ARI DX contest 2017

I had great fun with low power in the ARI DX contest.
This year it was not that easy, because of QSB.
But nevertheless I made a total of 11 QSO's with 8 mW up to 800 mW.

QSB
Sometimes the QSB (fading) made it very difficult. But it's also a sport to choose the right moment to answer the CQ. I start answering before my signal peaks to make the QSO. My signal has to be also  in the clear. In QSO number 3, the signal of LY3B went up slowly, so I had to listen very carefully to work him with 8 mW. For the QSO with I7PHH I had to wait for the signal to go up, to make the QSO when my signal peaked. Hi. In the last QSO with HA8GZ there was no QSB. But when I look back in my notes on paper, I see, that I heard many stations, that I have not work because their signals faded.

Excellent Ears
I met 3 very skillful operators with excellent ears in QSO number 2, 3 and 4.
YT1A with 80 mW, LY3B with 8 mW and RW3YA with 80 mW. Well done gentleman.
I am not the strongest station on the band, but when my signal is in the clear, these skillful operators with will answer my call, what ever my power may be. Hi. It is all a matter of propagation.

The table below shows the QSO's in chronological order in blocks of one hour.
The table shows the power that I used from QSO to QSO.

ARI DX contest - 14 MHz  - PA1B

Worked DXCC's

ARI DX contest 2017 - PA1B

CQMM DX 2017

The CQMM DX contest brought my an interesting mix of
 - DX with 5 continents with QRP and QRPp
 - Using very low power, when the S-meter peaks  - 8 mW - hi
 - Making QRPp QSO's within Europe with 800 mW or less
 - Making 1000 Miles per Watt QSO's with other continents AF, NA, SA

CQMM DX 2017 - PA1B

CQ or S&P

As a QRP and milliwatt enthusiast I reduce my power, when the conditions go up. When I work with low power, I always use search and pounce. From time to time I also called CQ with 800 mW, but without success. The reason that I could not make any QSO in this way, is probably the activity. I heard stations calling CQ for a wile and then this station would leave the frequency after a few tries. 

Continents

I did not expect to work a total of 5 continents. On Saturday and Sunday I had only worked stations from Europe (EU) in 12 QSO's. But then suddenly after 18:30 UTC the ionosphere opened up to the west and the east, so I made 6 beautiful QSO's with:
EA8/DL3ASM  (AF), K1GQ   (NA), ZW8T  (SA), VA2WA   (NA),TA7I  (AS), CN8KD  (AF)
After this run the 20 meter band was empty. hi.

8 mW QSO with YQ6A

Early in the contest, after two QSO's with 360 mW, the signal of YQ6A was very strong. An earsplitting S⁺ +20 dB. This is S⁺ through the attenuator of 20 dB. I made the QSO with 8 milliwatts by answering CQ. 

1000 Miles per Watt QSO's

Making a more than 1000 Miles per Watt QSO's is not as difficult as it seems. When you use a power of 800 mW, all QSO's over a distance of more than 800 miles will be more than 1000 Miles per Watt QSO's. Just notice, what your S-meter shows you. hi. The number of QSO's in red in the table are more than 1000 Miles per Watt QSO's.

QRPpp eQSLs

Here are some eQSLs' from the last batch.

The QSO's are all made with QRPpp and while using the Lowest Possible Power.

QRPpp is the (not official) term, that I use for a power of less than 100 milliwatts.
Also known as two digit milliwatting.

Making QSO's with very  low power is not that difficult.
It´s all a matter of propagation.

The changes in propagation can be hugh.

So when the S-meter goes 20 dB up, the power can be reduced by 20 dB.

Look for a station that is calling CQ,with an earsplitting S⁺⁺ signal.
Answer with low power, with the excellent timing, that you always use.
Don´t suspect anything, but be prepared, after you give your call.
Most of the time, other stations are answered.
But than suddenly, when the frequency is clear, then you will be heard.
It´s possible that you are surprised, that you hear your call, being send immediately correct.
And before you know it, you also get an exchange. What was that? What number did he gave? hi.

9H1XT    1205 Miles   3.6 mW   334841 Miles per Watt

IV3ZXQ   550 Miles   22 mW   25002 MPW

SM5QU   740 Miles   36 mW   20549 Miles per Watt

SV1ENG   1318 Miles   98 mW   13453 Miles per Watt

S56M   588 Miles   80 mW   7349 Miles per Watt

OE2008S   445 Miles   98 mW   4698 Miles per Watt

See me smile, from ear to ear, after such a QSO.  

