Worked Market Reef - OJ0C

I'm always on the hunt for a DXCC that I haven't previously worked.  Especially if I've never heard of it.  Well I believe this is one for the books (or the blog hi hi).  I saw OJ0C from Market Reef spotted on 20m SSB on the DX cluster.  I found the bearing and point my 3 element yagi at about 32 degrees and started to listen.  I heard at about 5 by 7 "OJ0C QRZ".  So I warmed the amp, and threw my call out.  OJ0C answered immediately giving me a 5 by 9 report!  I happily logged it and then looked for more information on the call sign and area.

From what I can tell, Market Reef is literally just a reef (or skerry) with a light house and few other buildings on it!

 A team of young radio amateurs will be on the air from Market Reef Lighthouse as OJ0C, from July 21 until July 28 and again from August 18 until August 25. The lighthouse is nearly at sea level, and waves have been known to cover the entire reef.

The young operators will be participating in daily workshops of safety and survival at sea in the remote lighthouse. In addition, they will become familiar with the latest digital modes and, most important, learning how operating the radio efficiently — providing OJ0C contacts and handling pileups.

73 and good DX de KG4LST sk

Worked Malta - 9H5BZ

I haven't had as much time to play on HF lately as I'd like.  But such is life.  Last night, I found a little time and turned on the radio.  I have the OCF dipole connected to ANT2 and ANT1 is conntected to the Ameritron amplifier and then then the Mosley beam. I saw a spot on the DX cluster for Malta on 20m SSB.  I had not previously worked Malta and I love getting new countries in the log.  I listened on my dipole and heard 9H5BZ from 5,200+ miles away at about 4 by 5 (RST). I switched to the beam and turned it to about 55 degrees and was able to copy at 5 by 7.  I turned on the amp and I gave him a call.  He picked me up quickly and he gave me a 59 RST!  I'm still loving the beam!

9H5BZ

Malta is a Southern European island country consisting of an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. It lies 50 miles south of Italy, 176 miles east of Tunisia, and 207 miles north of Libya.  Malta is one of the world's smallest and most densely populated countries.

KG4LST to 9H5BZ

73 and good DX de KG4LST sk

Worked Liechtenstein - HBØ/PA5CT

Still playing with the new antenna, I ran across HBØ/PA5CT on 20m SSB in Liechtenstein!  I was able to work the YL (Claudia) fairly easily RX and TX 59 thanks to the new Mosley.

Claudia is a member of the PI4YLC YL Contest Team.

Liechtenstein is bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and Austria to the east and north. It has an area of just over 160 square kilometres (62 square miles), the fourth smallest in Europe, and an estimated population of 37,000

KG4LST to Leichtenstein

Worked Vanuatu - YJ0GA

I just got my Mosley triband beam and tower finished...today.  Even though there are some odds and ends that need to be finished up.  The antenna is usable.  While testing it out late in the night, I was practicing turning the rotor toward the direction I want to hear.  I had pointed it towards Australia (according to the HRD Rotor program) and I did start seeing some Australian stations showing up in the FT8 software.  I worked a couple and then I saw Vanuatu!  As usual, I had no idea where that was and I had not worked that entity before!  I called them with 50watts and got a reply!  At over 7,900 miles away, that QSO confirmed that my beam seemed to be working well.

Vanuatu is a Pacific island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is 1,090 miles east of northern Australia, 340 miles northeast of New Caledonia, east of New Guinea, southeast of the Solomon Islands, and west of Fiji.

KG4LST to YJ0GA

73 and good DX de KG4LST sk

Worked Oman - A41ZZ

A41ZZ QSL Card

I don't have much to say about this one because I forgot to write a blurb at the time I made the contact.  However, at over 7,700 miles away with just 50watts on 17m FT8...I'm very happy to have this QSO in the log!

Oman is an Arab country on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. Holding a strategically important position at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the country shares land borders with the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest, and shares marine borders with Iran and Pakistan. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast.

KG4LST to A41ZZ

73 and good DX de KG4LST sk

Worked Baker Island 2018 DXpedition - KH1/KH7Z

I haven't been able to be on the air much lately...at least on the HF bands.  Last night I kept seeing Baker & Howland Island on the DX cluster.  They seemed to be running many station because they were working several bands and modes.  I could hear them on CW (but I don't know code), and could barely decode them on FT8.  I couldn't hear them at all on the few voice spots I saw.

Finally after checking all the spots, I found that I could hear them calling on 14.210mHz and listening 5kHz to 10kHz up.  I was getting some very heavy QRM from an overmodulated signal on 14.205.  I waited a while until the QRMing station stopped transmitting and then I can gave my call.  To my surprise, they answered on the first call!

After logging them, I started to worry that perhaps in the excitement I had not heard if my call was copied correctly.  However, today I checked their online Club Log and verified that I was in it!

Baker Island is an uninhabited atoll located just north of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean about 1,920 miles southwest of Honolulu. The island lies almost halfway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbor is Howland Island, 42 mi to the north-northwest; both have been territories of the United States since 1857, though the United Kingdom considered them part of the British Empire between 1897 and 1936.

This DXpedition commemorates the 81st anniversary of Amelia Earhart's disappearance on July 2, 1937 near Baker & Howland islands -- as well as the commitment and sacrifices made by the Hui Panalā’au -- students from Hawaii who lived on Baker, Howland and Jarvis from 1935-1942. Read the full story HERE

73 and good DX de KG4LST sk