Click for previous years 1999 - 2021

Jan


28th Nice to work Johannes TY5AB in Benin for DXCC Country # 126 on satellite - he was working by numbers but many idiots who don't listen / can't count.

Feb
3rd Worked CX/PR8KW right on edge of QO-100 satellite footprint for DXCC#127 Obrigado Gustavo Satellite is 0.5deg elevation!!
7th 50MHz TEP season has started! Afternoon EA to ZS and evening EA/CT to PY LU CE.
9th Good news for dark sky enthusiasts!!! GEOMAGNETC STORM BRINGS DOWN STARLINK SATELLITES: As many as 40 Starlink satellites are currently falling out of the sky--the surprising result of a minor geomagnetic storm last week. This is a cautionary tale: Even relatively mild space weather can have big consequences. Reentry videos and more @ Spaceweather.com.
10th Many weak FT8 traces here during intense CE / LU opening to CT 21:00z - no decodes and no flags yet.
17th Worked Z21A in Zimbabwe on QO-100 satellite for DXCC#129:-)
23rd Worked RA2FGG Kaliningrad on QO-100 satellite for DXCC#130:-)

Mar
3rd Right on the edge of S American evening TEP now but PA and antenna issues here:-( However, a new country ZB2 for DXCC #131 on QO-100 in compensation:-)
16th Quite a month so far: still on the edge of the daily TEP to S Africa and S America but managed to scrape a couple of PYs on FT8. Also worked JG1TSG and YB2MDU on EME - so my somewhat bent array is working again after recent storms:-)
20/3 - 3/4 a short holiday on North coast of Tenerife IL18RK. IC-705 and 10m / 6m wire dipoles on hotel balcony and about 1-2w FT8 before dinner in the evenings:-) 50MHz 28QSOs 7DXCC: CT EA EA6 EA8 FG HC PJ4   28MHz 13DXCC 52QSOs

Apr
5th - back from EA8 but just too tired to play radio in what seems to have been a very significant evening TEP opening to S America from here.
6th I was QRV so conditions poor - except for a 30min opening to D44 whilst I was on the phone;-)
8th Worked RA2FGG Kenya on QO-100 satellite for DXCC#132:-)
11th An evening on the edge of 50MHz TEP to S America - huge QSB. These 50MHz sigs from Brazil on my quadband white stick at 10ft on the workshop!!
200415 -7 0.1 357 ~ G4IFX PY5EW R-15
201215 -16 0.3 2343 ~ CQ PY5HOT GG46
201615 -4 0.1 742 ~ F4IRT PY5EW -17 !!!
AND on my single 6M8GJ on the hill worked CE2SV, a string of PYs and two ZPs. Heard and was called by several LUs but didn't complete due to QSB,
23rd  INTERNATIONAL MARCONI DAY at the Marconi Lizard Wireless Station Bass Point  Using GB4LD IN79jx. Good interest from visitors and some nice results results on the QO-100 Satellite.
Total Contacts with other Amateurs "QSOs" 161
Total Countries contacted "DXCC" 34
The GB4LD “message” was exchanged far and wide via QO-100! - From Svalbard to South Africa and from Indonesia to Brazil
It would have been great to contact the hams on the German Antarctic Research Station for an Arctic / Antarctic double ! Unfortunately they had work to do so couldn't play ham radio.  

May - as the Es season kicks in I will not be reporting fully here - just highlights
2nd - Nice surprise 50MHz opening to Argentina and Brazil tonight. Was at home watching TV when Lucas LU1FAM calling CQ popped up on my remote desktop link from the shack. Jumped in car and drove up to VHF shack, started generator and worked Lucas and 3 other LUs on an otherwise dead band. Happy to give Lucas a new DXCC. Then a shed load of Brazilians 195415 2 0.1 888 ~ G8BCG PY1EME R+23 !!!!!!- loud - 8 worked and another 6 or so heard. many PY very loud and worked by single yagi lower power Gs.
3rd - 13th - In EA8 with a dipole - always open to somewhere:-)
14th - 15th Es all day and TEP to PY/LU in the evening with a hint of Carib. Strangely nothing for S Africa yet - though TR8CA worked (he had a pileup to N America)
16th-20th Es all day and finally some afternoon TEP to 3B8, 9J2 and 7Q7 on 20th . "Usual" Evening TEP to CE/CQ/PY/LU at variable levels.
23rd Busy so missed 7Q7. Flags from FR5 but no QSO. Then a fun evening or TEP C5C and ZD7s loud plus many PYs, and a selection CE LU, ZP for 9 new squares:-)
24th It just gets better. On the edge of a morning JA opening. Worked several BY stations. The one that got away was E Malaysia 9M6NA :-( "Usual" evening opening to PY / LU but Carib over my head to EU.
25th Quiet to JA, widespread EU Es, quiet to S America but 7Q7 in the log and immediately cfm on LoTW
27th JAs in the morning Ex all day, CE.LU,PY evening and then some great AuEx to OX long after my bed time

