2018-10-27

A bit of DX - and FT8 on 60m.

Yesterday was a very radio active day for me.
I re-routed the cable for the 10 - 20m vertical, so I could use the PA with more power than through the diplexer. I went for about 400W.
Starting on 15m, BD7BS (China) and 9M2TO (Malaysia) with FT8, later the VK9XG DXpedition to Christmas Island on CW. Funny, I called and waited for a long time, and suddenly he called CQ again, and came back to me. Half a minute later he signed QRT.

17m FT8 yielded a few North American stations, a few Europeans, one South American and one Asian station. Quite OK, and the PA clearly improves chances.

In the evening I went for it on 60m FT8 with my special low band antenna. Lots of Europeans (no surprise there), in Asia UN7CBY and 4X1GA, and finally one North American, VE1YX, all with less than 50W (in Denmark we are allowed high power on 60m). Most of those 36 QSOs were replies to my CQs, all in less than 3 hours.
VE1YX I remember from my 10m/6m cross band operation days long ago. More about that in a later post.

The low band antenna does, due to its construction generate some RF in the shack, and after the operation I added a few more ferrite snap-ons to my cable. I will have to check the other bands, but on 60m I can now run the full 100W of the TRX on 60m.

Just over 50 QSOs in one day - and no contests - one of the highest counts for me in a single day.

I may have to try the 60m "trick" on another band some day (30m, 40m, 80m or 160m).

2 comments:

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Very nice Jan, I'm very active on 60m FT8. But this weekend I was contesting. However I work with 15W and am surprised what I can work. 70 DXCC till now. That includes DXCC that have been worked when we were allowed 100W the first year. 73, Bas

Jan, OZ9QV said...

Thanks, Bas.
After 25 years in the Netherlands I moved back to my native Denmark just over 3 years ago, and re started more ham radio again. I did operate in NL with the call PA9QV, but not as much as here, living in apartments.
I was not even aware that there were 70 DXCCs workable on 60m, so looking forward to working more with my Special antenna.
No I am looking forward to going more on 2m again when I receive my new linear. Only working with a Big Wheel antenna at the moment, but I intend to set up a small yagi next year.