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Below are some DX tips passed along by some of our members. If
anyone has any other DX or QSL related tips to share, please email them
to me.
73,
John, KC5LK
Shifting your calling frequency
Trickery and Cunning always prevail
DXpeditions to S. Pacific - Getting through on 40M
Atmospheric Weather - Weaker or Stronger Received Signals
QSLing Tip #3 - Improve Russian return rates
QSLing Tip #4 - Addressing the SASEs or SAEs
Customizing, Using and Understanding W6ELProp
How to bust a Simplex Pile-up
Having trouble busting a simplex pile-up ?? Set your Split or XIT/RIT
so that your XMT freq is 200 - 400 Hz lower than the DX freq. On
most XCVRS, this will cause your signal at the DX end to be 200 - 400
Hz higher than the mob, and it will stand out like a sore thumb.
Works 98 % of time for me even when competing with W4s using
a linear and yagi !!! Try it !!!
Now you might think that since you are transmitting on a lower frequency,
the DX should be receiving you on a lower frequency. This would be
true for wide splits. For smaller shifts in freq such as << 800 Hz, the
product detector in receiver section will create an inverse audio shift in
the audio bandpass of receiver.
Submitted by Larry, K4WLS
Friday - A good DX day
Friday is the Sabbath for the Muslim religion, and it is the only
day of the week they are off work. All the countries in Africa
and Asia are heavily populated with Muslims.
Put some heavy listening time in on Thursday afternoon and
evening, and Friday morning, afternoon and evening. You
stand a good chance of working a goody such as AP, S2,
5X, etc. I have worked a lot of new ones during the preceding
days/times listed.
Submitted by Larry, K4WLS
Trying unusual beam headings
When trying to zero in on a DX Station. When I worked Pratas the other day
I tried long and short path and could barely hear them. Turned the beam
North and they were a good 5x5 and got them on the second call. This might be
worth trying sometimes when nothing else seems to be working.
Submitted by Jim, AC5OT
Shifting your calling frequency
After 4 years in Costa Rica, and Indonesia, Italy and Navassa a few
years back, on CW don't call on the exact frequency of the previous QSO
unless you are sure have a big signal. I spent much wasted time trying
to seperate weak signals, mostly Europe and Japan when they called on same
frequency. Even if the station isn't specifying listening up, call up a
half a KC. If he says up, call 1 kc away from the previous QSO. The
Russians seem to know about this but not may others.
Submitted by Dick, W5AA, W5AA/TI8
Use your amplifier, DUH!!
On 80 SSB call with your amplifier ON. Several times on DXpeditions, I would
spend 3 minutes trying to pull out the call of a weak USA SSB signal. Then
after I got his call, the idiot becomes 5&9 and says. "Ok now, I have turned
on my amp: just wanted to see if you could copy me barefoot!!"
Submitted by Dick, W5AA, W5AA/TI8
Long Path propagation tips
Long Path (LP) propagation is probably the least understood and least
used method of working DX. Long Path propagation is obtained by
pointing your beam in the opposite direction of the location of the DX.
You do not need a beam to work Long Path. Any antenna with a low
angle of radiation will work well such as a very high dipole or vertical
with a good ground plane. A low angle of radiation is needed to
minimize the number of hops over the greater distance. For example,
100W and a good vertical on the East Coast can produce S9 + 20 DB
signals to VK6 via LP during the late afternoon in early Spring.
Long Path propagation occurs when the Maximum Useable Frequency
(MUF) all along the LP is slightly higher than the frequency being used.
Many times LP will favor the Gray Line and the radio wave propagates
just inside the dark portion of the gray line where the D Layer of the
ionosphere is not ionoized and absorption of the radio wave does not
occur.
There are certain times of the year when LP propagation is most likely to
occur. This is uaually Late Winter/Early Spring and Late Summer/Early
Fall. During these two times of the year, the MUF's in the Northern and
Southern Hemispheres tend to be about the same, so LP propagation is
supported. LP propagation seldom occurs during the Winter and Summer
as the MUF's in the two hemispheres are greatly different.
For the East Coast and Mid-West, LP propagation during the late Winter/
Early Spring often occurs during the first hour after sunrise. Since the Earth
is close to the Sun, the ionosphere rapidly ionizes. Early morning LP
during this time period usually favors 20 and 15M, and LP openings to
all of Africa and the Indian Ocean are likely to occur. Also during the
Late Winter/Early Spring LP openings to VK/ZL and the S. Pacific are
likely to occur during the last two hours of the afternoon prior to sunset.
For the East Coast and Mid-West LP openings in the Late Summer/
Early Fall usually favor the lower bands such as 30 and 40M. During the
first hour prior to sunset and the first hour after sunset, good LP openings
to the Far East and S.E. Asia are possible. These LP openings on the
lower bands are most likely to occur when the SFI is < 150.
