What plans have you made for Cycle 24?

[vk3six/a]

I would like to hear from the abinitio, the new ops and the old as to what plans you have made to work the long distance DX expected in the next few years?

What times you think the dx will appear, how you will plan your dx day?

How serious you are. How's your gamesmanship if you encounter a rare dx station in the clear.
What are the rules of engagement, the operating protocols, frequencies most likely to be used?
How good is your station?
How good do you think your station is?
Do you live near a big gun who has yet to come out of the woodwork?

Do you know how to listen for DX TV video carriers?
Why do we do that?

Do you read high speed cw?
If not why not?
Could you read a fast cw signal qsbing in and out of the noise sent by an ex military european operator?
what does it sound like when you call cq and 10 EU stations all call you at once?
Do you even know the beam heading to western Europe from your qth?
Do you know the times of day that signals traditionally appear?
What is the earliest time of working Europe from East Coast VK?
The latest times logged?
How far has a european station worked into VK? ZL?
How many 6M ops between VK3 East Coast and VK6 west coast?
How many worked Europe in the past two cycles that EU has come into VK?
How many VK Ops have DXCC?
VK1?
VK2?
VK3?
VK4?
VK5?
VK6?
VK7?
VK8?
There are over 600 DXCC world wide and many guys have 200 countries worked.

How many countries worked from east Coast VK?
How many from west coast?



How do you qsl the rare dx.

Take for example A35RK recently the possible first dx qso of Cycle 24 for VK ZL where a half a dozen guys got through.
How did they do that, how come you didn't get through?
If you did do you know how to get a card?
Did you know about LOTW at ARRL?
Do you know about W7TSQ Bob in Edmonds Washington and how to get a card from him?
How much postage?
What is an SASE?
Are you going to be one of these guys who says "Dont care about the card, its enought that I know I worked him:?

I am not going to pontificate.

If you want an answer or would like to express an opinion away you go, I will respond later.

In the mean time look at the best of the best for Cycle 23 and ask if you could have rpeated one of these great qsos?

http://people.aapt.net.au/~sg4/F26MDX.htm

[VK6KXW]

Hi Steve you've laid down the challenges to the masses well done !!!!
I know for sure via murphy's law that this scribe will be at Murrin Murrin minesite the work qth when it all goes down
But then again I have done all this under my old call sign vk6zdy so lets see what the youngie's can do, put or shut up
is what I say

For those of us and I include myself in this who don't know the meaning of ab initio and who are intellectually challenged heres the definition.

Ab Initio

prep. Latin phrase meaning "from the start"; literal meaning being something done 'from scratch'. In legal parlance it stands from: 1.) if any legal agreement is void ab initio then it stands null and void from the very beginning of its intended existence and not just from the instant its declared as void. 2.) if a person enters onto someone's private property (real estate) by authority of law but later maltreats that authority then he becomes a trespasser ab initio.

Posted in the pursuit of robust debate,
Peter
VK6KXW

[VK4BKP]

VK3SIX, Steve, need your input on CW protocol. When working Europe via CW I imagine only the bare essentials are used to get the contact over as quick as possible. Can you post what a typical contact would proceed like please?

My contact with A35RK was clumsy and my CW more rusty than a saw left in the weather for 25 years. When I'm nervous my read speed drops in half and my TX is unreadable. Obviously I need some practice.

Maybe I should just stick with SSB but they say CW is like having an extra 6dB of antenna gain.

[VK4BKP]

Oh, one other question. For QSLing direct or via a QSL manager, what other options are there for including reply postage other than an International Reply Coupon? My local post office have these in short supply. I bought the last one the other day and she said she hadn't sold any others for 5 years!

[vk3six/a]

For those who don't realise it Tony ex VK6ZDY was the first SMIRK member in Australia
working the pre-requisite number of SMIRK members n 6M who were in those days all international dx.

Last things first CW Mode

There is nothing to say you wont make two way long distance SSB QSO's.
In fact some of the first European opening was to France for me and the first QSO was SSB.
But we nearly mucked it up, what with QSB and accents and whatever.
First I thought it was the guy in Africa then I got it as FC1 Bravo Uniform Uniform but it was BBU.

