Monday, April 22, 2013

ZK3N Tokelau in the log - DXCC #288 !!



Finally, it is my great pleasure to report that ZK3N, Tokelau Island in the Pacific Ocean, is in my log! I worked the mini German dxpedition on ZK3 this morning on 20 metres CW. I had spent days trying to work them, with a lot of bad luck. A few times when I sat down at the radio to start calling them, they would QRX, QSY or QRT just when they were strong to EU. Other times I had to leave the shack, or leave the house, for various reasons. This time, I managed to get them after just about ten, maybe fifteen, minutes calling. They were on 14.006. I sat on 14.015, having been tipped off by Declan EI6FR that the split was wide. Eventually I could hear "ES2?" so, thinking it might be me (for non CW ops, S is three dits, I is two!), I gave my call a couple of times. He came back with "EI2?" and I gave it a couple more times. Then he came back again with "EI2KC 5NN" and I gave "EI2KC 5NN 5NN TU". And that was it!. Dxcc #288 was in my log!

I enjoyed some PSK and RTTY operation over the past number of days. I worked a few decent DX contacts on digital modes with 40 watts. I am enjoying using these modes. I don't have to listen to any noise on these modes which is nice.

6 comments:

  1. Well done Tony! 2 x KC in their log on 20m this morning.

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    1. Ah brilliant! The Kilo Charlies are definitely well represented on the HF bands Ark. Congrats!!

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  2. Hi Tony, can you explain the use of QRX in this context? Wikipedia says - "When will you call me again? I will call you again at ... (hours) on ... kHz (or MHz)". Is there another meaning for this code? I'm just curious - it somehow doesn't fit between the other two

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    1. The official meanings of Q codes can sometimes seem confusing. QRX to me has always meant "stand by, I am taking a break" or something similar. We say QRX on VHF when, for instance, we receive a phone call, or someone comes to the door and we have to leave the shack for a few minutes.

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