Two very nice QSL cards in the post today

These two very nice cards arrived in the post today. They are from VK9CS, Cocos-Keeling Islands, and VK9XS, Christmas Island, which were both brand new DXCCs for me during September, just after I put the hexbeam up here. I worked VK9XS on 17m CW and 15m CW, and VK9CS on 17m and 12m CW. Absolutely thrilled to get these.

A quick update on the DX

Since my last posting I have had more success working DX, and the more I use it the more I become convinced that the hexbeam is a great antenna. Here is a brief summary of the DX in the log:

My hexbeam (pluys 2m/6m beams and Butternut) under the stars.

I worked VK9CS (Cocos Keeling) again, this time on 17m CW, with just two calls.
This was followed by T8XX (Palau) on 15m SSB for a new country on that band.
The same day, I worked T8XX on 20m CW.

3D2GC in Fiji provided a brand new DXCC for me when I worked him on 15m CW. He was very, very light and to be perfectly honest it's possible I am not in the log, or have a busted call.
However, when I later worked him on 17m CW, I was definitely in his log this time.

T8XX made it into the log again, this time on 12m CW, giving me a new DXCC on that band. VK9CS got into the log on a third band, this time on 20m CW.

Just this morning, I worked VK7CW, Steve in Tasmania, on 17m CW using just 100 watts. This was followed a short time later by T8XX again, this time on 15m CW, also with 100 watts.

Later, I worked BD7IS in China on 15m SSB using just 100 watts for a new slot, and then YB0ETC in Indonesia on 10m CW for a new slot there. Glad to hear 10 metres in good shape!

VK9CS - Cocos-Keeling Island - in the log with 100 watts!

I am delighted to report that I just worked VK9CS on Cocos Keeling Island on 12m CW, using just 100 watts into my hexbeam. I had been trying him for about 20 minutes and he was weak, and of course I had to leave the shack, to drop one of the kids to preschool! When I came back 15 minutes later, the signal from VK9CS had gone up, peaking 579 at times.

I decided to work him with 100 watts while the linear was warming up. He came back 'EI2?' after my first call! I gave him the call twice and he came back 'EI2C?' and before long, I was in the log!

This is the same operator (JA1PBV) that gave me VK9XS, Christmas Island, within the past week. The hexbeam is working beautifully. I have nabbed FIVE new DXCC in a fortnight, all five of them in the Pacific/Oceania area. Brilliant. Really delighted.

Below is a video showing the signal from VK9CS just after I worked him.