I thought I'd update the group on my recent SSB DX success on 20M.
I'm putting up this post to encourage fellow 817 owners to jump in to
the DX bands..the water's no so bad.....
My antenna is a multi band (Multi element) inverted V at about 30 feet
and a Z-11 tuner in a dense residential suburb in the Bay Area.
Great QTH for the Pacific, poor for Euro. land.
Over the past 30 days since I've had my 817 I've have had great DX
success: 18 countries and 5 continents, including Africa, and some
cool Euro. DX including a 5/9 from a JW station in Slavabad near the
Arctic Circle last week. Also 20 states.
I never try to slug it out with the "Big Guys"...nearly 100% of my DX
success comes after I hear a station calling CQ DX or by tail-ending a
DX QSO. These are common techniques and nothing new.
I figured out that I average nearly 45 minutes listening for each new
DX country I work. There's no point in calling CQ with 5 watts on SSB
on 20..there's lots of others calling. They're listening for our
calls. I Always add "/QRP" to my call. You'll be surprised at how
many times you'll hear "will the QRP station please come back.." I
got Lithuania just that way.
I also make a point of always being super courteous when chasing
DX..recognizing that QRP Ops can be viewed as both a curious novelty
or a pesky insect..! I never break a DX QSO in progress.
I've had good success on 15 and 10 when those bands are open as well.
Lately I'm hearing more and more QRP Ops on 20 SSB ...mostly K2 owners
running 10 watts. I really believe that the more QRP Ops. we have on
then DX bands, the more success we'll all have. Perhaps this is
wishful thinking, but I've also worked a lot of JA's who love to
reduce their output to 5 watts when they learn I'm running the
817..they want the QRP to QRP QSO in Their log too.
Get on 20 and gve it a try..it's thrilling to be a QRP station and be
the one that STARTS the DX pile-up.
73, & Gud DX
:harry
KG6GPA
