869
W8PT	USA OH	3414
5N4EAM	Nigeria	3372
K2QBV	USA NY	3152
K1RAW	USA MA	3000
KB1VXH	USA MA	2996
W1KBN	USA MA	2986
RK9DM	Russia	2543
VO2NS	Canada	2412
RA6ABO	Russia	1977
UA1ORT	Russia	1936
EM4IFF	Ukraine	1920
UX2IQ	Ukraine	1916
EA8TL	Spain Tenerife	1907
EA8CNW	Spain La Palma	1895
RL3QI	Russia	1857
UR3LL	Ukraine	1794
UT7ZZ	Ukraine	1720.1
RK3DZF	Russia	1718

a few interesting contacts today/

the Azores, I HEARD a couple of weeks back, but today I made the contact.

next up was a special DXpedition station on a couple of rocks in the middle of the South Atlantic.

 literally. 

a pile of rocks. 

Even the seagulls give it a miss!

PR0S

Then a Russian station.  there's been a few, so another one's nice, but when I looked at the eQSL listing it was listed as Asiatic Russia, not European like the previous ones, so that was a nice suprise!

CU2ABQ	Azores
PT0S	St Peter & St Paul Rocks
RK9DM	Russia
PA4AE	Netherlands
I2GDA	Italy
HB9ETH/M	Switzerland
F1FIB	France
ON4BGI	Belguim
DL8QL	Germany
DL5DUZ	Germany
IK6FAW	Italy
DK3QH	Germany

the French station F1FIB was a repeat contact.

So, the top ten for distance NOW has two new entries.....

PT0S	St Peter & St Paul Rocks	3943
5N4EAM	Nigeria	3372
K2QBV	USA NY	3152
K1RAW	USA MA	3000
KB1VXH	USA MA	2996
W1KBN	USA MA	2986
RK9DM	Russia	2543
VO2NS	Canada	2412
RA6ABO	Russia	1977
UA1ORT	Russia	1936

2 new countries, one new US state....

DF5YA	Germany
DL9BDI	Germany
DG1KCD	Germany
F6BBD	France
LA9WNA	Norway
K2QBV	USA NY
DL3LN	Germany
F1NOK	France
UA1ORT	Russia
DL2FJ	Germany
PD5DX	Netherlands
I0IFO	Italy
IN0EHR	Italy
SP9CUZ	Poland
IW3QRM	Italy
IR1REU	Italy
VO2NS	Canada
Z36T	Macedonia

new countries are Macedonia, and Canada, new state is New York.

new top ten for distance?  3 new entries!

5N4EAM    Nigeria    3372
K2QBV    USA NY    3152
K1RAW    USA MA    3000
KB1VXH    USA MA    2996
W1KBN    USA MA    2986
VO2NS    Canada    2412
RA6ABO    Russia    1977
UA1ORT    Russia    1936
EM4IFF    Ukraine    1920
EA8CNW    Spain La Palma    1895

Funny old day today. 

K1RAW came in really early, far earlier than I would have expected......

then some Islands, EA8CNW on Las Palma in the canaries, F4FIB on Belle-ile-en-Mer in the Bay of Biscay
RK3DZF, a 10 year old operator in Moscow,  SK6RM, the Swedish radio museum, LY2BIS, my first Lithuanian station, 5N4EAM who now takes the record for distance at 3372 miles.

I was amazed at the spread of contacts.  Within about 15 minutes, I worked the Canaries, 1895 miles at 203 degrees; Sweden, 714 miles at 66 degrees; then Russia, 714 miles at 60 degrees. 

a real mixed bag where anything could happen.

and if that wasn't all nuts enough, an Italian station, IK1JUO recorded me and played it bak to show the quality of my transmission!  CRAZY!!!!

LY2BIS	Lithuania
SM6IOD	Sweden
DJ1TA	Germany
DH3RD	Germany
DL3BZ	Germany
IK2iGS	Italy
F4ETW	France
DL1HA	Germany
K1RAW	USA MA
SP3EWP	Poland
F1FIB	France
EA8CNW	Spain
SK6RM	Sweden
RW1AI	Russia
DL4FBW	Germany
RK3DZF	Russia
SP5ZBA	Poland
RW3SK	Russia
DM3KZN	Germany
EM4IFF	Ukraine
LA9VK	Norway
LX3JR/M	Luxembourg
SP3EWP	Poland
IK1JUO	Italy
5N4EAM	Nigeria
IT9DOQ	Italy