An amazing weekend for 136kHz activity.
Stations worked here using normal speed CW:
Friday 12/3
G3LDO (07.52UT: he was 599, gave me 589), EI0CF (15.52: 599, 569), G3KEV
(16.03: 599, 599), OH1TN (20.09: 579QRN, 569).
Saturday 13/3
PA0LQ (08.04: 569, 569), G3YMC (10.19: 559, 599), GW4ALG (10.54: 579, 599),
EI0CF (11.34: 579, 559), F6BWO (12.20: crossband - he was 589 on 80m, gave
me 559 on LF).
Sunday 14/3
LX1PD (10.16: 579, 559QRN), G0VSJ (10.37: 569, 569), EI0CF (10.57: 579,
559)
DJ5DI (15.56: 459QRN, 459QRN).
I was on a course close to home on Friday, so I had more time than usual to
operate in the early morning and late afternoon. Finbar was a massive signal
from the "QRN-free location", actually reading S9 on my meter and only a few
dB weaker than Mal, who joined us for a 3-way. Static levels were high again
in the evening, but the contact with Reino was absolutely solid as his sigs
were comfortably above the noise. Interestingly, he reported that there was
no static QRN in Finland at that time.
Saturday morning activity was very low indeed and I put out many unanswered
CQ calls. Harry replied to one to provide our regular weekend chat, with
Dave
and Steve also joining me on a lonely band - where were you all, conditions
were excellent! Later Finbar called from home with a still-very-fine signal
and reduced local noise, so we were able to have a good contact. I then put
out a number of 'crossband' CQs and was very pleased to make an excellent
contact with F6BWO (Jeff in Chaumont using a small loop, preamp and
converter
into an R4C receiver) at a distance of 675km. At 16.53UT I discovered Mal
working OZ1KMR at the bottom of the band. I copied Henrik's QTH as Vandruw,
but can't find that in my atlas. He peaked RST-549 here, but had local noise
problems and was struggling a little to copy Mal. Afterwards I gave him a
call higher in frequency, but as expected he didn't reply.
On Sunday I had a sked with I5MXX at 09.00UT, so got up just after 08.00.
When I switched on at 08.09UT, I immediately heard Marzio calling CQ at
RST-449 - I spent the next 15 minutes calling him at the end of each call,
but without any luck. At 08.25UT HB9ASB began calling CQ 100Hz lower, so I
moved down and called Toni for a change. This caused a problem, as Toni
heard
me but I was too weak for him to copy, so we struggled away for ages with
Marzio calling CQ just above us!
Sorry I didn't change to QRSS when you asked me to Toni, but the PC wasn't
set up - you peaked RST-569 whilst you were calling QRZ. At 09.00UT Marzio
began calling me specifically a number of times, peaking 559, but was unable
to hear my replies - frustrating or what?!! I made a marvellous casette
recording of Marzio calling me with Toni calling CQ, both at the same time!
Eventually I gave up and had some breakfast, returning to a quiet band. More
CQs raised nothing and I began to wonder if something was seriously wrong
with the TX. Then LX1PD appeared on the band beaconing and calling CQ. Lots
of stations suddenly appeared calling Jul, including PA0AWN (10.00: 559, a
new station to me), but I didn't hear anyone work him so I put out some
calls
myself whilst I listened back to my cassette. Only half concentrating, I was
stunned to find Jul had moved up the band and was calling me! I expected a
real struggle, but in the end we had an easy QSO with Jul giving me a good
report, although he did say he had a high local noise level. Excellent: my
10th country 2-way on 136khz.
A little later I was called by G0VSJ (Phil in Shifnal, another new station
for me and a little unused to LF operating) and then by Finbar who was again
an excellent signal from home. Being Mothering Sunday, I had more important
things to do for a while! At just before 16.00UT when I returned, the band
was full of loud static, but a single CQ raised a reply from DJ5DI. Copy
deteriorated, but we managed to complete the contact without too much
trouble.
Certainly a memorable weekend!
Regards John G4GVC near Leicester, IO92JP
** TX: Synth + 400W RF from modified 'G3YXM' Mosfet PA **
** RX: TS-850S with 3 x CW filters and 0.5ppm TCXO **
** Ant: Inv-L 60m long, 6m high at feed end, 12m high at far end **
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