2008 CQ World Wide DX SSB | The Low Bands

Spectrum congestion? Zero sunspot count forces global CQWW DX SSB contesters to focus on 20m and low-bands like 40- and 80 meters. And a box score this weekend may depend on the top band, 160m? Twenty meters, on the other hand, may achieve spectral grid lock as signals compete for limited bandwidth. Such congestion may influence rate numbers without the influence of 15- and 10 meters. The high bands like 15m and 10m are sorely missed.

The abnormal bottoming elongation of Cycle 23 or the frustrating start/stop of Cycle 24 may influence global participation numbers this year. Highly motivated too motivated contesters are certainly packing the bands however the needed casual contester Qs may trend downward. Propagation effecting participation.

Global activity may well shift into the evening hours as casual contesters take advantage of low-band skip. Contest strategy may shift as multipliers increase in value per Q as rate trends downward. The difference might well be measured in multipliers this year instead of Qs. Search and pounce operators will see their value increase and yield greater score returns especially on day two.

Information availability such as packet, telnet, and live amateur radio scores (link) may improve situational awareness and decision making as well. However information accuracy on spotting networks such as packet and telnet may diminish returns if the data is unreliable. Spinning and listening maybe more efficient than diverting attention to the networks. Wet ware or brain biology may demonstrate greater efficiency when processing audio versus the networks?

Contest on.

2008 CQ World Wide DX Contest SSB | Rocks Stadium Earth

JUST OPERATE...

Ionospheric Radio Systems and Techniques | 28 April thru 1 May 2009

Some snippets from Ionospheric Radio Systems & Techniques (IRST) Edinburgh Conference technical scope--

• HF transmitters, receivers and antennas.
• Channel modelling and propagation forecasting.
• Spectrum management, noise and interference.
• Software radio, networking, interoperability and standards for HF systems.
• Ionospheric radio propagation modelling.
  

IRST (link).

73 from the shackadelic.

Cognitve Radio Blog | Emerging Networks

The future of wireless communication is here. And Emerging Networks Blog (link) is ionospheric. Follow this (link) to the Centre for Telecommunications Value-Chain Research (CTVR) as well.

Thinking radios? Intelligent antennas? Emerging Networks Blog is like over the horizon. Why?

Innovators Changing The World Of Wireless Communications.

• Focusing on fixed and wireless networks.
  
• Concentration on networks that are distributed or disaggregated while designing unified architectures. That is, the whole is the sum of its parts.
• Reconfigurability is generic manufacturing tailored to the needs of the customer thus effecting supply chain efficiency.
  
• Dynamic spectrum access and management drives reconfigurability.
  

Expand your knowledge and follow this (link). And the video rocks! Follow Projects (link) as well and watch additional videos. Genius.

Get Cognitive Radio.

VK9DWX Willis Island DXpedition 2008 Roars 82,380 Qs

Will (link) VP6DX Ducie Island DXpedition 2008 [183,686] Qs remain standing as a record?

VK9DWX Willis Island DXpedition 2008 continues pumping radio frequency (RF) into the ionosphere going into CQWW DX weekend. One sunspot (link) may stand between them and breaking VP6DX's record count. Will Helios cooperate?

Currently, VK9DWX (link) daily Qs trend downward however this might be an effect of weekday ham radio activity instead of propagation? However staggering weekend numbers are possible, given the major DX contest of the year, will fire up high frequency (HF) activity.

Propagation will tell the story.

Chase DX.

Keith, W4KAZ commented "I'd be hesitant to try to hoist even a two element beam in a small space. You may find it is a challenge."

Read comment (link).

I understand your point that a beam might not be ideal given my real estate situation. And the motivation to improve my signal is like a really bad itch. But, I will contact a local contester and brainstorm with him then survey the yard in front of our terrace.

I'm thinking along the lines of a DXpedition model for this location and vertical(s) are popular antenna(s) as well. And Moxon's book HF Antennas For All Locations has great motivational ideas.

Let's see what antenna(s) will follow as the CC&R DXpedition Model Project gets underway.

73 from the shackadelic.

KH6MB [Hawaii] Confirmed USPS

My first King Henry Six (KH6) QSL card arrived in the mail this afternoon. I'm beginning to catch something, what this something is, I do not know. But QSL is three letters summing up as ham radio fun. It is ham radio joy, on the other hand, when your SASE is waiting for you in the shackadelic.

Chase DX.

Don, AC7FA replied "I was very lucky and caught VK9DWX Saturday on 15M CW at about 2200Z."

Read comment (link).

Your comment captures the thrill of chasing a DXpedition like VK9DWX Willis Island. Every nerve is stretched, every filament in the ear drum listens, anticipation builds. Then the golden time arrives when strategy, operating skill, and station design converge. Your call sign propagates across the ionosphere thousands of miles at near the speed of light.

Seconds. Just seconds. Evaporate. And suddenly one is typing that confirmation RST into the logbook and hitting the enter button. The game of wit and skill is measured in mere split seconds. Does anyone shout out a big hoot after logging a DXpedition like Willis Island?

Don, stellar job using your operating skills, pile-up strategy, and station design consisting of 100-watts into a ground mounted vertical. Most excellent dude.

Chase DX.

P40V Confirmed USPS

My on-going DXpedition and/or DX QSL card collection expanded by one this afternoon. P40V finished the current P-Forty series and one more remains. Who might that be? My next series of self-addressed stamped envelopes starts with those Papa Japan (PJ) 1 - 9 operators.

Confirmed P40s.

• P40A
• P40V
• P40W
  

73 from the shackadelic.

Paul, K3PG commented "When I lived in my townhouse I had several small beams. My first was the HQ-1 Mini Quad..."

Read comment (link).

My idea is deploy the beam for DX contests for example CQWW and ARRL International. The doublet sandwiched between two condos drew attention however the antenna is packed away on Sunday afternoon. The supporting masts are stored along side the condo.

A small beam in the backyard would draw attention as well. However I'm meeting regulation because the antenna is not permanently affixed to any structure. Likewise I must keep in mind the visual impact and height is an issue.

But I'm willing to build out along the DXpedition model and learn from this process.

Antenna Suggestion.

• Hy-Gain TH-2MK3 (link).

Paul, thank you for your insight and suggestion. I contacted our local network of DXers and contesters who might have leads on portable type beams like Mosley's TA-32-JR (link) and Hy-Gain's TH-2MK3 (link). All the best.

Contest on.

Saturday Night Live With VK9DWX

I heard VK9DWX Willis Island 2008 (link) last night on 20m CW at 14.023 listening up 3 kilohertz. Better than normal propagation numbers helped my listening situation. But, when the dits hit the dahs, my signal comes down to antenna.

Their signal punched through and I configured the FT100 for split operation. Then I called VK9DWX in a 2 KHz wide pile-up. The competition was fierce. You could sense each operators determination to log Willis Island. Twenty meters definitely is the North American band of choice according to the statistics (link).

Disappointment only drives motivation. And I'm building out KA3DRR along the lines of a DXpedition model. The process takes time and in between is a whole lot of patience.

73 from the shackadelic.