LP Path propagation does have repetitive patterns, but follows no
definite rules as long as the MUF along the LP supports the propagation.
During periods of low SFI, early morning LP openings to the Mid-East
during Winter have been known to occur on 20M just after sunrise.
Just remember that Late Winter/Early Spring and Late Summer/Early
Fall are the time to look for DX in the opposite direction. Sometimes
it will not be the exact opposite direction. Since LP follows the MUF
curve, the opposite direction is sometimes skewed.
If conditions are favorable, LP propagation can occur at any time of
the year. If you have weak copy on a DX station, always try a reverse beam
heading.
Submitted by Larry, K4WLS
First and Last Rule of DXing
The first and last rule for working DX has and will always be tune, listen, tune, listen,
tune, listen.....and tune, listen some more. This rule has held fast for so many years
simply because if you cannot hear the DX, you cannot work the DX !!
30 years ago, an hour spent listening to 20M on a good propagation evening would net
you many rare DX stations calling CQ. Not anymore !! What has changed ? Think
for a few minutes. How many chirpy, raw AC CW signals have you heard coming from Russia lately compared to years ago ? Not very many. Now you hear more lousy signals coming from USA stations. What has changed is this. During the past 30 years or so, better economic conditions in the world, and the breakdown of the old Russian federation have allowed the majority of DX in the world to have just as good, if not better, stations than stations in the states. Except for possibly some of the poorer third-world countries in
Africa and Asia, the DX is no longer running low power homebrew or WWII surplus
rigs and simple wire antennas. They are now using late model transceivers, linears, and
towers with high gain multi-element yagis or quads. The rare DX stations with this setup
now have just as good, if not better, country totals than we do. Now they are no longer
calling CQ, but listening for a new one, just like we should be !!!
With the rare DX now listening instead of calling CQ, it is now more difficult to work
a new one by just listening. The First and Last Rule still stands firm however. Since it
is now more difficult to work a new one by listening, many of us have put our faith
in Cluster Net spots. Cluster Nets have their good and bad points. More on this later.
The problem with putting your faith in cluster spots for working a new is this. By
the time you get the linear tuned and on the DX QRG, the pile-up has always started,
and your chances for working the new one have greatly diminished. Someone had to
hear and/or work the DX to put the spot on the cluster. That someone could have been
you, and you would have been able to get a probable first, second, or third shot at the
DX instead of being in the middle of the pile-up. In summation, time spent just watching
the cluster would be better spent just listening.
99.99 % of the time calling CQ DX is a waste of your time. Unless you have a tower,
high gain yagi, and linear (if needed), you should never call CQ DX. If do have a
tower, high gain yagi, and linear (if needed), and you know there is a good probability
the band is open to a part of the world that you need a new one, calling CQ DX may bring a rare one with a modest station out of the woodwork. Why ??? That station
knows if he calls CQ that he would wind up with a pile-up he would not want or could not handle. Tower/Yagi or not and you want to feel like a Big Wheel, call CQ DX one
evening when the band is open to Europe. Oh yes, you will probably get a pile-up, fill
up your log with DX you worked many times before, and increase the workload of
of the QSL bureaus. Believe me Europeans like to QSL. End result, you have to take
the time (I hope) to reply to those cards. This time could be spent more wisely listening for a new one.
DXpeditions have and will always be a good way to work a new one. For the past two years, there have been a lot of good DXpeditions to some of the most wanted. The First
and Last Rule still applies. You have to be able to hear them to work them. Here is where the Cluster Net comes in handy. It is a very fast way to determine what bands and modes the DXpedition is working right now, so you save some time compared to just tuning
and listening. You still have to be able to hear the DX to work however. Never jump into
a pile-up if you have marginal copy of the DX station. It only leads to the frustration of
"was that my call he gave" ? A good DX Op will always give the frequency range that
he is listening Up. If the DX just says Up, and the pile-up is 10 KHz wide, get very comfortable, and be prepared to be at the Op Table for a long time unless you get very
lucky. Many DXpedition Ops have the bad habit of only sending a partial call ?, and
a TU in return. Even if the partial call was close to yours, and the timing was right, you
could very well wind up with a NIL. Never consider the preceding scenario a good QSO.
All good DXpedition Ops will send the complete, correct call of the station they worked at least once in the exchange.