June - I will not be reporting fully for June - too much info! - just highlights
During June 2022, I will from time to time use the Special Callsign GQ8BCG to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II  - station details are the same as G8BCG
1st Es are good! Nice late afternoon opening to NA with massive signals on SSB from the VO1 gang. Open continued all evening and extended to whole Carib + TI HC and HK giving many a few new ones. Band still roaring when I gave up at 23:00z
3rd Another good evening to the West - took my total to 98DXCC for 2022. Heard by TG9AJR - but not worked:-(
4th -6th Big Es across Eu and out to W Coast NA.
7th A strange morning with pin-point multi hop Es 9M4BCN W Malaysia in the log for DXCC#100 since 1st Jan. 4L Georgia for #101
8th Another strange morning with pin-point multi hop Es BV Taiwan #102 and VK8 Australia NT in the log - both at good strength and on a relatively quiet band. Also open from mid-morning to North America. Uzbekistan UK8FF #103 and Moldova ER5GB #104 also worked.
9th DU6/PE1NSQ Philippines #105 TK5JJ Corsica #106 SU1SK Egypt #107 3A2MW Monaco #108 plus of course EU all day, JA and Asia most of the morning, NA all afternoon/evening and the odd LU HC HK to add to the fun.
10th DS2JJV #109 - EK1KE Armenia - #110
11th JY1CE Jordan #111 - A71AE Qatar #112 - SV5ANK Dodecanese #113 - a41dx Oman #114 - j69ds St Lucia #115 - J35X Greneda #116 plus a never ending opening to NA, Carib etc about 100 US QSOs. Also a lot of fun all over EU on 70MHz with just a vertical. Nice to see 6m full from end to end all day with CW, SSB, Data and Beacons - let the good times roll!
12th Multitasking jobs and a loooong day on 6m. Band open from 6am (05:00z) [Asia] until beyond 1am (24:00z) [W Coast USA] when I just had to sleep!!! My hill top shack generator was flashing a low fuel alert for the last 6 hours (and so was my stomach). A92GE Bahrain #117 ET3AA Ethiopian #118 and C31CT Andorra #119 in the morning, JX/LB4MI Jan Mayen (CW!) #120 and KL7HBK Alaska #121 in the afternoon – wow - Best W Coast opening I can remember in 40yrs with 7 new grids. 195 non-EU mainly mid-west to W coast USA  QSOs The Magic Band!!!!
13th Band resting until 16:30z then suddenly XE3N came back to my tentative CQ DX:-) The band had been awoken! Fairly good Carib / C / N America opening on FT8 until around 22:00z. V31MA Belize #122
14th A quieter day - a handful of JAs in the morning, PYs and Carib in the evening KP2BH US Virgin Islands (rare:-) #123 Band died at around 2040z
15th A couple of dozen JAs for breakfast then 3B8FA Mauritius #124 (FR4OO also on but missed here). Then not QRV again until early evening - nice mid west + Carib and HK HC opening plus VE6TA in DO33- couple of new squares and many old acquaintances. Quit early at 22:15z band still roaring.
16th A woo hoo morning - early start on a quiet 50MHz band - then from nowhere Australia VK3BD followed by Nepal 9N7AA for new DXCC #264 (#125 in 2022) later 9G5AN Ghana #126
17th A fun day. >400 6m QSOs incl 35 JA and 45 NA for a few new squares taking total to 1365 and 136 fields.
18th Big contest weekend - conditions? you must be joking?
19th Strangely satisfying to work BV, BY, JAs, Middle East and Carib on 50Mhz FT8 whilst Contesters struggled on CW/SSB with poor Es across EU;-)
21st LX1JX Luxembourg #127 in 2022
24th EY8MM Tajikistan #128 in 2022
27th Early start for #129 in 2022 OJ0MR Market Reef from home on vertical . A late afternoon Woo Hoo - Country / entity new ATNO DXCC#265 #130 in 2022 on 50MHz and a good one - 70/DL7ZM Yemen. Also nice to work #131 in 2022 FP/KV1J St Pierre et Miquelon at 1940z on what seemed like a dead 50MHz band. A stream of XEs plus Carib and HC / HK followed for a fun evening - still going when I stopped at 2100z
30th Z6XX for #132 in 2022

