2013 DX

Jan

Feb
Good enhanced F2 to the equator - I wasn’t on every night but...:
18/2 - 21/2: Each evening I had 6W/HA0NAR in at some point in the “usual window” 17:00 > 18:00 but relatively weak as I was only on my single 6M7JHV @ 60’ (it was very windy here so my 4 * 7 array was locked down facing west).
22/2: I had both XT2TT and 6W/HA0NAR in for the usual window 17:00 > 18:00 Both peaked a real 599 on the 4*7 G0KSC array (“real” beam headings so I had to turn between them). XT2TT came in first around 17:00 with 6W a few minutes later. Both were in/out, usually alternately, for over an hour. Neither were new countries for me but 6W/HA0NAR was a new square so very pleased with that one:-)

A characteristic of the path is very deep slow QSB but with sudden loud fluttery bursts lasting perhaps 10-20seconds (no perceived Doppler on tone but visible on spectran). I have always assumed these to be aircraft reflections between Cornwall and Spain / Portugal as this is quite busy north/south airspace – but I have no real idea.

As for the propagation mode, both stations are pretty much on the Geomagnetic Equator or just slightly North of it. The path always opens up on the end of the Afternoon TEP slot. Again I have no real idea but think that it may be F mode via just the northern hemisphere F layer TEP enhancement area perhaps slightly tilted at that time. At least that accounts for the path to the “Olive belt”. From Cornwall I have a clear sea path down to Northern Spain and I’m sure that helps a lot;-)

28/2/2013 04:10 XE2AT heard CQing on EME - worked for new initial, new square and new EME DXCC

Mar
2/03/2013 05:36 TX5K eme for #218 - Lance is having a field day - literally.
04/03/2013 17:30 XT2TT and 6W2SC both 59 / 599 for 45mins
04/03/2013 21:30 PY1RO briefly 419
05/03/2013 XT2TT in again
06/03/2013 XT2TT and again
Some weak TEP / F2 openings to S and W Africa and one weak night TEP opening to S America
24/03/2013 worked Johan ON4IQ off the moon for country #39 on EME:-)
25/03/2013 worked F6BKI Jacques off the moon for country #40 on EME:-)25/03/2013 worked VK5PO John off the moon for a new VK state and new field PF
26/03/2013 worked OH6MIK Tuomas off the moon for country #41 on EME:-)
27/03/2013 Worked OZ4VV Finn off the moon for a new country #42 on EME:-)
30/03/2013 EARLY! Worked Greg SP3RNZ for country #43 on EME and Dave K8WW for a new initial

Apr
07/04/2013 Worked Dragan YT1AR for country #44 on EME
07/04/2013 Some TEP around 1600z V51YJ peaking 579 but very deaf:-( Also TJ3SN on ssb
10/04/2013 Late afternoon TEP from 1500z:
3B8CF in from 15:10 for 45 mins peaked 599
FR4NT nice chat @ 15:50 in for 1 hour peaked 59
3B8CF easy QSO @ 16:00 in for 45 mins peaked 599
10/04/2013 18:25 C5YK 59
10/04/2013 19:50 Diya Z81D in for 45 mins mostly S5 - S9+ (TAPE)
Lots of good EU Es almost every day for the rest of the month but no DX

May
02/05/2013 FR4NT 59+ 3B8CF 59+ for about 1 hour plus some weak ZS
04/05/2013 VK6OX, VK6KXW and YO2BCT worked for new EME initials
04/05/2013 VK0JJJ worked for #45 on EME and #219 DXCC 1st EME from Mawson Base way to go Craig
05/05/2013 FR4NT and 3B8CF in again in the afternoon LOUD also a few ZS - worked ZS6WN. Then big opening to S America from north UK and EU - sigs very weak here but worked LU5FF, PP5XX, PY2XB, CE2AWW and heard a few others. But no sign of ZP5 which I need.
Surprise of the night - was chatting to 2E0JJR briefly on 130 when ZP5SNA called me on SSB #220 TNX Shin (also later 599 CW QSO) Also worked ZP6CW a few mins later.
07/05/2013 D2EB 559 TEP at 22:00 late!
09/05/2013 D2EB again TEP weak 21:00
10/05/2013 D2EB 599 ! TEP 20:00
11/05/2013 D2EB 539 20:15 TEP
12/05/2013 Widespread Es across EU all day then, just as it was dispersing D2EB up to 599 @19:30 for about 35mins with good TEP note. (Note he is getting earlier each night) Also TR8CA (worked on CW and JT65A) and finally a nice long opening to Bruce ZD7VC before everything died.
13/05/2013 Europe wide Es again all day then FR4NT from 16:00 loud in W Country. D2EB 559 FROM 19:20 TEP then ZD7VC/B and ZD8VHF/B plus a BIG opening to PY LU, CX, and CE with S9+ signals but very selective.
14/5/2013 EU wide Es again from early morning with YI worked by the lucky few in N and E Eu mid morning.
16/05/2013 Good Es, brief 3B8 and some S America followed by an excellent night of EME - new initials:
ND0B, OH6MIK, N3XX, K8WW, ZL1RS ("long path" on my moonset - now worked both ways:-)
18/5/2013 EU wide Es again from early morning. excellent night of EME - new initials: YU7EF, HA0DU
19/5/2013 EU wide Es again from early morning. Razi YI3RZ into UK loud - I was not on:-(
21/05/2013 EU wide Es again
22/05/2013 EU wide Es again early evening SA inc
CLICK FOR MP3 AUDIO...
PP5XX(cw) PY2VA PP5XX(ssb) 9Y4D/9Z4BM PY1ON/G4RRA/GW7SMV SSB LU5FF then back to D2EB Pile
In EA8 31/5 - 7/6

