Long overdue update

After a long bout of laziness, I decided that I need to update this blog again!
I will take a new photo of the station and post that soon as well.
I have a new 18" Laptop (Toshiba Qosmio, intel Core i7 - it rocks!), and a new Heil ProSet Elite 6 headset, footswitch, etc. This is making radio a lot more fun! I hated using the hand mic.

I have also now passed the 6500 QSO mark, and my QSL manager is up to date with all cards that had been received up to Friday 10 February 2012.

I upload my logs to LOTW about twice a week, usually just before, and just after the weekend.

I hope to take part in the ARRL DX CW contest this weekend. According to the LOTW records, I need three more states (Delaware, Nebraska and North Dakota) confirmed on LOTW to have the Worked All States done. Hopefully I'll manage these missing states the coming weekend.

DXCC standings are currently 125 countries worked, and 91 confirmed via LOTW. Not sure how many others might have been confirmed vir mail, to my QSL manager. Keeping in mind that I don't hunt countries actively (I just get on the air and work the masses), I'm quite happy with the results.

I'll be shuffling between two sites again from the end of March, when I return from my break.

I'll spend 3 weeks at the current camp (Grid: KH27tr), then three weeks at an exloration project in Kitwe (Grid: KH47ce). At the house in Kitwe there is a 20m high tower, that I'll be able to get some antennas on. I'll be putting up a permanent 80-10m Off-centre fed Dipole, like the one I have up at my present location.

I have been given a 3 element yagi for 6m, a Spiderbeam for HF bands, and a Spiderbeam 12m push up mast. This is on it's way to Zambia, and I'll be geting them up when I get back from my next break. I land back in Zambia on 20 March. So look out for a louder signal on HF, and hopefully more activity on 6m.

I have also got a digital interface, that I'm trying to get to work for digital modes, but I'm having a bit of trouble. Things sure have changed a lot since the days of my old PK-232 MBX (RTTY only!). I'll get some help with this when I'm on break.

There you go.... now people know what's happening in Zambia again.

Have a good week playing radio.

Chris

6m Virgin no more!

Last Sunday, I was chatting to John, ZS6JON on 20m. We had a nice long chat, and he told me that I should get a 6m antenna here in Zambia, because I'd be very popular.

Well, last night I had a great opening on 10m to the USA, and was on the air on 10m till about 19:15 UTC.

John had suggested that he usually puts his 6m rig on 50.110, and monitors that for openings.
After the last 10m QSO I decided to put the radio there, even though I only have an 80 - 10m Off Centre Fed Dipole, up about 12m, fed with RG58.

Imagine my surprise when I heard 9A2AA calling CQ the minute I tuned to 50.110!!

Well, to cut a story about a lot of fun short, I worked 88 QSO's with 14 different DXCC countries. Quite a few stations worked me on SSB and CW.

Stations sound "different" on 6m to me... I assume that's due to the different propogation encountered on that band.

At 20:40, as if someone flipped a switch, the band went quiet, and I went to bed.

This is fun! I'll really have to get a REAL 6m antenna. I better start hunting for a small yagi I can transport easily up here.

73

Chris

LOTW updated

Good evening,

I spend a few hours this weekend playing radio, but again not as much as I was planning or hoping to. Work (as usual), interfered with playtime!

Today I had to arrange the medical evacuation of a patient with appendicitis. He was transported by road from the mine (in gridsquare KH27xr) to Solwezi, and then flown to Lusaka, and further south to Johannesburg for surgery. This took up a lot of my day off.

I have uploaded the latest logs to LOTW, and will send the newest ADIF file to my QSL manager tomorrow.

Have a great week all!

Chris

A new radio, and a new antenna.

Greetings blog followers!

I returned to Zambia last Monday, and brought my new Yaesu FT-950 with me, as well as an Off Centre Fed Dipole for 80-10m.

On Wednesday afternoon, after work, I took down the open wire fed dipole system, and got the OCFD in place. It seems to "hear" better than the old antenna, and with time, we'll see if the transmitted signals are any better.

The FT-950 is a LOT more complex than any of the other radios I've used in the last few years, and it will take a while to get used to all the settings, filters, menu system, etc, but it's a challenge I'm looking forward to.

The 9J2RI QSL cards have been received from the printers, and my manager has started answering the cards he's received.

Remember, the ONLY address for QSL cards is:

Chris de Beer, 9J2RI
P.O.Box 333
Bethlehem, GA 30620
USA

Please remember to include return postage, or an SASE if you are from the states. Buro cards will be answered once a years. I also upload LOTW every couple of weeks.

73 all.

Chris

Update, and travelling tomorrow

Hi everyone.

It's 23:15 local time. I've packed my bags, and emailed my latest log update to my QSL manager. I'm getting on the plane (two planes actually!) tomorrow, and heading home to South Africa for two weeks.


I was hoping to make a serious effort in the IARU HF contest, but got hit by bronchitis. This morning I even had IV antibiotics to try and clear the infection as soon as possible. It's not nice travelling when you feel sick!

Here are my totals up to now.

I've also uploaded my latest  QSO's to Logbook of The World.

I'm looking forward to going home, and spending time with Ian. He's not interested in Amateur radio as a hobby, but supports me, and helps with antenna work at home!

73 to all, and chat in two weeks' time.

Chris

Logbook of the World

LOtW has been updated.

Chris

Zambian Future plans

The client that I'm working for, has decided to change our work schedule.
We used to work 6 weeks on, 6 weeks off. With this schedule in mind, I started developing my amateur radio station at home as well. I've built the counter tops, and started looking at antennas.

When I returned from my last break, I was informed that our schedule would now be 4 weeks on, 2 weeks off. This isn't so good, as it means 25% more time at work, and 50% less time at home. But the company has agreed to adjust our contract fees, to compensate for this, so I guess that will be how it is for the foreseeable future.

This will obviously impact my amateur radio activity as well. With a lot less time at home, I've decided that I'm not going to spend much time on radio while I'm home.
I will therefore be bringing some of my new equipment that was supposed to be for the new "home station" up to Zambia, and set up a better station here.
I have a brand new Yaesu FT-950 (weblink), and I've been offered a 12m Aluminium Spiderbeam mast, as well as a Spiderbeam. If this offer materialises, I'll be having a LOT of fun here in Zambia.
I also need to look at the option of operating 6m. the FT-950 is capable of 6m operations (100w), and I hope to find a company, or ham, who will donate a portable 6m yagi.

My QSL manager has reported that cards have been arriving in the mailbox, and that he's having some basic cards printed up as a start.

Well, these are my musings for the day.

73 / 88 to all

Chris