Depending on the time of year, propagation conditions, and the location of the DXpedition, often times the higher bands will not cut the mustard especially for the
Little Pistols (opposite of Big Guns). Do not dismay however. Almost all DXpeditions
start off on the higher bands to get their QSO count up. At about the half-way point
of the DXpedition, they will crank up on the lower bands. They will always shoot
for the states on the lower bands when they know the QSO count for the states is low
on the high bands. The DXpedition is usually running high power, good antennas,
and a seasoned low band Op, and they know the sunrise times in the states. So, if you
cannot get through on 20 - 10M, bet you will make it on 30 or 40M. Check these
bands a few hours before local sunrise and sometimes 1 to 2 hours after sunrise
on 30M. 99 % of time if you cannot cut the mustard on 20 - 10M, 30 or 40M will
get the new one, even in the Summer.
Most major Dxpeditions, in the intial planning stages of the Op, study the propagation
conditions of the location they are bound for. They obtain the latest propagation forecasts
for that location, and prepare charts for times and bands to hit all the continents on the
globe. They consider both short path and long path propagation for as much world-wide
coverage as possible. They want to give you a new one. So, when you shoot to work a
major DXpedition, do your your propagation homework as well.
Ask any seasoned DX Op the key to working DX. He will tell you listen, tune, listen,
tune........The First and Last Rule for Working DX !!
Submitted by Larry, K4WLS
Peanut Whistle DXing
These are just some thoughts on "Peanut Whistle" Dxing that I've noticed over the last two years. May be true, maybe not. Might work for you, might not. But for what it's worth here goes:
My station:
100 watts output, Kenwood TS690S.
All band dipole at 40 feet fed with 450 ohm ladder line through a small tuner.
My thoughts:
1. CW is the best mode for me on low power. (Maybe high power too.)
2. When changing bands, I have to retune the tuner. Sooo, when a hot one comes on the packet it takes me a bit to get ready for him. In the meantime the "Thundering Herd" has already gathered. Too, too late for me to get in there most of the time. SOLUTION: I TUNE the bands. I read the DX stuff on-line for times and freqs, and try to be there. And I check the packet, but I don't just sit there and look at the computer screen.
3. PROPAGATION IS! When propagation is very poor everywhere so are my
chances of working any DX. Good time to cut the grass. Only the high-power
boys are making it then. When the band seems to be wide open I still carry a
big handicap, but have a lot of fun trying and working some of the DX. But
when the band is spooky as it has been at times during the peak of the sunspot
cycle, then is when I can make some good contacts because sometimes I have
the best propagation. VP6DI is a good example. I worked them 4 times, 2 of
those times I was mobile! I had the better propagation. On the other hand, I
never was able to work the A52. Couldn't even hear them down here.
4. "If you can't hear them, you can't work them" says the Old Sage. On the
other hand, they have to be able to hear me also. Although there are many
exceptions, my general rule is to hear:
S5 on 20 meters
S4 on 17 meters
S3 on 15 meters
S2 on 12 meters, and
S nothing on 10 meters
before I try to work them on SSB. On CW and PSK31 things are better. But
there is no use in cluttering up the band worse than it already is. The cops do
a pretty good job of that all by themselves.
5. I try to pattern the DX. Some say "5 to 10 up" then move up incrementally
until they reach "10", and then start over. Some say "5 to 10 up" and keep right on going up after "10". Others go up 5 and just sit there. A bit of listening before I make a call on an established DX station is always helpful.
6. Timing is very important. Usually it is best for me to wait a second before calling after the last exchange unless I know I have extremely good propagation. The Force 12's and KW's are just too much. But if I can get
the timing right, I often get a contact. Tricky thing, that.
I know there is no new information here for most of the guys in the Magnolia DX Association. However I felt some of these things might be helpful to someone new to DXing with a less than super signal (like mine). I wanted to
let them know that lots of DX can be worked with a peanut whistle and a bit of patience.
Submitted by Joe, N5ID
DX Spree when K=3
During periods of moderate solar activity, coronal X-Ray emissions from the Sun can
wreak havoc with the earth's geomagnetic field and adversely affect the ionosphere.
During periods of X-Ray emissions, the D Layer of the ionosphere is heavily ionized
over sunlit portions of the Earth resulting in heavy absorption of frequencies as high
as 15 MHz. These X-Ray emissions primarily affect the sunlit portions of the Northern
Hemisphere during the Summer and early Fall time periods.
The VHF guys love this, as during the day they get good sporadic E propagation and
work great DX on 6 and 2 Meters. For us HF guys, it seems that we might as well shut
down the rig and watch TV, as 20M will appear dead in the mid-evening hours.
