Worked ZD7 St Helena Island for the first time

Things have been busy lately and I just noticed a lack of updates here so I said I'd better put something up here in case you all thought I'd gone into hibernation.

I worked ZD7XF last night on 17m CW which was an absolute joy for me because ZD7 is a brand new DXCC for me. I was having trouble tuning the rejuvenated and repaired Butternut on 17m so I used my 30m inverted v dipole instead. It took a while as he had a hefty pile-up. He was listening 1-2 kc up. I eventually nabbed him using a slow call. I did a little jig around the shack, what myself and some of the local DXers call the "DX Dance".

Well, I was repeating it a short time later when I worked him on 30m also, again with the inverted v, and again with a speed of about 18-20 wpm. Great stuff.

G3TXF Nigel is operating as ZD7XF from the home of Barrie ZD7MY, the view from which is pictured above looking out over the Atlantic Ocean.

I had a very enjoyable evening on 40m SSB on Monday, working something of the order of 85 QSOs which was great fun. These included some great DX, including two contacts into Brazil, one into Agentina and also one with Norman VK7AC in Tasmania.

Last week I received 126 QSL cards via the IRTS bureau and have filled out all the replies to I will be sending them to the bureau within the week. I got some nice ones, including 4U1ITU for 20m CW, and ironically on the day that I received the bureau card I worked them again on two more bands!! I also got a card from Australia and a couple from EA6 which was nice.

This day fortnight, Thursday, July 7th, a number of candidates who have been attending Dundalk Amateur Radio Society's theory classes will sit the amateur station licence exam in the Comreg offices in Dublin. Myself and Doug EI2CN are hoping to travel up there to lend some support and encouragement to the candidates before they go in.

EI5HW Aidan takes his hot air balloon up over Meath

In addition to being a licenced radio amateur, Aidan Murphy EI5HW has another very interesting hobby. He has a private pilot's licence and flies a hot air balloon. Living in Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath, Aidan flies over the Royal County whenever conditions allow. He is also licenced for aeronautical mobile and I was very happy to work him recently on 2 metres as EI2HOT/AM. In this video, shot, edited and narrated by yours truly, Aidan takes his balloon from Trim towards Navan.

Video - QSO on 6m into Pennsylvania EI2KC-WA2FGK

There was a great opening into the United States and Canada from Ireland and Europe on 6 metres on June 4th. A few of us EIs managed to make QSOs into USA and VE land. I was delighted to make a total of four contacts. This one, with WA2FGK in Pennsylvania, was one I managed to catch on camera too. You can hear me saying "yes" when he comes back with my call.

Unfortunately, USA is not a new one on 6 for me - I managed to make a QSO into the States last year. But it was very enjoyable to hear the States on 6 all the same. That might be it until next year, who knows?!