OK CW.
I am an FOC and have a US extra class licence which I passed on a straight keying exam,
So I can send and copy high speed cw.

I use a side padle electronic keyer the ones that send dah di dah di dah when you squeeze the keys together.
very efficient.
I have had it since 1989.
I dont send fast about 15 wpm max.
Send at what speed you can handle copy.

Write everything down.

Log times.

On a dxpedition with key and pen in right hand I can send get response write and acknowledge 3-5 CW qsos in 60 seconds hour after hour but you are only copying the call and report.
Dont send stupid reports they expect 559 or 599.
539 if you can just copy them.

Dont send grid squares or extraneous stuff, write it on the card.



I learned to do this in 1982 with Bill K1MM at VK9YM when we worked thousands of contacts 2xCW.
AT the beginning I was hopeless and guys sent me LID LID
at the end I could work CW and make a conversation on the side.
CW working is fast and efficient and a qso can be over in under 60 seconds.

Usual scene is CQDX callsign callsign BK

We call on 110.7 so to put a nice tone in the rx of the far end.
A35RK was on 110.2
01:44
I sent him my call twice he came back 539 539 BK
I went back A35RK DE VK3OT 559 559 BK
he sent QSL 73.
I sent 73 PAUL.
QSO was over.
01:45


Then he faded out.

I heard a VE6 call cq,
I answered and heard him start to send my call and he faded out forever.



I dont use a cw filter just run dual 2.4 khz filters in my TS690.
I use an MH2 mast head amp under the yagi which is 12 dbd.

These contacts in an opening were all cw.

I started on 50.1067 and stayed there didn't move the beam
didn't move the dial went split frequency using RIT and tuned for best tone and interference rejection (you have heaps calling all over the band).

http://people.aapt.net.au/~sg4/2002.htm

Do you think you could straight copy first time each and every callsign not known what the first character is going to be?

EU ops are CW ops they are senior licence holders with 6M priviledges.
They all send superb CW to a T.

Suggestion go on 10 meg band and work some to test your skills.


QSl

$2 USD.

[vk3six/a]

PS This is the worst case scenario and refers to EU long haul dx and things like KL7 W4 W5.

US W6 and KH6 are SSB copy all the time.
So is Mexico.

So you wont have it all bad all at once.

But the really really rare stuff will be cw unless you are very lucky.
If he is strong enough to read on SSB you will have lots of company.

73

[VK4BKP]

I tried a paddle once. Hated it, so just use a hand key.

Just downloaded a little freeware program called Cw_player for practice. It can spit out random numbers and letters at any speed of choice up to 50 wpm and even introduce QSB and noise. As if it's not hard enough already! Actually it's very good. Can also do abbreviations, stops and special characters. With random characters there's no guessing what comes next.

[VK6SIX]

What plans have you made for Cycle 24?

Well assuming we have a cycle 24, i am just gunna sit here in the shack and hope for propagation, if i get any, i am planning to have fun.

see ya ...i am off to see if i can copy an XT2 on 110

cheers graham vk6six

[VK6KXW]

Well said Graham: I will go one step further and ask will Perth ever have a 2007 6mx sporadic e season
or has it been canceled due to lack of interest ???

Peter
vk6kxw

[vk3six/a]

Geeze you guys. Already had country number 6 for 24 ZL A35 FK8 VK8 JA2 and VK9LH.
Shortly we will have KH8 3D2/R maybe even Norfolk VK9N and VK0 Casey Base.

[VK3BPN]

It’s very interesting looking at the data from the link in Steve’s initial post; http://people.aapt.net.au/~sg4/F26MDX.htm, analysing the data for VK3 contacts indicates the majority of the contacts (over 60%) occurred between 07:00 to 09:00, peaking at 08:00 Hrs with only one contact between 11:00 to 20:00 Hrs.
The other interesting fact is that the smoothed sunspot numbers were over 110 during the time the QSO's were occuring which, was at the peak of the cycle. Also interesting is that a high percentage of the contacts were made at the weekend so I guess we all have to go too work during the week.
Some of us can only dream (including me) of making such contacts like Steve and others but if we have some good data I guess it improves our chances, but, I guess that’s why they call it the magic band.

