Worked Taka, JQ2SIX, but......

 I worked Taka, JQ2SIX this morning but he was only 33.  He gave me a 55. QRN was down but band was very weak with "band noise" high.  Old man Barry, W9UCW has been MIA with a few exceptions for several months.  His wife Linda, W5TRV does manage to get him up and to the radio on rare occasions.  When the band is slightly better I have contacted JH4CES, Takai on 3796 a few times in the past several months.

The other usual suspects have been missing from the band for a year or more.  I have talked with Elvin, JA3CZY a few times on 20m.  He will try to be on 40 & 80m this winter.  

I am closing in on 100 countries confirmed on 160m.  Just about 14 more to go, which I should get this winter.  There was a nice 6m opening into Japan, China, and Taiwan on Oct. 4.  6m was open other days as well, but I was not there!  😕

If you read this please leave a comment, otherwise I will believe that I am (still) talking to myself. 

73, Jay, HP3AK (and rarely K1YJ)

Bad Numbers, Better 80m

 The numbers were bad for low band DX this morning, SFI 234, A22, K2 but JQ2SIX was coming through about S7. This was the best that I have heard him in more than 2 weeks.  Unfortunately my noise was peaking 10/9.  Lightning strikes within the first skip zone were about 2 per second...UGH!

I have been talking with my friend Randy, N9LTA in WI most weekday mornings on 14.152 + QRM from about 1230 until 1330 UTC.  With 313 worked and 291 confirmed overall my DXCC hunt has almost stopped.  I am looking forward to getting 15 more confirmed on 160m this fall and winter to complete 100 on 9 HF bands (no 60m in HP).

The dogs and I are still happy in Western Panama.  73.

Jay, HP3AK

Bah Humbug

 Well, not much to report.  75m continues to be poor.  Propagation has been weak for 2 or 3 years and there is no morning activity except for a small group of JA stations.  JQ2SIX was on today in my noise at 4x7.  Barry, W9UCW was also on.

Europeans are on in the evenings, but mostly working East Coast U.S. stations. 

Noise & More Noise - Poor 80m Conditions

The past few weeks have been brutal on 80m near my sunrise, around 11:15 UTC.  The lightning strike map for North & Central America has been lit up like a Christmas tree. Up to 10 strikes per second! 

Bobby, K7FX has been on 3796 almost every day listening and trying. I have been on most days and Barry, W9UCW / Linda, W5TRV have appeared several times.

JQ2SIX, Taka has been a regular and very patient with us. I cannot copy him through the noise on many days ... even at the sunrise peak. JK1CBO, Jin has a stronger signal with his remote station but is not on as often.  JH4CES, Takai is often on but the weakest of the three.

73 from HP3AK, "Real DX" 

Quiet Day Gone to Waste

The quietest radio morning in recorded history and NO one around.  The lightning count this morning was less than 4 per minute and the band was very quiet.  Too quiet as no one was on the radio.  At 12 minutes before my sunrise the Chinese radar came on, very strong, so propagation was good. 

On Tuesday morning the band was very noisy here and everyone was on.  W6UC, W9UCW, K7FX and others were active.  On Wednesday I got up early and nothing.

Happy Birthday to "old man" Barry who is 82 today.

73 & Merry Christmas,

Jay, HP3AK

Late Opening to JA on 80m

 I had a late opening to JA on 3796 KHz this morning.  JK1CBO and JQ2SIX came through beginning at 2 minutes before sunrise (1138Z).  They were peaking at sunrise. Then JH1HDT came through at 5 minutes after my sunrise 58-59.  Tad was still 59 at 14 minutes after my sunrise (1152Z).

Bobby, K7FX has been on again and his verticals are working well.  W9UCW and his wife Linda, W5TRV have been on some mornings.  It is very early in TX but I hope to hear them more often.  We were even honored by a visit from "Dr. DX", W6UC a few mornings ago.

Happy Holidays to all.

