My Radio history milestones and activities in >900 events and >300 pictures/graphs/drawings.

Legend: White=All others

Per-sonal event

Grey: Software, applications, Internet, automation, logbooks, QSL administration, new Callsign, License, Allowances, etc.

Blue: Spending money: New Equipment and buying stuff

Yellow: Portable /P opera-tions

Green: Jamboree on the Air (JOTA)

Pink: (Very) Special contact. Login
update: 2xmycbcall

holiday with radio activity

eye-balls, meeting radiofriends personally

Courses, Exams, Lectures, Excursionseducation

(Always Under construction hi hi……)

Packet Radio

BCL

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Contests (manyPACC)

16-11-2010 16:15

P=Picture: Click on Event (and Enlarge in your browser to read some documents)

Year

Month

Picture?

Events

Credits

Costs

Antenna

Radio

Results

Discovery

#CB QSOs

#Ham QSOs

Channels

QSL

Power

± 1970

First radio experience at the age of 9: contact with a stranger on a 500 milliwatt CB walkie-talkie (portofoon) that we got as Christmas present.They lived 500 meters away, but it was impressive and very exiting to have a voice that did not belong to your brother on our WT.

Fa. Borkowitz.

WT-telescope antenna (1)

radio for personal communic-ation

0,5W

± 1976

I am listening very often far into nighttime to the police radio on a regular FM Radio. It is tuneable a bit below 88 Mhz and receives police transmissions on 87,5 Mc.

utility-radio

1979

August

My brother Wiel purchases a 3 channel CB AM walkietalkie in Aken

Wiel

Dm 75,-

€ 34,09

3 ch AM WT (1)

oktober

My brother Wiel purchases a 23 channel CB AM Radio. QSO's don't work wel on 75 ohms cable. Vinga returned after a week for the same price.

Wiel

Fl 75,-

€ 34,00

23 ch AM Vinga 2000 (2)

1980

March

P=> Enlarge

1st. CB legal in The Netherlands: 0,5 watts FM, 22 channels, 26.965-27.225 KHz in irregular steps of mostly 10 Khz. The license costs Fl 30,-

Fl 30,-

€ 13,64

25 th Wiel buys a CB FM Radio: Major 2000. Shop 't Wonder in Heerlen. A DV27 mobile CB Antenna is installed in the bedroom window 3 meters above the ground.

DV27 mobile (2)

22 ch FM Major2000 (3)

0,5

May

Many nice local contacts on CB. Then the radio breaks. The homemade power supply (by "Vrijbuiter") gave 22 Volts, to much for the Radio that needs 12 volts only.

Fl 265,-

#######

July

I got interested in CB, and together with Wiel we bought a new CB Radio (shop Kremers Schaesberg). 22 ch 0,5 watts

Fl 225,-

#######

Audio Sonic MS201 (4)

P=>

I got used to the socialising talks! PICS of a meeting in front of our house.

P=>

And a pic of animator Moby Dick.

28th. Wiel was given a P.O.Box for his 16th birthday: POBOX 2040, 6460CA Kerkrade. The following years, this address was going to be heard on the CB band thousands of times for many years.

Fl 17,-

€ 7,73

The MS201 seems to be malfunctioning: very strong signals are not detected. The DV27 antenna is moved up to the roof on 10 m. asl. Increasing the number of stations that could not be detected due to their strenght.

The MS201 is swapped at the shop of Eltron for a Major3000. Extra expenses: Fl 150,-

Fl 150,-

€ 68,18

Major3000 (5)

August

Wiel helps out "Kozak" with feeding his animals. He earns his own single colour QSL cards. Drukkerij Eydems-Eijgelshoven.

"Kozak".

Fl 65,-

€ 29,55

PICTURE of first CB QSL

P=>

See the picture of me enjoying CB as a rookie.

18th. On Wiel's birthday he is offered antenna's by two people at the same time. Joker brings a "Big Star". Kozak offers a "GPE" that has been sponsored by several breakers. There is a big argument between the sponsors. The GPE returns while we install the "Big Star".

"Joker".

"Big Star" (3)

First contacts with 500 mW and the Big Star upto 50 km.

50km@27Mc&500mW&FM

One day we went with the radio and an accu on the bicyles to Roermond: Bicycle mobile ("fietsmobiel")..

P=>

Nice CB Gadget here for collectors of QSL cards! (front)

"Lady Pontiac"

P=>

backside here.

