My station log from 08FEB09 till 18FEB15 has been uploaded to LOTW. I upload to LOTW every few days typically, depending on my activity on the bands. My earlier call was N5RKD; I changed my call to AI5I on 28JAN12. I've held an US Extra Class license since 1990. My UK A class license (G4NDH) was issued in 1981.
QSL Info:
I don't collect paper QSL cards unless the other station doesn't use LOTW. I will answer QSL card requests. I appreciate your SASE for domestic cards requested directly. Similarly, I also like postage for direct card requests for DX stations on HF. I will make an exception to the postage request for QSLs for EME contacts since there is more of a mutual advantage here and many EME stations do not use LOTW. However, I would appreciate a self-addressed envelope for the return.
I use the ARRL Bureau for most DX cards. If you have requested a card from me and have not received it within a reasonable time, then let me know by e-mail. (Occasionally, the US Post Office loses my mail or delivers it to my neighbors.) Similarly, if you need e-QSL and I haven't done the upload routinely within a reasonable time, then an e-mail to me will get this fixed. I do respond to all QSL requests so, if you don't get your card or electronic confirmation from me, then there's some problem somewhere --- and we can get this issue resolved.
Sometimes I am asked to confirm contacts with LOTW --- and send paper QSL cards through the bureau for these contacts too. I don't quite understand this. However, if you do need a paper card in addition to a LOTW confirmation, then you should send me yours first. Otherwise, I am unlikely to track the double request --- and I have more interesting things to do than run a bureaucracy.
Here are the QSL problems I encounter: (1) wrong callsign on card, (2) wrong UT date, (3) wrong UT time or use of your local clock time instead of UT, (4) not in log, (5) indecipherable handwriting and (6) other incorrect information about the contact that renders the card unusable for awards. #4 happens because of crowded bands and/or poor conditions. But again, if you feel there's an error on my part, then let me know and we'll get things straightened out. I'll try to contact you by e-mail if I have some problem with your card.
Please do not request a card from me unless you do need it for some award, or you really want a paper QSL, or for some other compelling reason. I have many cards from each of a few individual stations for routine contacts on HF, usually during contests. (Some particular JA stations are especially compelled to send me a QSL card for HF contest QSOs, year after year. ) The US is not a rare entity, and New Mexico is not a rare state on HF. I don't begrudge the costs of the cards but I do bristle at the time it takes to respond to these "automatic" requests. I'd rather be on the air making contacts than doing paperwork. And, remember, Logbook of the World and e-QSL are faster and cheaper.
I do upload to eQSL if necessary. Most of my QSLs will end up there eventually. I don't like eQSL for several reasons but I will be pleased to accommodate your request for more timely uploads. I have AG status. I have uploaded to eQSL all QSOs for N5RKD and AI5I up till 23DEC13.
JE1CTL: Today, January 6, 2015, I have received a QSL card from you via the bureau for a 15m JT65 qso on January 19, 2014. I cannot find that QSO in my log. You do not have an e-mail address in qrz.com so I am making this note here in the hope that you read it.
Activity
I have been licensed continuously since 1981 but did not operate much between 1992 and 2008. I operate on HF mostly, and usually CW and digital modes. Occasionally, I am on meteor scatter with WSJT on 6 metres - 800W to a 5-element M2 beam. I am on 2m EME with 700+W to 18 elements (but limited elevation control).
142 2m EME initials worked since 13JUL14. 22 DXCC confirmed on 2m EME.
Bill
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Some pearls of wisdom from the bands.
Seen on the cluster --- "amazing (RST) 509". Those S-meters are tricky.
... and heard on 17m phone " ... I'm going to give you a zero and zero, it's that low ... "
VA2** claims XW1AW/0 to be a pirate “30dB. Oh yeah. Pirate!” on 80m CW. He is then told on the cluster to get a new code reader because this is really “TU W1AW/0”!
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Observations on recent DXpeditions & rare activity
TI9/3X9DX
Now I understand. This is a small DXpedition with a small number of ops, 2 of whom are not DXers. There are some constraints imposed by the Cocos Island authorities on the operation. And there are some severe topographical constraints on propagation paths.