A good indication that coronal X-Ray emission is occurring is a sudden jump in the
Boulder K Index from 1 or 2 to 3 in the early or mid evening hours. The A Index,
however, will still be reasonably low (8 - 15). To get a first hand look at what is
going on check the Space Weather link at http://www.sel.noaa.gov/forecast.html
and then go to the Radio link. For a view of the portions of the earth being affected
by coronal X-Ray emissions and the frequencies being affected by D Layer absorption,
see the Near Real Time MUF Map at http://www.spacew.com/www/realtime.html
Now, 20M may have been dead in the mid-evening hours, but look for some great 20M
DX openings to the Indian Ocean, Africa, South Atlantic, South America, Oceania,
and the South Pacific from 0300 to 0600 UTC. You will not have much competition
from Northern Europe during this time period, as the approaching sunrise and
subsequent daylight will bathe Northern Europe with coronal X-Rays resulting in
strong D Layer absorption. From 0600 to 1100 UTC look for some good 30M openings
to Oceania, VK/ZL, and Austral-Asia.
If the K Index hits 4 or greater, there is usually a major geomagmetic storm in progress. This is primarily caused by the coronal mass ejection of heavy particles from a major solar flare. The solar wind carrys the heavy particles (most usually protons) which bombard the geomagnetic field. If a direct hit took place around the North Pole, a Proton
Encapsulation Event occurs, and geomagnetic storms begin in the Northern Lattitudes and travel down the geomagnetic flux lines to the Southern Lattitudes. This usually results in 3 to 5 days of very lousy propagation. This event can occur singularly or in conjuction with coronal X-Ray emission. Simple coronal X-Ray emission will not usually result in a K Index higher than 3.
During Winter, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun and coronal
X-Rays are more of a problem for our neighbors down under.
Submitted by Larry, K4WLS
Trickery and Cunning always prevail
Perhaps you don't have the best antenna or the strongest amplifier and you have
difficulty busting the pile ups. But your wife is a ham. Have the wife call
and when the DX station says, the YL go ahead, she tells him to listen for the
OM, K5VVA. It works every time. The YL voice is equal to at least another 500
watts.
Submitted by Bob, K5VVA (XYL is W5BJM)
100% QSL Returns, Guaranteed!
At the present time, I enjoy a 100% return on all DX QSL cards sent. Believe
me, this did not occur over-night. Yes, I read a lot of articles on how to get
DX cards back. There were a lot of good tips. I tried them all, and some
worked, but others didn't. So, for the next few paragraphs, I would like to
share with you how to get 100 % returns on your DX cards sent. It took me about
3 years or so of sending out cards before I found the method that worked solid.
1. You Need a QSL Card
Sounds simple, but it isn't. You need a great looking card, a one of a kind
card, a colorful card. You need a card that the DX station would be very
pleased to get. A card with a map of the world, or a telegraph key and your
call will not cut the mustard. Here are some good ideas. A card with a full
color picture of you at your station and your call only in the upper left hand
corner, a card that depicts your state, or geographical location, a map of your
state, full color state flag, state seal, full color Magnolia blossom - wonder
where that come from ? The number of QSL card printers in the states are
dwindling, and trying to find one that will custom design you a colorful card
at a reasonable cost might be very difficult to do. With today's computer
graphic programs, a custom QSL designer can come up with a beautiful card for
you from your own simple drawing and clear-cut instructions for colors. I
custom designed my own QSL card 6 years ago using Microsoft Powerpoint. I used
the graphics and colors I wanted, and made a printout of the card to exact
scale. I sent the printout and graphics layout to a printer in Europe and got
2,000 high quality cards, postpaid, for $ 120.00 USD. Send me an email for info
on some of the best custom QSL designers and printers in Europe, with prices
you cannot beat.
2. QSO Data
Where to put the QSO data, front or back ? You have probably heard, lately,
always on the front with your call. It really does not matter ! I prefer a QSL
with an uncluttered picture or graphics design on the front with my call and
address, and the QSO data on the reverse side. Strictly personal preference. If
you do have your QSO data on the back side of your card, when you sign the card
(you should always sign your card - it adds credibility), make sure you put
your call in large block letters after your name. This way, the DX station does
not have to flip over the card to see your call when he looks at the QSO data.
Indulge an OT, I have to mention this. Please make sure you have the correct
date and time in UTC for the QSO. Always check the the shack clocks regularly
with WWV. Computer clocks can accumulate incorrect times of 1 or 2 minutes. 1
or 2 minutes can make a big difference with a DXpedition QSO when the call is busted
by the DX Op. Always send a personal note of greeting to the DX station and his
family. It only takes a few minutes and will make him feel great ! How do you
feel when you get a card from a rare DX station with a nice note on the card ?
3. Sending the Card
Many DX stations have QSL managers here in the states or overseas. You need
access to a good up to date QSL manager data base. The most accurate, and up to
date one that I know of is the GoList. Send me an email if you need info on the
GoList. If the DX station has a manager, you still need the correct address of
that manager. That means you need a good call sign data base with addresses.
