Listening, listening and more listening... that's low band DXing.
The TOPBAND
DXCC: 226 worked, 209 confirmed
WAZ: All 40 worked, 37 confirmed
WAS: 41 worked, 38 confirmed
Listening,
listening and more listening... that's low band DXing.
Topband = 1.8 MHz radio band, wavelength about 160 meters, only radioamateur band on the medium frequency, MF- range. In Finland band limits are: 1810-1855, 1861-1906 and 1912-2000 kHz.
My very first official Topband QSO was in 26. March 1994 with YU1BW, after I got my general class licence. Since then I have been thrilled about this band. First DX in my log is UA9XMC in year 1996. Biggest boost was vertical project that is continuing process with maintenance and fine tuning. I was QRT several times while working abroad during 1995-2001 and without HF-rig from 2002-2004. I also live 400 km from station for 18 months around 2007. During summer of '04 and winter '05 I built a new rig, Elecraft K2/100. I am active during contests and mainly weekends. Sometimes when get really bitten by Topband decease I go to station also during week. From downtown apartment 160 meters operating won't be possible. My #160 worked DXCC at 160 meters was Greg, ZL3IX, on the 1st of May 2006. My #160 confirmed Topband DXCC country was Mellish Reef VK9GMW in autumn 2009. My #200 worked DXCC at 160 meters was Remi, FK8CP, in Christmas eve 2009. My last zone #6 was worked in 30th of December 2009, 4A1DXXE was the station.
I received
161st, 162nd and 163rd QSLs in 2. November 2009 for
Grenada J3/DL7CM, Martinique FM5CD and Senegal 6W1RW.
164th QSL 3.
November 2009 for Andorra from C31CT.
165th QSL 6. November 2009
for Guinea from 3X5A.
166th and 167th QSLs 9. November 2009 for
Liberia from EL2DX and for Kerguelen from FT5XO.
168th QSL in 13.
November 2009 for Chile from CE1/K7CA.
169th QSL in 19. November
2009 for Argentina from LU5YF.
170th QSL in 7. December 2009 for
Galapagos Islands from HC8N.
171st QSL in 8. January 2010 for San
Andres & Providencia from 5K0T.
172nd QSL in 8. April 2010 for
Chesterfield Islands from TX3A.
Started to use Logbook of The World in february 2012. Got several confirmations via that service.
201st QSL in 12. August 2012 for Ogasawara from JD1BMH.
I received
QSL in 27. September 2006 for Zone 3 from N7UA.
QSL
in 19. November 2009 for Zone 13 from LU5YF.
QSL in 8. January
2010 for Zone 7 from 5K0T.
The Sun affects the radio propagation on all the bands. Northern latitude especially is affected by the auroral activity. My QTH is 62,28 degrees north and 27,15 degrees east.. Here is some links to different sites with solar and geomagnetic data.
Data from Nurmijärvi, Southern Finland.
Latest magnetogram
24 hours magnetogram from Hankasalmi, 40 km from my location
HAN 24h
Geomagnetic activity nowcast - test version
English
I test reverse beacon network with SDR and CW Skimmer. Below is setup in apartment. Not very big signals with coaxial loop. On the 20th of December I put loop outside on balcony.
Test is over, last spot 0248 UTC 23. Dec. CW skimmer 30 day demo ended. This year's ham-budget is already over. Registered in January 2010.
We (read OH4KLU) changed laptop's OS to XP. Installed everything there and now it is working again. Now system in the station with beverage antennas. Sometimes online.
|
Year |
DXCC worked in year |
DXCC worked end of year |
QSO count in year |
Notes |
|
1994 |
17 |
17 |
21 |
First QSOs with dipole. |
|
1995 |
2 |
18 |
4 |
Working in Malaysia most of '95. |
|
1996 |
46 |
47 |
114 |
Put up inverted L antenna. Still in Malaysia for half year. |
|
1997 |
32 |
64 |
43 |
Working in Thailand most of '97. |
|
1998 |
92 |
102 |
1369 |
Still in Thailand. Built 1/4 vertical. Linear amplifier purchased early '98. |
|
1999 |
16 |
105 |
27 |
Working in Henan, China most of '99. |
|
2000 |
48 |
109 |
254 |
Still in Henan, China, end of year in Minas Gerais, Brasil. |
|
2001 |
60 |
119 |
454 |
Few months in Minas Gerais, Brasil. |
|
2002 |
23 |
126 |
110 |
Sold Icom IC-736. |
|
2003 |
33 |
127 |
188 |
One bandpoint with loaned TS-430. |
|
2004 |
35 |
128 |
206 |
Built Elecraft K2/100. |
|
2005 |
96 |
148 |
1177 |
Upgraded vertical to five element parasitic array. |
|
2006 |
88 |
165 |
584 |
Moved end of year to Turku southwest Finland, 400 km from station. |
|
2007 |
77 |
168 |
982 |
CQ160, CQWW, Stew Perry |
|
2008 |
86 |
181 |
393 |
Moved back close to station. |
|
2009 |
107 |
201 |
1339 |
Quite active year on the topband with sunspot minimum. |
|
2010 |
101 |
209 |
2224 |
Year with nice Pacific DX in log. |
|
2011 |
81 |
217 |
1168 |
- |
|
2012 |
88 |
222 |
1454 |
- |
Updated : 06-01-2013
© 2000-2011 Jukka Tarvainen