9785 Miles per Watt Award - NAQCC award

 Below is my best distance as a MPW Award.

9785 Miles per watt - EA6ACA ( Pedro) in the Balearic Islands

Just short of my target of 10,000 MPW by 125 miles.

I've got Europe quite a few times on 1 watt, but its always been between 8000 - 9000 mpw. I wanted to crack the 10,000 mile mark. However getting over 10,000 miles means I have to target a fine area.

This means the eastern seaboard of Spain/ Portugal/ Morocco or the Azores. The western side of Spain is under 10,000. So.. its a fine line. Once I crack the 10,000 MPW, then its time to turn down the power to 1/2 watt to increase my "mileage". Its my own personal challenge I'm having fun with I do from time to time when conditions suit. 

In the meantime, I'm building a new QRPp attenuator.

November's blog

 G'day all,

This month had its up and downs in regards to propagation up here in Far North Queensland. 

However, there were times when the noise level dropped and the chatter went through the roof. I did manage to get quite a few EU and US contacts, so it was great to receive a couple of QSL cards from them.  

 Dennis (W7WHO) in the mid USA

Roly (ZL1BQD) from New Zealand. 
You can catch his you-tube channel here
https://www.youtube.com/c/ZL1BQDRoly

Pedro (EA6ACA) from the Balearic Islands near Spain

I also just received a EQL card today from Zenji (JR1JWR) whom I contacted
back in 2023 using only 1 watt. 

EQSL card from Joel (F5VV)

 Since I last posted, conditions in Far North Queensland haven't been particularly favourable for QRP at times, but every now and then the band opens up. 

Early Oct, I managed to have a QSO with Joel (F5VV) in France, which was good. There were other Euro stations (Germany and Sweden on the air at the time, but I just couldn't quite get thru at 1 watt, so I cranked up 5 watts. (LOL). 

Anyway.. thanks for the EQSL card Joel. All the best. 73's

EQSL card from JH2UNG

 It was great to receive a card from Andy (JH2UNG) this morning, my first contact for the month. Typically I go QRPp to Japan, but with propagation not the best at the moment and Andy's signal strength was around 329,  I bumped up the power to 5 watts. I just got thru !!

 

Anyway, at least I got one of the month, so it wasn't a doughnut month.

Hopefully.. next month will be better

QSO-A-Day Award

  For the month of April (1st to the 30th), I decided to go for the QSO-a-Day award. At the same time I was also going for the KMPW award,so going for the QSO a day award made sense. 

During the first half of the month, it was relatively easy as propagation for "local" and DX was great. The band were hot up here in Northern Australia. However during the last week, propagation began to fall apart. It was tough just trying to get a contact, even at 5 watts. 

Anyway, after much perseverance and at times frustration, I managed to get there.

Personal "All Bands QRPp 1 watt Challenge" for April

 I decided for the month of April I wanted to crank down to 1 watt (QRPp) and see how many contacts I can get on each band (10m down to 40m)... just for fun and a challenge.  

Everything outside the circle is a QRPp 1 watt 1000 MPW award

One of the programs I like to use to see if I'm getting out is the "Wideband Shortwave Radio Receiver Map (http://rx.linkfanel.net/). This way I can tell how far and how well received I am around the world or locally. Great tool.
------------------------------------

NOTE:

All contacts are done by either 

1/ Calling out "CQ"

2/ Answering a "CQ"

3/ Hearing a QSO taking place which is about to close and on doing so, I give my callsign, hoping they hear me

------------------------

Anyway, here's my results so far (updated 12th Apr 2024)  

10m band

1/ - ZL2BFQ - Levin -       2321 MPW
2/ - VK1RF -   Canberra -  1192 MPW
3/ - VK2ARZ - Sydney -    1086 MPW
4/ - ZL2BLQ - Greytown - 2344 MPW
5/ - VK5LA -   Berri    -      1158 MPW

6/ - VK3HY - Melbourne - 1353 MPW

7 -  VK5CZ -  Clare -          1169 MPW

8/   VK2IO  - Sydney -       1110 MPW

9/   VK2IO  -  Sydney -      1110 MPW

10/ ZL2BFQ - Levin -        2321 MPW 

11/ ZL3BO -  Ashburton     2311 MPW

12/ VK7GN - Rosney Park - 1690 MPW

13/ ZL3BO -  Ashburton     2311 MPW

15m band 

1/  - VK5GG  -     Adelaide -           1254 MPW
2/  - VK2EBN -    Newcastle -      1072 MPW
3/  - VK2BHO -   Warilla -            1164 MPW
4/     JJ1FXF -      Yachimata -       3745 MPW
5/     YB8RVI -    Manado -           1982 MPW

6/ -   VK2ARZ -  Sydney -            1086 MPW

7/ -    JG2LGM -  Japan -              3701 MPW 

8/  -   XV9G    -   Vietnam-            3275 MPW 

9/ -    JF2IWW -   Japan -              3710 MPW

10/ -  YB8RVI -   Indonesia -        1982 MPW

11/ -  HL1UA    - South Korea-     4068 MPW

12 /-  VK2IO  -    Sydney -            1110 MPW

13/    XV9G         Vietnam -           3275 MPW

14/    YJ0VK -     Vanuatu -           1456 MPW  (DX expedition)

15/   DL2DXA -   Germany           8987 MPW  (My best distance yet !!!)

