I had the pleasure of working Thos EI2JD's station on Wednesday night. I put in an hour for the special event station EI7DAR for SOS Radio Week. After I wrapped up on 160m SSB he asked if I wanted to try a bit of CW. I have only used a straight key so far so I was a bit daunted by the paddle, but gave it a try anyhow. We heard PY2XB/PY0F on 1.811 and wondered if there was any chance he'd hear us. It didn't take long to find out.I tapped out my callsign - having first slowed the morse transmission down a bit from Thos's 35wpm+ - and he came back to me straight away. 559 both ways and suddenly I had worked Fernando de Noronha, an island in the Atlantic off Brazil. Of course I am not QRV on 160m at home so this was my first CW contact on 160. Nice to get a new country in the bag.
PY2XB (Fred) is well used to working far-flung locations and Fernando de Noronha is no different. See Fred's details on his QRZ page.
I've had a few interesting bits and pieces in the log since I last blogged. One of the most interesting was 7X2/UA6GO/MM. He had quite a pile-up so it took a while. He was a Ukranian on a ship in Algiers! I worked him on 40 metres.
Also worked on CW this week were San Marino, Turkey and tonight I worked Bermuda on 20 metres just as the band was closing. He was OH1VR/VP9. Thanks!
Current stats:
CW: 37 countries worked
Phone: 78 countries worked
US States worked: 26 out of 50
AG eQSL: 36 countries confirmed
Total QSOs logged: 823
