Racking Up DX Contacts On Ham Radio, Gang Busters, 20 Meters

Stop haveing your contests around 14.230 or on 14.230 That is the sstv freq's

Nice video. A couple of suggestions and one ? 1.When you answer the CQ of a DX station that is "running" , you should give your call (only)...so that he or she can check for "dupes" and then give you their contest exchange . The station "holding court, always gives their exchange first. 2. I hope you are going to submit a log, in order to avoid numerous "not in log" feedback lines, when they request, and receive a post contest "feedback" report. Have you considered putting more physical separation between your two antennas, in order to minimize the potential for "skewing" the RX (and TX) pattern, of one or both antennas? My 2023 CQWW Ph contest summary (for my "100 watts and a wire" effort, is on the 3830 "brag site" in case you're bored. 🤣 73, N7MZW.

Never worked a contest and never gave anyone a 59, unless my ear drums are bursting.

New Ham here. So you can use a vertical like a Hy-Gain on HAM radio? I already have a Solarcon Vertical 5/8 wave on my roof for 10-12 Meter. I can use that antenna? I am thinking of getting a Yaesu FTDX-10. Really trying to get some advice.

can I just ask how do the guys in the contest get their points if you dont log them ??

👍

That's a good antenna Eric I want one of those for my 11 meter cobra 148 Gtl and my President HR-2510

yes i thought you should have had more calls as i have only had my license since may this year and have got 65 countries lol but your right the bands and prop would be better if people would call cq instead of just listening so ill give you a thunbs up for that fella 73 and good dx budd from M7BYF in liverpool england. been watching you for years since your flowerpot antenna lol just a little joke. oh your right they did sound like a 5.9

Great radio always great vids thank you 1👍🤟

What model radio is that

The bands aren't completely dead, but they are far from open, compared to real dx atmospheric openings that are worldwide. Those occur primarily near the high end of the 11 year sunspot cycle. The south pole, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Turkey, Siberia, Franz Josef Land, and dxpeditions operating from otherwise uninhabited islands in the south pacific and Indian oceans are some examples of contacts that are typical of the really hot openings when the maximum usable frequency (muf reading) rises to 10m and often 6m. That, coupled with less absorption ("A" index) and higher solar flux index (SFI) produces spectacular results, even with 100 watts and a decent antenna. The band conditions can be seen on QRZ dot com and similar websites. I've had contacts with 266 countries so far, with just casual operating over the past 8-10 years, almost all coming during the more favorable part of the sunspot cycle. We are now just passing the bottom of the cycle, and the next few years should provide increasing activity. N4DXC

Using the same rig , with a Sirio 2016 5/8 wave vertical on 20m. 8m Elevation, off the ground 5/9 Into Florida and Northern Europe. on 150w .. Noise is totally manageable, My favourite Band... 73s HS0ZOU.

Do they ever have this type of thing happening on the bands for tech license?

I’m tired of hearing the bands are dead. Like hell they are. They are dead because there’s this ordeal going around and the assumption that they are so it makes no one even try to work them. That Rosetta Stone of bands guide needs to go to hell. It’s not accurate and it’s killing radio.

A method of making manual logging easier is to have your ham audio recorded in Audacity on the left channel, while simultaneously recording WWV on the right channel.

Countries heard:
🇦🇼 🇵🇷 🇧🇿 🇩🇴 🇸🇽 🇨🇼 🇨🇦 🇻🇮 🇬🇵

Your channel is Epic.
Im Hoping to get a license someday

Your antenna is very good

a lot of swr and still working good

Got my IC-7300 few days ago from Gigaparts. Added a Shure SM7B microphone I already had. Now, you got an AV-680. Any other you recommend or one antenna you have tested or performs great with the IC-7300 internal tuner?

Thanks.

hi,interesting video,i have the same icom and swr meter,but what i dont get,no one seems to be talking to each other,it seems all radio reports,is that not so boring,why not have a conversation with someone,would recommend the icom sm 50 desk mike,thanks,from rotterdam...........