July
1st My birthday:-)
1st - 4th Not very active except for multiple (failed) attempts to work JD1BQI on EME or Es:-(
2nd JW7QIA for #133 in 2022
5th Finally worked my first ZS of the season - TNX Paul ZS6NK for DXCC # 134 this year
7th Wow what a day! Early QSOs with VU2YAP India for DXCC #135 in 2022 then HV0A Vatican for #136 in 2022.  I was then very fortunate to work Koji san JD1BQI on Ogasawara Island on 50MHz for country ATNO/DXCC # 266 #137 in 2022 and dozens of JAs. This was a contact via sporadic E / SSSP and very special as I had failed to work him several times during the past week via moonbounce. This afternoon amongst hundreds of NA stations I bagged 4U1UN for country ATNO/DXCC # 267 #138 in 2022
9th Back home from fabulous swimming / camping at Treyarnon Bay. Time for a fun evening on 50MHz TNX to Bo OX3LX for DXCC #139 in 2022 a new square and new field # 138 - GQ.
20th Nice opening to VK8 around 11:00z today. VK8AW widely worked across EU and by quite a few Gs. Gary came back to my CQ. VK8AW up to +2 and VK8RR -4. I also worked VU2ATN off the side of the beam:)
21st Morning JAs then lunchtime VK8, 9N7, VU2, several BUs plus AP2HA for DXCC #140 in 2022 and UA9MA for DXCC #141 in 2022
22/23rd Unsual morning JAs and many HLs
24th Nice late afternoon Carib opening HI, XE, ZF1, V31 etc. TG9AJR came back to my CQ and in for over 1 hour for DXCC #142 in 2022
26th I was not QRV but here are some of the DX sigs my monitor quad band "white stick" at home in the valley heard whilst I was asleep:
224745 -16 0.2 2408 ~ LX1JX PJ4DX
224815 -15 0.2 2408 ~ LX1JX PJ4DX RR73 (and many more)
225115 -13 0.1 821 ~ M0DEP FG8OJ 73
225115 -11 0.2 2405 ~ CQ PJ4DX FK52
225245 -16 0.3 946 ~ M0DEP YV5IUA -24
225845 -16 0.1 691 ~ CQ FG8OJ FK96
27th Big afternoon / evening Carib opening again including HC HK YV and all the usuals. HH2AA worked for  DXCC #143 in 2022
28th - 1st Aug at WOMAD

August
2nd Good afternoon opening to NA incl some West Coast CM / DM. Not QRV en the evening.
Lots of good Es and nice W Coast N America openings.Sat 6th Was particularly good with a nice opening from EI, G and some EU to Hawaii NH6Y via multi Es ( I was at BBQ!)

September
7th Was WooHoo (a radio technical term) - worked Lance as TO7GJ in Mayotte via 50MHz EME (moonbounce) for EME DXCC #100 and DXCC #144 in 2022 TNX Lance.

11th Another nice QO-100 portable "Heritage Day" operation from National Trust Marconi Lizard Wireless Station huts as GB4LD. A nice piece written by Geoff Bate G0FHT for the NT Volunteer area newsletter.
15th Nice surprise on 6m this evening XT2AW Burkina Faso for DXCC #145 in 2022
17th Managed to catch a nice afternoon TEP opening and worked ZS6WAB on 40MHz FT8 with signals good enough for SSB (not legal). Not bad for a dipole 5w erp. ZS6WAB ZS6NJ and V51 all good sigs on 50MHz around 16:00z

October
7th Early evening TEP to S America virtually every day at the moment and some good skew path to Carib.
8th ZS6WAB very loud on 40MHz this afternoon. Carib working Indonesia on 50MHz long path but nothing here. D60AE working widely across S EU and into Carib this evening but again nothing here.
10th 3B8 and FR4 late afternoon and an interesting evening with CE and PY plus V51 and D2UY for DXCC #146 in 2022
11th Not QRV but the magic continues Carib to Indonesia LP again and tonight 202615 -16 0.1 1586 ~ TT8SN E51WL -06 Is. Cook del Norte
13th OD5RAL (Lebanon) for DXCC #141 on QO-100
14th - 21st A weeks withour radio in the Amalfi Coast:-)
22nd - checking 6m antennas after storm:
TY0RU FT8 1st call #147 in 2022+ TZ4AM 599++ on CW #148 in 2022
23 /24th Amazing TEP/F2 continues TY0, TZ4, ST2 etc and 3B9 at S9+ around 12:00z on 24th!
I'm not very active at the mo!
29th 30mins in the shack late afternoon - TY0 59+ ZD7 peaking S7 on FT8 bothe worked:-)
31st early evening wide open to ST2 etc - 50mph gusts so antennas tied down here;-)

End of Es season 50Mhz summary :(@ 22/10/2022)

November
4th 6m wide open to Africa from about 09:00z. Togo 5V7RU in pretty much all day until about 17:00. Also J28, ST2, 7Q7, TT8, 9G, EL and the "usual" V51. There was also a big mid afternoon East-West equatorial opening from the Carib to Indonesia etc and out of the blue with my beam to the south I had about 5 mins of 143015 -15 0.2 1267 ~ 5V7RU YE9CDL OI71 on a skew path. 40MHz was also wide open with ZS6WAB/b 599. I managed a nice QSO with WM2XEJ EM83 and our GB3MCB beacon on 40.050MHz was also spotted in the USA. Great TEP to S America - S9 signals from LU CX PY on FT8 and PP5BK worked on SSB and CW on 50.115 for old times sake:-) Made a lot of CW and SSB CQs but....

5th Another fantastic day of TEP. The evening was pretty quiet but I had a "feeling" We came back from the 5th Nov Fireworks in Polperro and I decided to go up the hill and just check. On a silent band there was 7Q6M calling CQ at -15. I spotted and called him, he turned the beam from S America, he came up to -3 and we had an easy QSO!!! Pure TEP In for about 25mins - nothing else on the band.
 
December
 

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