September

The Big Star's radials fall apart. We buy a GPA Silverrod 27 halfwave at the shop of Eltron of 5.5 meters long. We borrow a 10 Watts CB amplifier and make contacts in most of Limburg

Fl 98,-

€ 44,55

GPA27,5 (4)

October

1st: We borrow a 40 CH AM and make contacts to St. Truiden in Belgium after TV Time.

P=>

20th. The GPA's top is now on almost 20 meters agl. As we install a 4 meter mast on the roof (10+4+5,5 meters). See the Picture.

24th. For my birthday: we buy our own amplifier of 10 Watts (Eltron)

Fl 98,-

€ 44,55

November

P=>

QSL cards are coming in over the PostBox. Many contacts upto 70 km. See the Box of collected CB QSL's from locals.

70km@27Mc&10Watts&FM

December

The Amplifier dies.

24th: Christmas present for me and Wiel: Turner +3B standing microphone.

fl 165,-

27th. "Colombus: has repaired our PA and used a more powerfull transistor. Output now 30 Watts.

"Columbus"

1981

January

P=>

We discover the usage of a logbook to keep track of the contacts we have made.

Fl 4,95 !!!

Loggins

1st. With the PA we contact Arnhem ("Echo Mike")

"Echo Mike"

120km@27Mc&30Watts&FM

Many contacts (we call it "DX") upto 75 km.

31st. Next we buy a second hand (illegal) CB AM/FM Radio (80 channels): HAM International Viking 5 watts.

Fl 190,-

€ 86,36

Ham Viking (6)

Jan: 70 "CBDX" qso's logged: Best: Arnhem 120km.

February

FM and AM "DX" upto 100 km.

We buy a KHI SWR/PWR meter (shop: Eltron)

Fl 64,-

€ 28,18

Feb: 30 "CBDX" qso's logged: Best: Oosterhout 122 km.

March

A lot of "FM DX" best: Tilburg. Lots of QSL mail also on AM.

Invitation by "Echo Mike" to take part in a DX gathering on FM at night.

"Echo Mike"

At Theo's place gave a ham course for several CB-ers: Mexico, Eppo, Toronto. Only Theo (Toronto) passed his exam, the others quit. I did not go for the exam myself as I was not enough interested in Ham as CB had enough to offer for me at this stage..

"Toronto"

Mrt: 45 "CBDX" qso's logged: Best: Tiel 123 km.

April

We borrow from "Saljoet" a Zettagi BV130 bringing us on 80 Watts (illegally).

"Saljoet".

Nice results: Groenlo,Eijbergen,Arnhem,Zwolle,Tiel,Roosendaal

160km@27Mc&80Watts&FM

Apr: 47 "CBDX" qso's logged: Best: Zwolle 165 km.

May

Several small station extentions: 2 antenna switches, 2 dummyloads, Monacor CBF300 Low Pass filter. Power Supply (5-7 Amp).

"Spitsmuis".

Fl 150,-

€ 68,18

May: 12 "CBDX" qso's logged: Best: Ravenstein 115 km.

June

The PA dies again

Another 1000 QSL cards are printed (Eydems).

Fl 65,-

€ 29,55

Not much DX without PA.

We purchase a second radio: Amroh CB 707 de luxe. With a 2SC1306 transistor it gives 4 watts out.

Fl 75,-

€ 34,09

Amroh CB707 DL (7)

On channel 9 the local community starts a citizens help service "The Helping Hands". Leader is "Cobra" from Kerkrade. Actually it ends up in many arguments and a chaos on the CB channels.

"Cobra".

July

14 th. We buy a second hand SSB radio Hygain V from "Rasputin". 120 channels AM/FM/SSB, 15 watts.

"Rasputin"

Fl 100,-

€ 45,45

Hygain V (8)

We make contacts in at night only: Laren, Enschede, Antwerpen, Brussels, Baarle Nassau.

180km@27Mc&15Watts&SSB

Jul: 53 "CBDX" qso's logged: Best: Almere 176 km.

August

1 st. we make a deal with "Jupiter": We give him the Amroh, and he makes "alpha" channels (4 extra illegal on the 22 CB Channels) on it, gives us an Amplifier and makes an extension with 40 channels on 26 Mc in the Hygain V.

"Jupiter".

The following happens: The PA is broke, the Major3000 and Amroh are extended to 28 channels, and the Hygain V is returned after many dicussions: completely broke.

Jo Koullen gives us Fl 25,- for the remains of the Hygain V.

P=>

24th. With a borrowed PA from "Zeerob" (45 watts) we make on 05.30 in the morning on Channel 55 in AM our first real DX into Northern Italy: station "Antar" in Pinerolo.

"Zeerob".