HA-DX contest 2013

I enjoyed working with my new Inverted Vee in the HA-DX contest. At the end of 2012 Walle PE2WJW repaired my antenna which was damaged in a storm late November. The HA-DX contest was the first DX contest,  in which I could test the new antenna.
The new antenna works well.

When I started on Saturday afternoon on 20 m, I heard HA8MD with S8 +20 dB, so I immediately made a QSO with just 8 mW. This first QSO was also the QSO with the lowest power in this contest.
After that I made 4 more QSO's with very low and very low power: HA8IB - 36 mW, RA3RFA - 800 mW, UA2FL - 36 mW and HA1ZH - 360 mW.
A very good start. After that I got on the bike, because it was sunny whether.

On Sunday mornong I made QSO's on 40 m, 20 m and 15 m.
After the contest I went for a walk in the park. Not because it was sunny. It was snowing and there was wind. The very small snow flakes were moving almost vertically, so I could'nt resist. hi

In all QSO's I used the Lowest Possible Power with search and pounce in CW. So the used power in each QSO, is a very good indication of the propagation at that moment.
When I use the lowest possible power, it not always easy. Sometimes I have to give my call many times before my weak signal is heard. The frequency must be absolutely clear.

26 Out of 34 QSO's are made with more than 1000 Miles per Watt, considering the distance to the worked stations.  hi

9H1XT in LZ DX with 3.6 mW

The propagation on 10 m is getting very good. Earlier this morning the signals were S9 in the LZ DX contest. When I came back on 10 m, the signal of 9H1XT was S9 + 20 dB and sounded very strong. I repeatedly used 3.6 mW to answer. I had to force myself NOT to increase the power, every time John did not hear me, but answered an other stations. After 7 or more times my perseverance payed off and the QSO was made with 3.6 mW. Tnx John.
It is a long time ago that a power of 5 mW or less could be used. This reminds me of the propagation in 2001, when I could frequently work over thousand miles with 2.5 mW or 5 mW.

OK-OM DX Contest

Last weekend I participated in the OK-OM DX contest. Saturday I started on 80 m and made 23 QSO with 2.7 W. Sunday morning I made just more than 10 QSO's on 40 m. The propagation was disappointing on 40 m. Often I can use just 80 mW on 40m in the morning. But in nearly all the QSO's, I had to use 2.7 W. Only one QSO could be made with 360 mW.

Then I went to 20 m. It was fabulous. I started with 360 mW and later I could reduce to 8 mW in a QSO with OM3IAG. The stronger the received signal, the further the power can be reduced.
I received OL2W and OK7T with 20 dB over S9. This is S9 through the 20 dB attenuator. I noticed that OL2W and OK7T are great listeners with Excellent Ears and both really took the time to answer my 8 mW signal.

The frequency must be absolutely clear, when I answer with this low power. I was hunting for OM3RRC, calling him more then 10 times in vane. Suddenly I was the only caller and he immediately answered to my 36 mW signal. hi

Forgot to send in the IARU HF Cabrillo file

In June 2011 I participated in the IARU HF World Championship. As you remember, I made two entries in my Blog about this contest. Probably I was so busy with the Blog and the preparations for the holiday, that I did not send in my Cabrilllo file. When I found out, I sent the file today.
The robot gave the usual information about all the categories.
The robot even kindly thanked my for participation and for submitting the log and even pointed out an ignored line.

But what ever. I had great fun in the IARU HF.
In a long time, I made a QSO with 8 mW. Click here to read.
And made many QSO with the Lowest Possibe Power and a number of more than 1000 Miles per Watt QSO's. Click here to read.
I wonder if my log will be marked as check log or will be just simply ignored.

In the last line the robot stated:
Log received 40 days, 5 hours and 23 minutes after deadline. hi

IARU HF Worked DXCC Coutries

In the IARU HF World Championship, I used
the Lowest Possible Power in nearly every
QSO using a FT-817 that can be adjusted to:
360 mW, 800 mW, 1.8 W or 2.7 W and an
Inverted Vee.
For a power lower than 360 mW, I use
homebrew attenuators.

Worked DXCC Counties
In the IARU HF 2011 I worked 36 DXCC counties.