Jun

In EA8 until 9th June
10/6/2013 Es all day - good to Carib evening
11/6/2013 Es all day - KP4 mid afternoon
12/6/2013 Es all day - YI1RZ good sig in morning but no QSO:-( good to Carib and some NA
13/6/2013 Es all day - good to Carib and some NA New EME country / initial - worked Pat 9A5CW Big late evening opening to NA - I was in bed
14/6/2013 Nice morning opening into UK for BA4SI but I was not QRV:-( Another big late evening opening to NA
15/6/2013 Nice morning JA opening - worked JL8GFB 559 / 579 on true heading for new Field QN :-) HEARD KG6DX! then Caribbean in the evening - HI, WP3, VP2V and 1 PY
16/5/2013 Caribbean again - FG, FM plus JW5 and JW6 beacons loud
17/6/2013 widespread EU Es plus FS/K9EL and NP4A
18/6/2013 spent the day on 4m (new to me)
19/6/2013 HV0A on 4m plus Caribbean in the evening: KV4FZ, VP2ETE, FG5GP, FS/K9EL, WP3UX
20/06/2013 JL8GFB in a gain for quite a while 559 rapid QSB, worked BA4SI plus Caribbean in the evening: VP2E, PJ4, HI3, FG4, FG5, WP4, FM5, PJ2
21/6/2013 BV2DQ heard but not worked 0950z plus Caribbean in the evening: FS, VP2E, VP2V,
23/6/2013 first signs of Jimmy V31IV a few seconds of CQ
25/6/2013 6V7SIX/B 579 @ 18:00z then contest so no condx!
26/6/2013 VP2V and NP3 in early 17:50z then died away. 20:00z> FS, VP2V, VP2E, FG5, 8P6 etc all good signals
Jimmy V31IV into I and CT first signs of a few seconds of CQ @ 21:00 21:21 V31IV 559/559 for # 221:-)
27-30/6/2013 big Es in EU

Jul
01-02/07/2013 Es around EU - some evening Caribbean but only traces of KG4
03/07/2013 Big Es around EU - big evening Caribbean from 20:00 but only traces of KG4 then at 21:54z a 30s opening with enough strength for a call over the EU IMIs and QRZs Yes! KG4RX in the log for #222 TNX Terry and Ken
09/07/2013 nice evening opening to S America 15 PYs worked - 1 new square
11/07/2013 big afternoon opening to N America 75 QSOs mainly CW - 1 new square then big N EU evening Es YL3IQ KO17 for SQUARE # 1000:-)
12/07/2013 another afternoon opening to N America
15-18/07/13 big EU Es on 6 and 4m (16/7 A92IO worked into UK on 4m)
19/07/2013 good evening opening to E coast USA
21/07/2013 4m contest 25 in log.
22-23/07/2013 some Es on 6 and 4m daytime
24/07/2013 very poor evening condx and no indicators but 9X0ZM Rwanda in / out on JT65HF - amazing for 100w and HB9CV - he came back to me with G8BCG -18 @ 19:07 but we did not complete:-(
25-26/07/2013 evening Es on 6m and 4m across EU
28/07/2-13 String of PYs on 6m cw and ssb
29/07/2013 woo hoo! finaly through all of the QRN and arriving at the end of a good opening 9X0ZM #223 in the log on JT65HF (though strong enough for SSB/CW) at 18:44z
30/07/2013 spent evening on 4m in contest - 49QSOs