840km@27Mc&45Watts&AM

Skywave vs. "ground-wave"

P=>

Other side of QSL.

7th. "CBDX" qso's logged: Best: Pinerolo 840 km.

September

1st. FM tropo: Dinteloord, Arnhem, Uden, Tiel.

9 th. We buy a second hand PA35 amplifier (50 watts) and an Amroh CB707 De Luxe to" Enterprise".

Amroh CB707 De luxe.

9 th many nice contacts : see the log !!!!

13th. We sell the PA35 to "Rocco" in Schaesberg. (Why???)

22th. I visit " Enterprise" and make 3 DX contact with 5 Watts SSB (2 Italy and 1 Yugoslavia) on his new Major M588.

"Enterprise".

1000km@27Mc&5Watts&SSB

QRP

Sep: 32 "CBDX" qso's logged: Best: Rome 1100 km.

October

It is quiet on the 27 Mcs this month

Oct: 3 "CBDX" qso's logged: only locals

26th. Wiel swaps our Ham Viking plus Fl 150,- for the Major M588 from " Enterprise'.

"Enterprise"

Fl 150,-

€ 68,18

Major M588 (9)

November

4th. After considering for a long while we decide to purchase a beam (at this point beams were illegal). At "eltron" we order a Sigma Avanti PDL-2. data: Gain 12 dB (?), H and V- pol, Rejection 32 dB (???). Delivery in 2-3 weeks.

Fl 450,-

#######

9th. Via " Aapje" we receive a second hand Rotator. It needs a revision and cleanup.

" Aapje"

P=>

10th. A 5 person large CB crew installs a 12 meter pole with rotator. PICTURE of the Crew! Wiel, Leo, Hans, Rene, Theo

P=>

22th. Shop "Eltron" sells us a repaired Amplifier (CTE International). Power: 100W AM/FM, 150W SSB. PIC of Equipment. See the "shack" in a wallcloset to "fool" the RCD, naïve as we were.…..

Fl 200,-

€ 90,91

150W SSB

22/23/24th. Many nice contacts at night: Oosteekloo, Oudegem, Apeldoorn, Raalte, Schoonhoven, Deurne (Signal 9), Nijmegen (signal 6).

28th. For sending with our QSL's: I order 300 picture postcards of Kerkrade at company "Heussen" in Schaesberg. Much cheaper than buying them in the regular Warehouse one-by-one.

Fl 65,-

€ 29,55

Nov: 18 "CBDX" qso's logged: Best: Oosteeklo 165 km.

December

P=>

2th. The "ansichtkaarten' arrive. Picture of the cards that we have been sending thousands of times during the 1980's.

An-sichten

6-13th. Many DX: Portugal, Spain, Greece, france, Greece again.

8th. First intercontinental qso into the USA.

5000km@27Mc&100Watts&SSB

F2 propagation

16th. Fine qso with mobile station in Canada.

17th. Radio Amateur world map purchased at "Giel Brown" in Schaesberg.

Radio Amateurs.

P=>

22th. The AV PDL-2 arrives. "Colorado" helps assembling the big thing. PICTURE of PDL-2.

23th. Many thanks to "Colorado" for helping 6 hours to install the AV beam. It is quite low: 6 m agl.

"Colorado".

All of the month: The legal CB Channels are almost unusable because of misbehaviour by "Zeerob" and "Zeempot".

First results with the beam are bad….

Dec: 20 "CBDX" qso's logged: Best: S.Carolina 8000 km.

1982

January

1st. We bring all our illegal equipment to a friend because the trouble with "Zeerob" and "Zeempot" escalates.

2nd. Station "Atlanta" (K14E) gives us some advise on how to improve the beam".

" Atlanta".

H, V and Circular polarisation

Results are still bad….(on 6m above the ground).

15th. I buy a simple Shortwave receiver at the "Kwantumhallen" in Beek. I NEED SOME RADIO, EVEN IF THE ANTENNA DOES NOT WORK.

Fl 98,-

€ 44,55

BCL

February

12th. Me and "Eppo" buy the VRZA Course Book Radio Ham at GBE (Giel brown) in Schaesberg.

Fl 39,-

€ 17,73

From now on we meet every Thursday evening at "Toronto's" place (Theo) in Eijgelshoven to study the book.

Radio technics.

19th. First DX QSL arrives: from Greece.

P=>

My first SWL card on 27Mc comes from Fritz Duenner in Herzogenrath. I went to see him a few times. Thanks for the insight in history Fritz!!!!

SWL Fritz Dunner

March

Not much CB radio activity. We buy some antenna materials from ELTRON.