Buckmaster, QRZ.Com, and Radio Amateur Callbook (RAC) are probably the most
popular. RAC will discontinue publishing it's call sign data base on CD ROM
after the coming Winter edition. I have never used Buckmaster, but have heard
it is very accurate, and you get 3 or so years of free web look-ups with a
purchase. It is more expensive than QRZ.COM, but Buckmaster offers auctions to
the highest bidder for the latest CD on their web. Both Buckmaster and QRZ.COM
have the latest on-file addresses for both state-side and DX stations. Always
include a pre-addressed return envelope, and put the return address of the DX
station or QSL manager in the upper left-hand corner of your return envelope.
Nested envelopes, a larger envelope for the one you send, and a smaller return
envelope that slides in the larger envelope (without having to fold) are
available in plain white for USA managers and red-banded international sizes
for overseas mail. Send me an email for sources of these envelopes. Oh yes, if
the DX station has a USA manager, don't forget to put a stamp on your return
envelope. For DXpeditions with USA managers, it may take 3 to 6 months to get a
card. If you know a postal rate hike is coming in a few months or so, add the
extra postage to your return envelope. For return postage to DX or DX with
overseas managers, see the next paragraph.
4. Make it Very Easy for the DX Station to Reply to your QSL
Put international postage on your return envelope. Use the correct denomination
of stamps for the country that the DX is in. This way, all the DX has to do is
fill out a QSL card and put in your return envelope. Send me an email for
sources of international postage. IRCs (International Reply Coupons) are used
by many DXers, but they present a number of problems. All countries that accept
and issue IRCs belong to the International Postage Union. One IRC is supposed
to pay for one unit of air mail return, 3 ounces of mail (an envelope and QSL).
One problem is, some countries that belong to the postal union make up their
own rules for how many IRCs are required for one unit of airmail postage.
Another problem is the fluctuating currency rates. In Germany and Japan a few
years ago, 1 IRC would not do the trick. To compensate for this, many DXers put
2 and sometimes 3 IRCs in their return envelope. We are now approaching $ 5.00
of your hard earned money for a DX QSL. International postage for many
countries can be obtained for less than the cost of 1 IRC !! Another problem
with IRCs is this, and it also holds true for those who put greenbacks in their
return envelope for return postage. The DX station always has the option of
pocketing your IRCs and greenbacks, and returning your DX QSL via the bureau. Sorry to say
but, the direct QSLs for my very first 1A0 and ZA QSOs (2 IRCs each) never got
returned direct. They were received by the bureau. Putting greenbacks in direct
QSLs can often get the DX in trouble with local customs officials. The post
offices of many African and Mid-East countries will often open international
mail looking for contraband. US dollars sent by international mail to many
countries are considered contraband. If your letter is opened by the post
office in a DX country, you also stand the chance of losing your IRCs by a
corrupt post office worker. IRCs and US dollars are all traded on the black market
like anything else.
Of prime importance is making it easy for DXpedition managers to reply
to your QSL. Using a peel-off, self stick flap on your return envelope,
making sure the QSO data and your call are on the same side of your card
in some manner, and having the exact QSO date and time in UTC will
greatly speed the processing of your card. For a reputable DXpedition
QSL manager, a donation of $ 5.00 to $ 20.00 to help defray the cost of
the DXpedition and QSL cards will be greatly appreciated. For larger
donations, an International Money Order to the DXpedition Team Leader,
or per published instructions is the best way to go.
5. Re-Sends
Remember the DX station has a job, probably a family, and he likes to put some
time in operating. How long do you wait for a QSL card before a re-send. ?
Wait a minimum of six months. If you have not received a QSL for a new one by
then, re-check the address using more than one source, and send your next card
via registered mail. In the past, I have prematurely sent re-sends and often
would up with a reply to my re-send and original mail within weeks of each
other !!
6. Final Comments
I hope some of the preceding information helps you in some way get that QSL
from a new one. MDXA was founded on the principle of helping each other get
DXCC and increase country totals. We can all be active participants of this
great principle !! Hope to see you on the DX Tips link of our web site.
Submitted by Larry, K4WLS
Stay Put when Working Split
When a station is working split and listening on one single frequency you have
no choice but to transmit on that one freq. However, when a station is
listening up and actually gives the spread, for example "listening 200 to
210," then I've found it much more successful to pick one freq and stay
there. In fact, I make it a point to stay at the upper most freq of the given
spread. Too many people "chase" the DX all around the given spread and easily
get frustrated. However, it has never failed that when the DX says listening
200 to 210, he will make a point to visit the top freq quite often. In fact,
I've listened and it's not unusual for the DX station to work a station on
200, 201, 203, 205, and then jump all the way to the top. That's because by
the time he works a few stations by the "creep up the band" mode, everybody
and his brother start using the "chase" the DX method as mentioned above.