Aug

01/08/2013 Good Es across EU on 4m.
2/3/4 Aug G3WOS 6m BBQ - during which the biggest openings to NA this year took place!!
05/08/2013 afternoon Es on 70MHz across EU
06/08/2013
07/08/2013 Big Es across EU all day on 50 and 70MHz
09-10-11-12/08/2013 some evening Es on 6 and 4m
14/08/2013 Woo Hoo worked Ran BV2DQ # 224 on EME with my moon below 2 degrees. See screen shots here
18/08/2013 Interesting opening to S America with CX1AA/B in for almost an hour. Couple of PYs heard and CT3 plus a string of CUs worked.
19/08/2013 Nice new initial eme QSO with VK5SIX with my moon below 4 degrees.
23/08/2013 Another new initial eme QSO with Rhett VK3GHZ in QF32se for a new field # 108. Copied J45EME but no QSO yet.
24/08/2013 hearing but not working J45EME:-(
25/08/2013 not a trace of J45EME on moonset but TNX Boyd HR9BFS for #225 on EME - textbook QSO also nice quick QSO with ZL3NW in 6 minute common MS/MR window.
26/08/2013 finally on last day J45EME for DXCC # 50 via the moon!

Sep
01/09/2013 SM7BKZ new EME initial.
04/09/2013 excellent EME conditions and 2 new initials: ZS6NK for DXCC # 51 via the moon (welcome back Paul) and KB8RQ
05/09/2013 no sign of 3B9EME - storms and power cuts
06/09/2013 still no sign of 3B9EME but a new EMEinitial with Larry W7IUV
19/09/2019 new EME initial with Jeff W7JW # 99 who will be #100?
27th watching for 3D2RA on my moonset and moonrise – nil. C5YK in around 18:30z then nice long TEP opening to S Africa ZS beacons at good strength ZS6A, ZS6NK, ZS4TX/6 (new square), ZS6IQ, ZS6AYE
28th watching for 3D2RA on my moonrise and moonset copied weak CQ with 9.8sec dT – moon lighting up with callers but no response.
29th watching for 3D2RA on my moonrise and moonset nil copy.
30th word via Lance that 3D2RA have damaged their PA. monitored at my moonset - copied W7GJ down to - 1.5 degrees but no sign of 3D2RA

Oct
1st Excellent EME condx - no sign of 3D2RA but worked Josh W6XU for EME initial #100 TNX Josh
4th-6th K5AND / W6JKV 6m DXers BBQ TX:-)
10th 19:00 ZD7 & ZD8 Beacons both in 539 plus FY7THF/B 319 for a few mins - no activity
11th-18th as EA8/G8BCG different world - nightly TEP to S America + TJ3SN for a new one and two new QRP EME initials W6BBS and W7JW plus another near miss with ZL3NW
22nd nice tropo for contest and some F2 - 38 worked in 1 hour inc ODX TN2MS JI55 for new square
26th good EME condx 3 QSOs

Nov
11th nice evening OH6MIK, HA0DU, K7CW, N3XX, S59A, OE9ICI on EME
13th XR0ZR for DXCC #226 and #52 on EME thanks to Josep EA3AKY for a good job under difficult circumstances.
17th 14:30 afternoon TEP with V51YJ and ZS6A both at good sigs
18th 13:30 - 15:30 BIG afternoon TEP ZS6A, ZS6RAD, ZS6AYE, ZS4N, ZS6JON, ZS6CCY, ZS6OB, ZS6RIC and at the end ZS6BTE on RTTY for my first ZS on 6 RTTY:-)
21st 14:00 afternoon TEP ZS6AYE and ZS6NK
26th - 10th Dec as EA8/G8BCG different world - nightly TEP to S America + 5V7TH and finally an EME QSO with Rod ZL3NW on 29/11.

Dec
2nd (As EA8/G8BCG) After missing a Pacific opening late on 1/12 (I went to bed!) I was lucky to catch a repeat on 2nd Dec and had ZL1RS in for over an hour - worked on CW and SSB then (after picking myself up off the floor) managed to get my iphone to do a recording of the signals for YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFB1csLa_ls
Also ZD8UW booming for several hours and having a ball.
4th (As EA8/G8BCG) Bet the ZD8UW (G3PYE) guys are pleased that they took 50MHz to ZD8 - booming and working into SA and Carib.
11th Dec - 21Dec Storms, flooding and 80mph+ gusts here in IO70 - main antennas locked down. Some Es around EU on 7ele (which I now know survives 80mph gusts at 60ft).