What is DX?

DX means different things to different people. 

To some, it is working a new country in the Pacific. To others it may be being copied in the antipodes with a few milliwatts of WSPR.  To some it may just be working a few kilometres with ultra-simple gear. Thank goodness we are all different.

Just because we do not understand what "turns people on" we have no right whatsoever to judge others.

DX - apt name

This lorry was seen from the bus this morning. I liked the name of this delivery company. Their tagline? Delivering Excellence. 

I wonder if they deliver long distance!!

DX soundbites - last year

You may be interested in hearing these DX soundbites from 2022.

See http://hamgallery.com/dx2022/ .

DX soundbites

10m QRP SSB DXCC was achieved over 30 years ago, so I no longer actively chase DX. If I chance on DX that is fine, but I cannot see the point of just going after it purely for another tick. 8m is different as this is real radio science. 

These days I am far more interested in radio propagation. My favourite HF band remains 10m.  Antennas are small and when it is wide open the world can be worked with low power on SSB..

Mostly I am on WSPR or FT8 because of my poor voice. I am told fewer people are on SSB these days. Chasing DX on FT8 seems to be the favourite activity. I guess there is less need for amateur radio for those just wanting to chat. Some years ago there was little choice.

If you want to know what some DX sounds like you may want to look at this site.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/dx-soundbites-2020 .

DX soundbites

You may like to hear what some DX stations sounded like. These recordings were made last year. There is a link on my main website.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/dx-soundbites-2020 .

DX is relative

As an old timer of advancing years now, some may well disagree with my "grumpy old man" statements. Tough, I shall say it anyway!

Today, I want to say that DX is relative. Some must run the full legal power (or more), have a big tower and a big beam and rotator to work that last DXCC entity that half the world is shouting at. He or she probably thinks little of spending many thousands on the "hobby". To me, this is plain ego stroking.

For me, DX is what comes my way. Usually I run QRP and with this I obtained DXCC mostly on 10m SSB long ago. If I get QSOs with distant stations, fine.  To me, working these stations means as much (or more) than those who choose to spend big on the "hobby".

I often tell newcomers that you can have much fun spending very little as the "grown-ups" who want to splash the cash. Rigs like the uBITX can be quite inexpensive, but are capable of working the world with modest, low, wire antennas.  Of course, if you build your own rigs you can get on the air for even less. One USA company is selling very low cost DSB FT8 transceiver kits that cost less than a single meal out (remember those?).

See https://qrpguys.com/

What is DX?

Just now, a relatively local M0NKR was calling CQ DX on 6m FT8. He was very strong here even though we are probably crossed polarised. I have no idea what power he runs or what antenna and tower he has. He must always spot and work far more than me! Good luck to him. I hope he works plenty of DX.

For me with my 10W and V2000 omni antenna I can never hope to work the stations he does. At 1250z he was trying to work a ZF that I cannot even see!

DX is relative and hopefully we can all enjoy the hobby in the ways that give us fun.

Cape Verde Is worked on 2m from Eire!

It had to happen, but this is a mighty long way! Southgate News reports on this record breaking IARU region 1 contact.

At some point it will happen on 432 and 1296MHz. Even 10GHz would not be out of the question. Hawaii to California has been spanned many times on bands up to 1296MHz, I believe.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/august/ei3kd-sets-new-144-mhz-dx-record.htm#.W2hHq_ZFzIU

Transatlantic FM DX

Southgate News reports that Newfoundland Band II FM signals were copied in Northern Ireland.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/july/88-mhz-trans-atlantic-signals-heard-in-ireland.htm#.W0Zy8fZFzIU

DX spots map

If you want to see which bands are "open" to where then this site might be of interest. You can select bands, modes and continents.

See https://www.dxmaps.com/spots/mapg.php?Lan=E&Frec=50&ML=M&Map=NA&HF=N&DXC=ING2&GL=N

Super 6m DX

A reminder than 6m propagation often extends far further than traditional 1 or 2 hop Es. Last summer, even with a modest V2000 vertical I spotted Japanese stations on 6m JT65 many times. I am not a great believer that many of these very long 6m paths are due to multi-hop Es. This may account for some, but not all. Personally I think some other mechanism is at work. One example is reflections due to noctilucent clouds. Maybe we are seeing some sort of chordal hop E layer propagation. There is much we do not know.

I guess next Es season the best mode will be FT8. I shall certainly be monitoring this band/mode.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/noctilucent .

Real or Fake?

Supposedly this guy worked 2m transatlantic in 1982 on FM. I find it hard to believe this was genuine. It seems amazing that this was not well publicised at the time. Make up your minds.

"Real" DX on 6m

At the moment, F2 worldwide 6m DX is rare and we rely on Es to get decent ranges. Es tends to peak in the late spring and summer. "Real" DX, by which I mean ranges well in excess of normal Es ranges, seems to occur when Es is good, although I am not a great believer these are due to multi-hop Es. OK, some might be, but I think some of the distances suggest some kind of chordal hop Es. I am frequently wrong!

UK to Israel even with my poor antenna and lossy coax and QRP every summer for several years? Also, occasional reception at much greater ranges on 6m?

I'd be interested to hear your views, especially from real experts with far more knowledge than I'll ever have. These long distance Es paths have puzzled me for years. They do happen most seasons, if not all Es seasons.

Yesterday on 10m JT65

Yesterday, I spotted 14 different South Americans plus Madagascar and all over Europe on 10m JT65. 

Even with my low, compromise, antenna, 4 continents were spotted on 10m and my own signal was copied all over Europe. I guess the "real" DX could have been Es linking with F layer further south? Personally, I doubt this was Es alone as the distances were far too great.

N-S 10m propagation over the Equator has been possible with QRP SSB, even in sunspot minimum years. Often 10m opens, but no-one is there to enjoy it.

Crystal set DXing

This is not as easy as it once was as there are fewer English language AM broadcast stations left on the traditional shortwave broadcast bands. Nonetheless, you may be surprised by what you hear.

My best DX on a simple crystal set is Radio Australia (broadcasting from Australia, not via a relay), All India Radio, Cuba and the VOA from Liberia years ago. You can even envelope detect amateur SSB signals although IDing these can be tricky. Remember, all the power is provided by the TX with none required at the RX end.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/crystalset

Don Miller W9WNV DXer

If, like me, you are getting a bit old, you may recall some of the great DXpeditions of the 1960s undertaken by Don Miller W9WNV. He became a legend at the time. Later, some of his reported DX sites were questioned.

There are some YouTube interviews and his story is at http://www.k6qqq.com/the-don-miller-story-as-told-by-hugh-cassidy-wa6aud/ .

Just maybe, some are too young to remember him!

Working QRP SSB stateside DX from the car

This photo was taken in spring 2013 (before my stroke) and shows me working QRP SSB DX from the car on the edge of Dartmoor, Devon. I guess this will never happen again now as SSB is such hard work! I think the band was 15m. Conditions, and the weather, were good.

Bouvet Is

As many know, I am no great DX chaser! However I read with interest about the costs of mounting DXpeditions to very remote places. See https://n6pse.wordpress.com/2016/06/05/bouvet-so-far-away/?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter .

10GHz DX

I get excited about German spots on 10m WSPR. Meanwhile I noticed this from G4HTZ:

"Just worked DF6IY on 10GHz SSB at 618km ..fantastic conditions but little activity @UKGHZ

Now that is DX!  No doubt helped by being on the coast, but really well done Steve.

600m DX QSO

Steve, G1KQH has brought my attention to a Southgate News item about a DX QSO on 600m CW across the Pacific.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2016/february/greater_distance_achieved_on_600m_band.htm.