Good 6m DX Peter … VK3BPN

[VK2KIT]

I plan to make as many contacts on 50.110 - 50.200 as possible (domestic & overseas)

[vk3six/a]

Peter I was lucky to work from my home driveway installing electronic equipment so 50 megs ran daily, however we also lacked the internet and used packet radio for bulletins as well as printed material like the 50MHZ DXB and SIX NEWS.
Adam and I founded the AUSTRALIAN LINKS TO THE UKSMG, and I spent hours and hours liaising with places like the Helsinki University following the disasterous missed QSO with OH1VR in Dec 1988
When like today everyone's beams were out at the Pacific with no thought for the North West path that I discovered from VK3 during 1988-1989.

They say you have to put in the time to get the results and we have the tyranny of distance to overcome unlike the Europeans.



But ten years on the results for me are quite embarrassing almost obsessive.

But I still have not worked short path greater than 17000 km the barrier being the Atlantic Ocean for me in both directions
which as you know has very little 6M activity in it.

GRIDS WORKED IN EU



Of particular interest are the blank holes in the map where TV transmitters WERE LOCATED but not now, so we are all going to have to be street smart with less high power TV video to alert us it will take a reviewed operating procedure to attract attention.
I suspect there will still be hours and hours of fruitless calling before you strike a QSO.

And as Peter pointed out the best DX time was our Sunday night their Sunday morning, where the average ham walked out to the shack with a cup of coffee and turned the 6M radio on.

[VK4ABW]

Four 13 element yagi's @ 14m agl

[VK3SIX]

Disregard efforts to raise the dx standard
Carry on in your comfort zones.

[VK7XX]

what plans you have made to work the long distance DX expected in the next few years?

Me! well, I just bought a new 'fridge. A BIG sucker too. I am gonna fill it with p1$$, sit back in the shack, work the DX and make light work of the 'fridge stock.

Are you gonna tell me that you intend to do something else ??

[VK5BC]

Good onya John , some take it all too seriously.

have fun.

73 Brian

[VK4GHZ]

I am gonna fill it with p1$$, sit back in the shack, and make light work of the 'fridge stock.

John, that might compromise your CW skills!!!
I seriously hope it's TsingTao, Efes or something equally top-shelf... none of this local cats piss they fob off as "beer".

[VK3SIX]

To each his own Brian.
Disregard efforts to raise the dx standard
Carry on in your comfort zones.

2 cents.

[VK3SIX]

Four 13 element yagi's @ 14m agl

I am impressed. What 12db no maybe 15dbd gain?
Stacking apertures is pretty tricky, but I guess you have had all the advice from W6JKV K6QXY OH2AQ and K6MYC re stacking large yagis.
Funny all the ones I have seen are at least 75 maybe 100 feet in the air.
Why so low 14M thats 50 feet or soto the bottom arrays.
They will still be in ground capture effect won't they?

How will you test it, a reference dipole and NON AGC receiver?

50 feet is a bit low IMO, hope you dont have any neighbours nearby, dont forget the EMR rules.
By my claculations you need at least 75 feet to be in a safe exposure zone when you are using 100 watts.
If you go 1KW, well just do the sums.

Does that mean we can expect to see every VK4 and the National 6M Record in the hands of ABW by seasons end?
How about giving the world EME record a shot right now?
All you need is a KW permit and a low noise floor rig, the antenna should do the rest if they are well designed and have measured gain above 15 db.
(With Straight CW too, not all this EME via PC and WJST crap).
All you need to do is work W6JKV/5 and its yours.
We wait with bated breath


P.S. And when you are done with that call up KC4AAA who has a kW and M2 on 6M
and set up for the 1st VK4 to VK0 Antarctic QSO
and join the very few 7 continent 6M holders in the world today.

QED.