2008 CQ World Wide WPX SSB

CQ WPX SSB 2008 is underway and I'm now checking Live Amateur Radio Contest Scores. According to WM7D's Solar Resource Page the solar flux indice (SFI) is 83, A-index 25, and the K-index is three. I haven't seen anything better than SFI 70 for a few months and an SFI 83 bodes well for the weekend. However the A-index is awfully high hopefully both the A- and K- numbers will drop throughout the day into tomorrow. Otherwise it's going to be a grueling weekend inside the headphones pulling out Qs from the ionosphere.

Band breakdowns are following the current SFI trend but one never knows what surprises 10-Meters will bring especially in close races. Overall, when looking at QSO production as a whole at Live Amateur Radio Contest Scores, it appears 20-Meters gets the call. The low bands 160-, 80-, and 40-Meters are paying QSO dividends for those who invested in their antenna systems. Marginal production on 15- and 10-Meters for those reporting at Live Amateur Radio Contest Scores.

The Multi-Multi Team in Griffin, Georgia NQ4I has their RadioSport webcam up and running. Also, one can leave questions and comments for the team as well.

Contest on.

Steve Hammer, K6SGH said "Glad to see you made it in the log."

Thanks Steve for your comment and the extraordinary team effort. I really enjoyed searching for the TX5C Clipperton Atoll DXpedition signal through the weekend. Just missed the operator on 17-Meter CW then it was time to dismantle the doublet. And many thanks for the new DXCC counter as well!

73 from the shack.

RadioSport--Eu

A hot email in the mailbox from Krasimir, LZ1GL and the results of the 2008 LZ Open Contest are now available. The LZ Open Contest Rules are available here and one can work the same station after a period of 30-minutes, interesting! Likewise, if one is thinking about contest clone exchanges, well, the LZ Open 40-Meter Sprint exchange is nowhere close. It's Bulgarian style with a King Kong punch.

Also, if one needs software to handle the contest check out Paul O'Kane, EI5DI's SD for Windows. His software is free and supports most high frequency (HF) contests.

Krasimir, LZ1GL sent out 2000 invitations world wide as well. The LZ Open 40-Meter Sprint is Bulgarian style with a King Kong punch of an exchange.

Contest on.

The Pile Up

The end of a gastric photographic essay better known as Scot's Rib-O-Rama. Bill, N6ZFO snapped the photographs with his mobile phone and followed up with an email. One rib remained and it's hidden beneath the pile up. It was one of those knock out meals. Additionally, I need to correct myself, the total postage for the VK9DNX QSL card was $4.50 not $7.50 as previously reported. I realized my error last night while relaxing on the couch watching Jeopardy. Pun intended. Furthermore, I did not use USPS instead opting for fuel savings and mailed the card out of a UPS store. The USPS main post office is across town from work. UPS charged an additional 10 cents for postage and ease of access. It's a nickel and dime trade off between postage savings and fuel. On the other hand, looks like the world of RadioSport is ramping up for CQ WPX SSB this weekend, and old Helios is spot on. Anyone broadcasting real-time audio this weekend? 73.

QSL?

I couldn't let the QSL buzz in the blogosphere go by without a comment. Jeff Davis, KE9V and Scott Herrick, K9JY got the ball rolling at their respective blogs.

The price of tradition is expensive. I mailed out my VK9DNX card about a week ago and paid $7.50 in total postage. The same price for VP6DX as well. The TX5C QSL will cost less because the QSL manager is stateside. However I willingly incurred $15 in QSL costs that didn't include the envelope, the photographic paper, ink, and time. The physical QSL card is reaching the point of diminishing returns unless I add intrinsic value to the card.

I concluded after working VP6DX that a DXpedition QSL card collection is intrinsically important for me. Today, for me, a card must have additional value above and beyond the tradition of QSO confirmation.

Both Logbook of The World (LoTW) and eQSL services satisfy my demand for a stateside QSL confirmation. Additionally, I do not subscribe to Bureau services as a result of electronically formatted QSL cards as well. But I do believe in preserving the QSL tradition and a DXpedition card collection meets my criteria.

I'm looking forward to hanging a few funny plastic sheets of DXpedition cards on the wall in the near future. Meanwhile, I'm checking the mailbox like that teenaged KA3DRR waiting for VK9DNX Norfolk Island DXpedition to arrive.

73 from the shack.

RadioSport--South America

Ed, PY4WAS recently announced the published results of the Manchester Mineira All American CW contest. Click here and download their snappy portable document file (pdf) for a good read. There was plenty of action in 2007.

Contest on.

HamSphere News

Kelly Lindman, SM7NHC takes HamSphere to the next level adding the following new features in the near future.

New Features.

• Built in logbook.
• Propagation and solar flux index.
• Maximum usable frequency index.
• CW module.
• ITU regions.
• Directional antennas and antenna options.

Kelly is taking a quantum leap forward and his plans?

• HamSphere RadioSport.
• Worked All HamSphere Countries and Continents (WAHCC).
• A QRP award.

Who knows what the impact will be as the HamSphere experience continues moving forward into the 21st Century?

73 from the shack.

Off The Random Wire (Week 25): King Arthur's Three Doo Ribb Ribbs

A quiet weekend listening for 9M6/N1UR DXpedition to Spratly Island. No luck but well worth the effort. I worked Texas on 30-Meters before sunrise on Saturday morning. My signal report was 459 before QSB plunged the W5 signal below the noise floor. Not much activity however this was a holiday weekend and I worked ham radio in between chores. It's time to sink myself into the couch with a good magazine. Radio Dawg, on the other hand, is gnawing at bone and the above photograph explains itself. Have a groovy work week from King Arthur's Three Doo Ribb Ribbs.