Please don't make things worse for them by endless tuning up on the DX frequency, making demands that they work the US (while they are trying to work EU over a difficult path), or cursing in CW over the top of them (as I have just heard on 80m). They are trying hard to make the DXpedition work with limited resources.
K1N
A very good DXpedition in just about every way. Fierce pile-ups, of course. But there will always be a contingent of moaners who can't understand why they didn't work the DXpedition with an attic dipole and 100W. And then there are those for whom anything the DXpedition does is just wrong.
But I'm glad to see that the ranks of clueless US Extras have not diminished. We have to maintain those low standards.
EP6T
What a waste of time. ESP signals here in NM. It's a tough path admittedly and they apparently have high QRN at their end. But, as long as EU and the US East Coast get theirs, this DXpedition will be deemed a raging success.
1A0C
So much for the claim that they will try to work US West Coast. When the propagation is good to the western US they just continue to work the East Coast wall. Maybe they mean the west coast of Massachusetts? I do hear the occasional W6 or W7 break through. But, often the W6 or W7 stations that work 1A0C are "transplanted" and living in FL. And, as usual, we have the US Extras who are clueless and don't understand split operation.
02JAN15 Well, just as it might look that the propagation to the western US might improve, 1A0C goes QRT on 10 and 12m. After all, they have finished working the US East Coast on those bands so what's the point of continuing there? Now they are on 30m at ESP level for NM. Great job, 1A0C.
04JAN15 Just as I can hear then well on 17m CW, they stop abruptly. Amateur amateur hour continues. Later, conditions on 20m are really poor --- I can barely hear them in NM --- they start to call for the US. Well, as long as they can reach FL, this is just fine.
8R1AE
05OCT14 Well, eventually 8R1AE found some JA stations to respond to his QRZs on 12m CW. Good strength here in NM but absolutely, definitely, essentially, categorically had to work JA even though there was a lot of dead air and many US stations waiting. Must be JH1ROJ at the controls.
VP5/G3SWH
05OCT14 This must be the new flash DX'ing mode. Turn up somewhere, work a few QSOs and then just stop. No warning, just disappear. Fortunately, I don't need Turks & Caicos.
FT4TA
03NOV14 This DXpedition has generated the worst deliberate QRM, poor operating and unacceptable behavior (on CW) that I have seen since I have started chasing DX. The spreads are just out of control --- 20kHz and worse on CW. I haven't looked to see what's happening on phone. I'm staggered by how many US so-called extra class operators have no clue about calling "UP". There are so many occasions on which this happens that I don't think we can ascribe this to simple error ("oops, forgot to toggle the SPLIT button"). And these "extras" are not all recent tickets; they often have QRZ.COM pages detailing their (often expensive) equipment, their large antenna farms, and the many operating awards they have.
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JT65 and JT9 users.
What is it about some JT65 and JT9 users? I can be calling a specific station on JT65 or JT9 and these other stations just fire up and assume that I'd really rather have a contact with, for example, Minnesota instead of VK on 80m. And they exhibit this sort of behavior persistently, so it's not just a 'slip of the keyboard'. This happened several times, with different operators, this morning.
And then we have the JT65 signals which appear in multiple places on the spectrum, simultaneously. These are usually at multiple separations of 120Hz which indicates that the radiated signal is also being modulated by rectified mains power. The offenders appear oblivious to this problem, although they are chewing up much more spectrum than required. Does nobody comment on these poor signals to the offenders?
On 20m JT65 this morning, I call "CQ AI5I DX" signaling that I want replies only from ouside the US. So what happens? Correct. I get a big US 5 area reply. This sort of thing happens a lot. Don't these ops understand the meaning of "DX"? Or because their stations are so compromised, any signal from outside the borders of their state is "DX"? This happened again this evening; I called for DX on 80m JT65 and I get answered by a station 600 miles away.
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TPA# 381
Completed 160m CW WAS 07FEB11
Completed DXCC 1000 Challenge 26JAN14
SKCC# 7176T, NAQCC# 5356
Recent changes:
Updated EME initials total.
Revised my request for postage for some QSLs --- EME only.
Revised: 20FEB15 @ 02:21z