So to get away from the "wall" of callers, the DX station will jump to the
top or bottom limits of the given spread. I call this the "Stay Put" method.
Especially when the pileup is very large! This worked great for FO0AAA on
Clipperton.
Submitted by Glenn, K2FF
Time Your Calls
Seems as though 99% of operators jump on the mike immediately when the DX
station says QRZ. So think of how it would sound if there were 100 people in
a room and you asked, "What's your name?" and 99 people immediately gave their
name and the lone 100th person waited 1 full second and then said his/her name.
Bet you 10 to 1 odds you would hear/remember that 1 out of the crowd! And
then put on top of that, staying on one single frequency and not chasing the
DX around, then your chances of getting in the log have just been increased
greatly. I call this the "Delayed Calling" method. Used this for TI9M for
every single QSO.
Submitted by Glenn, K2FF
Digital Recorders
Can't say enough about digital recorders. I use the DVS-2 with my Yaesu Mark-V.
I've got 4 separate versions of my call prerecorded. One is Kilowatt 2 Foxtrot
Foxtrot, another is Kilo 2 Florida Florida, another is K 2 Freddy Freddy, and
the last is Kilo 2 Fox Fox - K 2 Fox Fox. US operators will pick up anything
with Fox Fox very easily, Europeans like/recognize Florida Florida, and Japan/others
understand the standard Foxtrot Foxtrot better. And with the digital recorder,
all I'm doing is pushing a button for as many times as necessary until the DX
station comes back…then I key the mike and actually talk to say nothing more
than "QSL, 5/9 also…Tnx." I call this the "When in Rome Speak as the Romans"
method. This is used all the time.
Submitted by Glenn, K2FF
Use the SH/DX
I always connect to the packet cluster and use the "SH/DX" command to see where
the particular DX station has been operating…time/freq. For example, I'll type
in "sh/dx/25 cy0mm" and get the last 25 spots. It might show me that he was on
15m for a period of two hours. I make note of the time and then arrive on the
same freq the following day 30 minutes prior. More times than not, the DX station
will repeat operating times/freqs etc., because they have built a band plan prior
to going on the DXpedition. For example, if you'll go type sh/dx/25 n6xiv/kh9
you'll easily see the pattern. I call this the "Show & Tell" method. I did this
for VK0MM and I worked him on New Year's day right when he came up and called CQ!
Submitted by Glenn, K2FF
Use Internet/E-Mail
For those that are getting way up there, say 300+, you might as well realize
that setting up a sked might be your only chance. Everyone over 300 don't necessarily
need the same remaining 35 countries. Believe it or not you might still need 4U1UN
in New York! Well, do a little research and once again use sh/dx 4u1un and see spots
for the last operation. Or, go to yahoo.com and look up 4U1UN, or go to the DailyDX
and search the bulletin archives for past operations. Look up the past operators on
QRZ.COM and e-mail them to see if they are going back anytime soon or know of anyone
that might be. Set yourself up a schedule. I call this the "Use all Available Resources"
method. I used this for a couple of 80m contacts to complete 5BDXCC this year (2002).
Submitted by Glenn, K2FF
Help Another Ham
It never hurts to help another DXer out when possible. Make it a point to help others
out whenever you can. Say you see an ad in QRZ DX and someone is looking for a QSL
route for an operation long ago which you happened to have worked and were one of the
few to get a confirmation; or, say a ham is going to a semi-rare location, plans to
operate MAYBE, but has not intentions of buying QSL cards; or, even perhaps a station
gets the opportunity to go work in North Korea but needs an antenna, keyer, simple
logging program, etc., HELP THEM OUT IF YOU CAN. You'll never know just how much your
seemingly small contribution might actually mean the world to the person you're helping.
And before you know it, he/she is able to help you out in return with maybe that all
important sked with a totally different country but which he/she has a personal contact;
or, can confirm his/her present location on that one remaining band; or, …… Well, you
get the picture by now. I'm a firm believer that in the long run, credit will always
be given where credit is due. I call this the "Ham's Golden Rule." So, give me a call
and I'll climb your tower for nothing more than a cold Coke!
Submitted by Glenn, K2FF
Turn the volume down
Turn the volume down on your transceiver. Believe it or not sometimes a weak
signal can be heard better by turning the volume down. As the volume
increases, so does the QRN and QRM.
Submitted by Jim, AC5OT
ESP-ASP CW, Simplified
Want to add some extra sensory perception to your ability to copy CW ?
Here is a little trick that has been in use by CW Ops since the 1920's. Not
many of you may be aware of it, so will pass it along.