16/   JF2IWW -    Tsu  city             3710 MPW

17/   JA1WAV     Japan                  3770 MPW

20m band

1/ - VK2ARZ - Sydney -          1086 MPW
2/ - VK7AB -   New Norfolk - 1693 MPW
3/ - VK2IO  -    Sydney -          1110 MPW
4/    VK7BO  -  Tasmania -       1598 MPW
5/

40m band 

1/   VK2GD -   Oxford  -        2297 MPW
2/   VK2KI -    Yass -              1155 MPW
3/   VK5CZ -   Clare -             1169 MPW
4/   VK2AE -   Sydney -         1118 MPW
5/   VK2IO -    Sydney -         1110 MPW 

6/   VK2DLF - Sydney -         1110 MPW

7/   VK4JM -    Brisbane -        783 MPW
8/   VK7TA -    Tasmania -      1585 MPW
9/   VK5GG -   Adelaide -       1254 MPW
10/ ZL3TK -    Waitārere-       2314 MPW

11/ VK5CZ -    Clare -            1169 MPW
12/ VK2NAP - Marrickville - 1124 MPW

13/ VK2GBR - Adamstown -  1072 MPW

15/  VK1TE   - Pearce -           1195 MPW 

16/  VK2IO -    Sydney -         1110 MPW

17/  VK7TA -    Tasmania -      1585 MPW

-----

EQSL card from R0MR

 Scanning around, I heard Bilas from Russia calling out CQ on 15m. Cranking up 5 watts I gave a quick reply and it was good to see that he came back and gave me a 559 with my 5 watts. After a brief exchange of the usual.. power/ rig/ antenna etc, we said our 73's. 

Thank Bilas for the eQSL card

Until next time
73's

EQSL card from JS1DEH

It was great to receive a eQSL card from Yu (JS1DEH) on 15m.
Hearing YU calling out CQ just above the noise floor, we still managed to make contact. However, unfortunately we had to keep it short due to QRM. 

Thanks for the card Yu.

EQSL card from VK3AUQ

 It was great to receive a eQSL card from Kevin (VK3AUQ). There wasn't too much on the 10m band at the time, so hearing Kevin calling out was great. Unfortunately we had to cut it short do to my XYL calling for a hand with a job.

Thanks for the card Kevin.

I just killed my 41 db step attenuator - whoops

 

Mucking around last night on 20m, whilst tuning up I smelt this faint tinge of smoke in the air. Looking around the equipment, I couldn't see anything so I continued eventually powering up to 100 watts (SSB). 

Later that evening, I decided to go down to 1/2 watt (CW) as I heard this loud station and thought maybe I could get him. After going down to 5 watts on the Icom 7300, I switched on the Attenuator and ...nothing. No power. After a bit of clicking the switches on and off (they can get "sticky" at times) I then realized that it was switched on when I went up in power previously. Whoops....I just FRIED it. 

I had a feeling this was going to happen sooner or later with those push button switches. They are just too small and finicky and can get stuck "on" due to being "sticky"

Anyway... time to build a new one. Only better

Here's a couple of good sites out there on the web regarding attenuators. 

https://www.pasternack.com/t-calculator-pi-attn.aspx

https://a29.veron.nl/hams/pa1b/

I also had a look around on you tube for a few ideas and found WV2YAU who had build his own. It looked nice and robust with good switches. He uses 1 watt resistors which is good for 1 to 2 watt tx power output,  but I'll use 2 watt resistors (better suited for the 5 watt output of my TX). Overall.. a nice unit

Anyway.. made a list of the required parts. Stay tuned

My Old Kenwood TS-140 finally died

 Over the past few weeks, I've been having issues with my old Kenwood TS-140 and after pulling it apart numerous times, it's finally kicked the bucket. (its now 35 years old, so time to upgrade).

What I didn't realize is that its been on it way out for a long time. So many times I would be speaking to other hammies whereby they would be hearing Europe/ USA or whatever and on my end..nothing.

At first I thought it was my antenna, So after building new antennas one after the other, it wasn't until recently that I realized that the old Kenwood was dying. 

So time to buy a new TX.

After looking around and speaking to a mate of mine... Graeme (VK5GG who has one), I finally decided on the Icom 7300. Why? Most radio's have a minimum power output of 10 watts, whereby the Icom goes down to 1 watt. If I want to go QRPp, I can simply use my attenuator.

Anyway. its now on order and I should be able to receive it mid Feb/ end Feb when they come back in stock. Until then.. I'm off the air