73, Jay, HP3AK "Real DX"

New DX on 3796 KHz

 If you are not on the air then you miss the DX!  I was pleasantly surprised this morning when Setsu, JL1UXH returned to my CQ DX on 3796.  It was about 7 minutes before my sunrise (1126Z) and he was 59 with light QRN.  I talked with our old friend Taka, JQ2SIX at 1115Z.

Linda, W5TRV, is doing her best to get Barry, W9UCW up and to the radio in the early morning in Texas.  So far, it is not working very well.

I have been trying to fix an old Ameritron AL-1200 amp that a friend wants to sell.  After about 10 miscellaneous repairs it appears that the tube is soft.  Only about 1,200 watts out for 100 watts drive on most bands.  He is moving back to Canada and it is impractical to ship the amp back to the U.S. or Canada.

So I am looking for a good used 3CX1200A7 tube for a decent price. So far, no luck.

73 from Panama

Jay, HP3AK

80m Improving ??

 Good conditions on 80m SSB this morning and on Tuesday as well.  My 3 loop delta array has been broken for a couple of weeks.  I fixed it yesterday and this morning I talked with Taka, JQ2SIX. He was 58 and gave me a 59.  The band is still noisy, but signals were good.  I heard VK2ZF 59 but he was busy with East Coast guys and then went QRT quickly.

Barry, W9UCW, got his receiving array fixed just in time to leave TX for a two week trip up north.  He and Linda, W5TRV, should be back on the band around the first of November.

We have had more rain, earlier than usual this year and much more noise in the mornings on 80m.  Much of the noise has been from storms in the Gulf and the U.S.  

73 from my corner of paradise.  Jay, HP3AK

Low Band Blues

I have not been on 75 / 160m every morning.  However I have been on enough to know that conditions are still bad in Panama. Yesterday I heard a VK on 3793 but could not raise him.  He gave one of the regular VE stations a 10/9.  I did work Stu, ZL2XC yesterday just before 1100Z on 3797.  He has been on a job, working all over the world the past several months.

I do hope that Linda, W5TRV can prod her OM Barry, W9UCW to get his repaired receive array relocated and rewired.  I miss them on 75m in the mornings.

Two different 5K0 stations in San Andres & Providencia were active on FT8 this morning.  I worked them on 160m and 30m for new "countries" on both bands.

I anyone is still reading this, drop me an email:  hp3ak@jaymills.org

73, Jay, HP3AK

A Welcome Surprise

 I got up a little late today and turned on the radio at 1105Z.  I was very pleasantly surprised to hear Barry, W9UCW and Linda, W5TRV on 3796.  It was great to catch up with Mr. "What broke today?" and his better half.  No DX other than myself.

Mike, W9MK was on also but it was too late for us to hear each other.

The 75m band was slightly less noisy than usual.  The noise has been brutal since spring time and I have worked very few DX stations for several months.  Even the regular JA stations seem to have given up.

73 and good DX,

Jay, HP3AK

Snooze = Lose

 75m was open this morning!  Worked LU5FC on 3799, VK2ON on 3796, and ZL2XC on 3793, all S9 /S9.  I didn't hear any JAs but the band was open to the south.  

Barry & Linda have had some antenna challenges as well as other issues.  I hope that everything gets back to normal for them so that they can join me in the mornings.  It's getting pretty lonely ...

I worked VK3XXY on 7143 a couple of days ago.  40m is filled with local, Central American, stations most days.

I hope that everyone is having a great summer.

73, Jay, HP3AK

75m Open to JA Today

 You snooze, you lose.  75m was open to JA this morning.  I worked JQ2SIX (R57,S48), JK1CBO (R58,S59), & JH4CES (R47,S47) all between 1100 & 1115Z.  

The band was noisy as usual with my static crashes up to S8, but with spaces between. 

Barry & Linda, W9UCW & W5TRV worked Chris, VK2SR & Nick, VK9DX on 40m yesterday - April 28.  Chris & I were hearing each other at 20/9 with 2 el. beams at both ends.

I sent email to Bobby, K7FX, yesterday.  I have not heard him in several weeks.

73 from Panama, HP3AK (Real DX)