Propagation
If I compare this overview of the IARU HF contest with similar overviews from 9 years ago, when the the number of sun spots was higher, the difference is that the UA stations that are worked with 8 to 80 mW now, in 2003 could be worked with 5 mW to 50 mW.
This influence of declining sun spots over the years is far less than the daily fluctuation.
In every contest it's still possible to work with QRPp and make more than 1000 Miles per watt QSO's

Activity
It is great to participate in a contest with "World Wide" activity.
This activity is almost as important as the propagation.
I met stations with Excellent Ears and many stations with very good operators.
As you can see, I had great fun with low power.
Thanks to all these fine operators.

IARU HF 2011 Lowest Possible Power

I did not use a fixed power, in the IARU HF World Championship, but I used the Lowest Possible Power in nearly every QSO.
After a destructive mismatch, a few months ago, the power of my FT-817 is reduced. So now the power can be adjusted to: 360 mW, 800 mW, 1.8 W or 2.7 W. The antenna is an Inverted Vee.
But notice that even with a power of 2.7 W, every QSO with Canada or the USA is good for more than 1000 Miles per Watt.
The stronger the received signal, the lower the power that I use.
When a station can hear me, but can not copy, I immediately double my power which is a step of 3 dB.
For a power lower than 360 mW, I use homebrew attenuators.
Click for info on attenuators.
Because I use the Lowest Possible Power in ech QSO, I search and pounce.
It's hard work, in which you need perseverence and patience.

From my contest notes on paper:
I worked YR1C with 36 mW on 14 MHz. His signal was very strong, still S⁺ through the 10 dB attenuator. After first working 5 other stations, he heard my call and immediately responded with my call (not correct) and my report. I corrected my call and gave my report. Now the frequecy was clear, so he received my signal with a good readability and the QSO could be completed easily.

An other station with a very strong signal was R3HQ, which I received with S⁺ + 20 dB. I first tried 8 mW, but I worked him with 18 mW.

The lowest power I used in this contest, was in a QSO with RU1A. I received his signal with S⁺⁺ through the attenuator of 20 dB. I met the team of RU1A before with exteme low power. I knew that this station has Excellent Ears. So I went for the really lowest power. I started with 3.6 mW. They were very busy answering other stations which I could hear, but also that I could not hear. In the proces of answering the CQ's, I already increased to 8 mW and to 18 mW, after question marks, that were not for me. Then after 10 or more calls, I realised, that the signal that I received, was so ear shattering strong, that 3.6 mW could work. So I went back to 3.6 mW. By the 15th time I called, my signal was heard, but not copied, so I increased to 8 mW and made the QSO.

An other station with Excellent Ears is VY2ZM,
which I worked with only 360 mW. Outstanding!

Working with low power is not so difficult.
YU8HQ was S⁺ on 10 meters, so all I did was reduce to 360 mW.
S50HQ had so many callers, that he could not hear me with 800 mW. When I came back later, the frequency was clear and the QSO was made with 360 mW. Both QSO's are good for more than 1000 MPW.

Results

In the contest 125 QSO's on 5 bands are made.
In this survey you can see the power that was used for each QSO, for each band.
Please notice that on 40 m 81% of the QSO's were made with 800 mW or less. On 20 m 54% of the QSO's.
The distrubution the number of QSO's over the power catagories is entirely determined by the propagation.

More than 1000 Miles per Watt QSO's

71 out of 125 QSO's (57%) are more than 1000 Miles per Watt QSO's.
Even with 2.7 W it's possible to break through the 1000 MPW boundary.
The most spectaculair results are found on the 20 m band.
* In every contest it's still possible to work with low power and make more than 1000 Miles per watt QSO's.

Activity
It is great to participate in a contest with "World Wide" activity.
This activity is almost as important as the propagation.
I met stations with Excellent Ears and many stations with very good operators.
As you can see, I had great fun with low power.
Thanks to all these fine operators.

QSO with RU1A with 8 mW

As a milliwatt enthusiast, I often make QSO's with the lowest possible power.
In the IARU HF World Championship 2011 I met RU1A.
Their signal was S⁺⁺+20 dB. Thus S⁺⁺ through a 20 dB attenuator.
When I was answering for the 10th time or more, and my signal was still not heard, I wanted to increase my power. But then I realized (again) that the signal was very, very strong. So I kept answering with 3.6 mW and my perseverance payed off.
He did hear my with 3.6 mW, but he did not copy my call, so I immediately went to 8 mW. Then my call was copied immediately and the QSO was made.

Большое спасибо to the fine operators with their Excellent Ears at RU1A.

This is the card that I received for a QSO with just 1 mW in 2004 .
Click to read more.

Sun spots or no sun spots, it is still possible to make QSO's with very low power.
.