Fl 30,-

€ 13,64

April

CB Full Duplex tests with "Haddock". After many tries with antenna/pwr/channel combinations: TX Ch17/RX CH16 FDX-QSO

Full Duplex Traffic

May

25th. Jo Koullen is going to build 80 channels on 26 Mhz into the major M588. He orders the Xtals.

Fl 50,- aanbetaling

€ 22,73

June

4th. First Intercontinental CB QSL received from Brazil.

P=> Enlarge

5th."Mexico" makes us 200 stencils FREE that have technical QSO data on them. EXAMPLE.

"Mexico".

free

Technical QSO data

6th. First FM DX on legal Channel 2 with france with 40 Watts.

FM DX is also possible!

8th. We buy some more antenna mounting stuff to install the PDL-2 (from ELTRON)

Fl 95,-

€ 43,18

9th. The Major M588 is extended by Koullen: 158 channels!! 10 Kc steps form 26075-27855 Khz.

Fl 50,-

€ 22,73

158

9th. At ELTRON's shop I buy the book "Microgolftechniek en lijntransmissie".

Fl 15,-

€ 6,82

10th. We finally install the PDL-2 on 11 meters high. A hard work for the crew of Theo, Leo and Rene.

Fl 10,-

€ 4,55

11th. IT WORKS! 3 illegal contacts on 26.675 with 4 watts FM.

P=>

13th. From Bert ("Atlanta") I buy a Murphy B40 Marine Receiver from 1954 (coming from a submarine). PICTURE.

Fl 300,-

#######

The PDL-2 works excellent: 3W FM Wales, 1 Watt SSB france, 800mW AM England, and on the GPA 1,5 FM Norway.

500km@27Mc&800mW&AM

QRPP

Rest of the month: lots of european DX in all modes. Many new countries and many qsl's received via the PoBox.

July

Some problems with the antenna: rotor doesn't do 360 degrees and the Horizontal part of the antenne gives sometimes a short-circuit. No influence on the many nice results though.

August

P=>

2nd. New picturepostcards needed: I buy 72 at the V&D shop.

Fl 9,-

€ 4,09

Start HTS-Electrotechnical departement.

September

P=>

DX: Europe disappears and intercontinental stations appear: qsos to Brazil, Guadeloupe, Senegal, USA, Canada. QSL's from Brazil, Senegal and Guadeloupe received, other disappointing qsl behaviour. PICTURE From very nice CBDXQSL from Senegal.

6W1CT

F2 versus Es propagation

P=>

And one from Gouadeloupe.

P=> Enlarge

See a part of the log here.

October

Due to study not as much QRV anymore.

November

Not so much DX, but a good tropo contact into Northern France.

December

5th. MAJORM588 HF amplifier transistors burn out.

16th. At 03.20 hours in a storm the GPA pole falls down. Also the reflecting part of the PDL-2 falls down.

Due to study and problems with the station I am listening very often on my Murphy B40.

SWL and HF-Utility radio

1983

January

5th. First BCL QSL out to Radio Exterior de Espana.

P=>

10th. Radio Afghanistan, 13th. Switserland, 16th. Radio Vietnam. PICS of the BCL Folder.

February

P=>

BCL QSL to Egypt, South Africa RSA, Argentina.

24th. We buy a second hand Hygain V from station "Alpina". 160 channels all mode 26515-28305.

Fl 300,-

#######

HyGain V (10)

Ham CW signals on 10 meters.

March

CB: tropo: Zwolle, Nijverdal, Joure. Not much activity. The B40 is more interesting for me these days.

April

While making an external Signal strenght meter on the B40, the B40 breaks.

14th. GPA re-erected on 20m agl. Just an hour work.

Theo/ Rene.

P=> Enlarge

15th. At the HTS I told the classmates in the lessons Dutch about BCL. See the written paper…

Skyline SM2009 form a study-mate. 22 ch. 500mW FM.

Michel Meyers

Skyline SM2009 (11)

30th. QSL to Radio Netherlands: PA6PCJ.

May

Es season starts. A new hobby emerges: Legal Britisch UK FM Channels (not legal here). Homechannel CH32 (27.911 Khz), where the 32 club in Cornwall is at home. 46 qsos in total.

June

Very many britisch FM contacts: 92 contacts, mostly UK

140

I am offered an honorary membership of the 32 CB club because of the many contacts and the many QSL's that I send to them. Total 96 contacts.

July

I receive approximately 250 qsl's form the UK in PoBox 2040. Many that just heard me giving my PoBox and never heard a foreigner before on the CB. (SWL reports on CB hihi).