The headphone jacks of the older tube rigs was always monaural and most
usually had an output impedance of 8 Ohms. Back then, headphones were
rather large, and the earpieces could be easily disassembled with a small
screwdiver. When copying CW, a Dit or a Dah causes the electromagnetic
diaphragm or tiny loudspeaker cone in each earpiece to expand, compressing
the air, and forcing a sound wave to hit the eardrum and auditory nerve of
each ear in phase. This has the accumulative affect of someone "slapping
both sides of your face" at the same time, and has often been a stumbling
block in copying higher speed CW, or CW with QRM and/or QRN.
What the old CW Ops did was disassemble the earpiece on the very end of
the line cord, unsolder the two leads to the earpiece element, reverse them,
and solder them back. Now when receiving a Dit or a Dah, the diaphragm
(or cone) of one earpiece will expand, while the diaphragm of the the other
earpiece contracts. This has the net cummulative effect of making the CW
appear to flow through your brain rather than smacking both sides. I have an
old large pair of Radio Shack 8 Ohm monaural headphones that I got back
in the early 70's. I made this modification and the results were just downright
phenomenal. Often times, you will find that the CW tends to flow better from
right to left, or vice-versa. Just turn your headphones around, and remember
how to put them on the next time !
The headphone jacks on today's modern transceivers is a stereo jack, mainly
because of the widespread availability of stereo headphones. The secondary
winding of the audio transformer or impedance matching network will still give
give you monaural sound for your headphones. The biggest problem with
implementing this little trick today is that most all the stereo headphones are
molded plastic. Disassembling an earpiece to reverse the leads to the tiny
speaker inside can be tricky without breaking something. With a little patience,
however, and being careful it can be done. You will be amazed at the results !
Copying CW will be easier, your copy speed will increase, and you will have
better copy with QRM or QRN.
Oh, by the way, the input imedance of stereo headphones these days is in
the neighborhood of 22 Ohms. This is also the output impedance of the
stereo headphone jack on your transceiver. Also, you do not have to spend
a lot of money getting your headphones from Kenwood or Yaseu. I have
always bought mine at Radio Shack. I compared a set of headphones from
Radio Shack to a pair of Kenwood that my Son had bought for his stereo.
The Radio Shack phones were much more sensitive. (ASP - Auditory Sensory
Perception)
Submitted by Larry, K4WLS
The Greatest DX Tip
For a few minutes I would like for you to remove from your mind your country totals,
your band/mode totals, what you need for Honor Roll, Top of the Honor Roll, or any
other numbers that are continually on your mind. For a few minutes, I would like for you
to do this.
Go in your shack and look at your rig. Do you see any "romance" there ? No ?? Then
sit down in your op chair and envision this in your mind. Picture a dimly lit attic with a
sloping roof and old wallpaper on the walls. In the corner is a rough-hewn homemade
table and an old straight back wooden chair. On the table is a wooden laquer finished
box with a lid on the top, four large knobs on the front, and a dial above each knob. It
is an old TRF receiver. Next to the receiver is a breadboard transmitter. It is a loosely-
coupled Hartley with an 803 tube sitting in its socket in the middle of the board. A
large variable capacitor with knob and a tank coil with an alligator clip lead are mounted
just to the right of the 803. The connection wires, carbon resistors, and mica condensers
are positioned on the board as if done by an artist on a painting. An old brass telegraph
key is connected to spring clips on the breadboard by wire covered in woven cloth
insulation. On the wall just above the table, nailed ceramic insulators hold the antenna
leads in place. An RF ammeter is in series with the antenna leads, mounted on the wall
at exact eye level from the old op chair. A bank of homemade lead-acid batteries sit on
the floor just to the right of the op table.
Now go outside and look at your antennas. Do you see any romance there ? No ?? Then
hang on to something so you won't fall like I would and envision this in your mind.
Picture a center-fed Top Hat, an off-center fed Windom, or an extended Zepp hanging
high in the air with ribbed ceramic insulators, and swaying gently in the breeze. Now
look at your antennas again. Whether they be multiple towers with stacked yagis or
simple dipoles, just enough energy to light a mere 100W light bulb, converted to an RF
electromagnetic wave, allow you to reach the far flung reaches of the globe. Are you now
beginning to see the "romance" ??
The next time you go into your shack and turn on the rig, always keep in the back of your
mind the picture of the old attic shack. Now go work some DX just for the sheer fun, thrill,
and miracle of it, and never forget "the romance of whence thou has cometh".
Submitted by Larry, K4WLS
DXpeditions to S. Pacific - Getting through on 40M
If you are a Little Pistol like me, getting through to that DXpedition in
the S. Pacific can be difficult as usually 40M will open to the USA at
about the same time it is open to Europe and Japan on the Gray-Line.