“Kilowatt, Queen, Sugar, America”. Four words you’ll never hear from Eric...

Such a great video and a great point. HF propagation doesn't range from 0 to 100%, it's more like 30-70%. In the best conditions, it isn't perfect, and in the worst conditions, it's far from dead.

Many people are lazy anymore they would rather complain than Embrace action. Radio is fun get involved

Great video, but I can't understand why you used the spectroscope in the central mode.The other mode of use of the spectroscope looks better. I think. Isn't?

I always make it a point to give accurate signal reports. Otherwise, what's the point?

I want that radio🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪

Ugh, I have to get my general and that 7300 😩, an antenna too of course 😂

Nice work. 73

Cqcq d X 2727 Waylon the hand good buddy Waylon up and Waylon down

10 4 10 200 lololol I love u

Great video been working some of the contests myself it's funny how contests will bring out a lot of people on a band lol . 73 n8wxt

Nice video! 5/9 73

Suggestion: don’t add so much extraneous stuff when the DX station has only part of your call. And don’t give your report until they come back with your full call.

I Think its boring shouting call signs,signals and Qsl over and over ,ird rather get on 11 metre or 160 top band and have a yakety yak and a bit of banter ,but each to their own .

I just tried loading my TS-570D to my SPT-500. No joy without using the antenna tuner. The radio did tune using the tuner however. Your video however, showed insight about band condx. Seems like contest weekends, they just open up!

What are your settings for your screen on the the 7300 display?

what type of coax is being used ?

Nwver in mu life i would give a 9s if its not that, totally useless, ok this is pileups thats boring.
Most normal people wants real numbers, but ik its not vround wave here those antennas is sitting a meter over the ground, crazy.

For 20m ok, but thats not sane and i understand why båtje !ies is going on.

A really nice radio thou.

I have a original 5/8 penetrator, about 6 meters just belove, and those small sticks in the top, and then 4 2.75cm earthplanes in the bottom.

What a great contest it was! It's always fun to see what other people experienced after the contest.

The DX forecasts are never wrong. Your contacts? Imagined. The 10 meter band is dead. Completely. All that DX the CB'ers are working? Well... those radio enthusiasts know something we hams forgot it seems. WORK 10 METERS PEOPLE. It is NOT dead for 5+ years out of 11. Kills me that CB'ers in the midwest work the west coast all the time.. using 4 watts of AMPLITUDE MODULATION and a ground plane on the roof

Bands are quiet on a relative basis.  We are approaching the low point of the 11-year sunspot cycle.  Activity of course picks up during contest weekends, and many contacts into the Caribbean and Europe can be made from the east coast, for example.  These days, during the week, 20 and occasionally 17 meters will open to Europe in the morning.  Late afternoon 17 will be good for a few contacts into the Pacific northwest and west coast with a lot of QSB (fading) and 20 will bring a few African contacts. As the sun moves west near dusk, Japan and maybe Australia can be worked on 20, and 17 usually closes down.  After dark 40 meters is a good place to look for DX.  African stations can be heard on SSB and some from the Indian Ocean on CW, although relatively weak.  During years of peak sunspot activity, conditions can be phenomenal, when the bands really open up especially 20, 17, 15, and 10 meters often being open world-wide, sometimes well past midnight. It is during those months that DX-ing is the most fun. 73s to all.....K4RFX

Is anyone still communicating or is this drag race all that remains of Ham radio.

Thanks for posting this video... How's Radio, are you happy with it?  73's   LM

59 Roger

good video just wish it was like this at my qth still happy dx-ing 73s

I like that your using QRZ as your logbook, it's so simple. I hate LOTW!!!! Too many steps....

The bands were crazy Sunday. Both 20 and 80 I heard a lot of stations I haven't heard that strong in a long time.

so i finally got an hf radio(ic7300 and av680 antennaa few days ago, all day saturday all my contacts were for the contest and they were all 5/9, so sunday morning i finally jumped on a net on 40 meters and got a more accurate report and from PA into AL i was a 5/9 so maybe those contest contacts were 5/9

SWR 2.0 😲😲