An update on the DXCCs worked as I am on the mend

J5UAP Peter with junior op on the beach in Guinea-Bissau

With the awful condition of having a severe ear infection and a perforated ear drum, I have not done any radio for well over a week. So now would seem like a good time to update you on how I've been getting on since the last DXCC and bands update. Also eQSL. So here goes. The last update was on March 12th and the bands have been in excellent condition since then, so let's see how I've been getting on:

Total DXCCs worked: 213 (4 deleted)

160M: 62 DXCCs worked (0 - no change)
80M: 85 (+2) This band is in hibernation for the summer !
40M: 136 (+5)
30M: 129 (+14 a really great band if you like CW :) )
20M: 161 (+16)
17M: 130 (+15)
15M: 128 (+14)
12M: 89 (+17 huge improvement here)
10M: 62 (+19 At last good prop on 10m)
6M: 52 (0 Waiting for the first opening of the season)
2M: 10 (0)


Some of the recent highlights include: 
TR8CA Gabon on 12m and 15m MFSK (first time using this mode and it gave me a new country on two bands!)
V44KAI St Kitts and St Nevis, new DXCC on 30m and 10m
CE2/VE7SV Chile - new DXCC on 17m
FY5LH French Guiana - new one on 15m
9M2CNC West Malaysia on RTTY new DXCC on 17m
ZA/LZ1UQ Albania new DXCC on 17m
J5UAP Guinea-Bissau - had never worked this one before and suddenly I had it on 6 bands thanks to this one operator who has been active lately - got him on 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m and 10m, all on CW.
6W2SC - new country on 20m

On March 9th I had 102 countries confirmed on eQSL, now that's up to 110.

Looking forward to more good propagation as the sun kicks into life. The peak of this solar cycle is supposed to happen in April 2013 so that gives us two years of decent conditions to look forward, provided everything goes to plan. I wonder, though, if we can expect an even later peak because the last lull was a year longer than expected? We will see.

If you're interested in working DX, you can read HF Happenings in Echo Ireland which is now being written by me. Dave Deane EI9FBB has retired from the post and I have taken over. The latest issue is out now.