With the Gray-Line providing the stronger signals, and the influx of
yagis and linears in Europe and Japan, you are going to be spinning
your wheels with your 100W and Inverted Vee or Dipole.
Here is the secret. For most locations in the S. Pacific there is about an
hour time frame between the close of the 40M band in Europe and the
opening of the 40M band in Japan. This usually occurs around 0800 -
0900 UTC, but will vary depending on the time of the year. So, check
your Gray-Line map for this time segment.
This small gap allowed me to get through to VK9ML, T2T, and ZL7C.
During the Summer, around your local sunrise is another good time as
signals (for both you and the DX) will tend to be the strongest at the
Eastern-most end of the Terminator Line. There will be, however, some
competition from Japan around this time. During the Winter, signals from
the S.Pacific tend to peak around the DX sunset, so the sunrise hours
for us do not favor the S. Pacific. The sunrise hours on 40M for us
during the Winter usually favor the higher lattitudes such as Malaysia
and S.E. Asia.
Submitted by K4WLS
Atmospheric Weather - Weaker or Stronger Received Signals
I had always thought that the atmospheric weather had no effect on HF
propagation, except for QRN levels. That was until I read the book
"HF Propagation for Little Pistols", by Robert Brown about 6 years
ago.
A strong high pressure area over your geographical location results in
a loss of signal strength. This is because the changing electric and magnetic
fields of the radio wave lose energy when they collide with the closely
packed O2 molecules in the upper atmosphere.
A strong low pressure area over your geographical results in stronger signals.
This is because the O2 molecules are not closely packed, and there is very
little attenuation of the electric and magnetic fields. Also, many times the
upper atmosphere is heavily laden with moisture in a strong low pressure
area. The moisture provides an excellent propagation medium for the
radio wave.
I was reminded of this little DX tidbit tonight while keeping watch on 40M
signals as the sunrise swept across the Indian Ocean, Middle East, Europe,
and Africa. There were very strong signals from 3B8, 5R8, 4X, ZS1, V5,
Z2, and Europe. There is a strong low pressure area over NC tonight, and
it is heavily laden with moisture. Oh by the way, my 40M antenna is just
an Inverted Vee up about 30 ft at center, and oh yes, the QRN level was
very high. It is 0110 local, and I just peeked out the window. It is raining
dogs and cats (so to speak).
Submitted by K4WLS
QSLing Tip #2
Always trying to find a way to help in getting the QSL card!
If you have W6EL Propagation Program, did you know that you can PRINT a
Great Circle Bearing Map from ANY Country (entity) in the database?
If not, you should try it..
I have started since October 1, 2002, in printing a Great Circle Map for
whomever I worked and sent a card direct.
So far, 100% return, which is OUTSTANDING considering it is just December!
That is YOUR Merry Christmas gift from me to you! hi hi....
GOOD DXing !
Submitted by N5FG
QSLing Tip #3 - Improve Russian return rates
I recently discovered a foreign language translation
site on the web. The URL is:
http://www.translate.ru/default.asp?lang=en
This is a free use site that will allow you to type in
an address in English, and get it converted to Russian
Cyrillic style lettering. Cut and paste the result
into your favorite word processor to print on the
envelope. For the benefit of U.S. postal workers,
also include the destination city name and RUSSIA in
English below the Cyrillic address so they'll know
which bag to toss it in. This simple step saves postal
workers in Russia from having to perform a translation
on their end thus improving the odds that your card
will actually arrive at it's intended location. I
used this idea successfully when sending for SSB cards
for the K1B expedition. The web site will also
translate several other languages.
Submitted by Steve, WQ5N
QSLing Tip #4 - Addressing of SASEs or SAEs
TIP: For many decades now, when I send an SASE or SAE, I place my address on both places on the envelope.
That way once the envelope is placed in the mail system if the regular address is destroyed due to coffee spill
etc it will still come to me since my address is in the return address position too....
Remember, once the envelope is placed in the mail you do NOT want it to be returned to the dx or qsl manager
but YOU want to receive it and this helps insure that you will in fact receive regardless of the address the mail
employees go by and after all this is what YOU should desire or else why bother to QSL???
You have my permission to print this tip as you see fit....
73,,
Ray W5EW
This is a really good tip. It's one of my pet peeves as a QSL manager to receive an SASE or SAE that has no
return address stamped on it. This creates an extra step of me having to stamp my return address when processing
the request. It seems like a small thing but when I am answering 50+ requests per day for a few weeks after a
major HC8N event like this past CQ WW CW and pre-contest activity it really adds up. Ray's suggestion of putting
your own return address on the envelope is even better... that way if the PO does revert to using that one for
whatever reason it goes to you, not back to me... Hope you find this helpful as well.
73, Randy - W5UE
HC8N/HC8L QSL Manager