Other european countries gain my attention: Austria, Norway, Hungary, Spain.

8th. First contact to Trine (Alfa Bravo) in Norway. Dozens will follow.

August

Before the study starts again, most qsl's have been processed.

18th. Study starts again.

P=>

Some other people were allowed to use our PoBox 2040. Some of them never came to collect their cards…. See three cards for ST25-Steve a Britisch soldier who liver in Bleijerheide, that we had contacts with.

P=>

And Leon who never collected these cards.

P=>

And even some unknown stations had cards sent to PostBox 2040.

September

P=> Enlarge

Also discovering MW DX and listening to radio Caroline who transmits from a ship on the North Sea. See the 1983/1984 reception reports here.

We loose both our Postbox keys! New ones costs us.

Fl 17,50

€ 7,95

P=>

To make my QSL's even more special, I order a company to make promotion purses with my name on it.100 pieces for Fl 90,-

Fl 90,-

€ 40,91

Picture of souvenir purse

P=>

Also I have 2 clogs made with my CB name on it, and send it to the 32 Club to thank them for my honorary membership.

Fl 25,-

€ 11,36

Souvenir Clogs.

October

The " Outside europe season" starts. Brazil, Dominican Republic (in Spanish language…)

10 minute qso with only 6 watts on the GPA with Maine-USA.

500okm@27Mc&6W&SSB&GPA

November

LFD and BCI in the neighbourhood.

December

Selling equipment: The Hygain V goes to "Haddock".

Gain Fl 225,-

1984

January

MS induced Es? 4 jan 2 qso's to Eireland

February

Only many qsos with a local girl on 26065 (Lady Bel-Margriet)

My Brother Wiel meanwhile has stopped his CB activities.

March

BCL Cards to Australia, RSA, Poland and Vietnam.

V.o. Vietnam

April

While listening to two (2) tube SW radios I could detect SSB using the other radio's oscillator signals.

Detection

May

22th. Start Es on CB.

3 days of Es conditions on CB in May

June

14 days of Es on CB making 55 qso's (39 UKFM)

Now also member of the HB (Hayle Breakers) CB club in Cornwall: HB161

July

11 days of Es on CB making 42 qso's (39 UKFM), Short Skip: Kent!

Very Short Skip <350 km.

August

8 days of Es on CB making 26 qso's all into UK

September

1 day of Es on CB making 8 qso's all into UK (Orkney, Cornwall)

October

2 days: 14 and 18 october, 4 qso's 4 x UK

November

P=>

209 cards from "CB SWL's" in the UK have still to be answered. PIC OF PILE OF QSL'S NEVER ANSWERED.

1 day of Es (on 2 november) on CB making 4 qso's all into UK (Cornwall)

December

P=> Enlarge

4th. QSL out to on of my favourite BCL Stations: Radio Moscow. See example of correspondence.

Member of VRZA as SWL: PA7846.

1985

January

21th. BCL QSL to one of my favourite stations: Radio South Africa. On my favourite Band: 11 meter Radioband: 25730kc.

February

At the HTS in the lessons English I had to talk to the class. The subject I chose was SWL and I had some recordings on tape with me of BCL stations.

March

P=>

Equipment overview picture.

April

P=> Enlarge

12th. BCL QSL to one of my favourite stations: Africa Numero Un in Gabon op 4711 Khc. See part of the loggings here.

May

13th. Start of Es season on CB.

Es season in summer

30th. 400-700 Teraherz QSO with PE1LDW Kees who is on the Coal Hill Wilhelmina in Landgraaf. We did morse with our strong flashlights over a distance of about 2,2 km at night.

P=>

When spelling my PoBox on CB Radio, it was a habit to say: "My PoBox is number 2040, number two, number two, number two, number zero, number zero, number zero, number two, number two number two…" etcetera saying all several times to make sure it was understood. One station took it literaly. See the very remarkable envelope that the guys at the postoffice forwarded to me (probably because something as silly as this can almost only belong to the strange mail that regularly goes to PoBox 2040, 6460 CA Kerkrade"...

4 days of Es on CB making 8 qsos (8 x UK)

There was an open day at Hotel Wilhelmina hosted by the local Radio Ham club. I was going there with Theo - PA3DMU. I made two remarkable observations:
1) When moving next to a ham who was making contact on 20m SSB in order to have a listen and ask some questions, he switched to CW without taking any notice of me. How inviting for a newby....
2) Giel, from the local Ham radio shop in Schaesberg, was demonstrating e new digital communications device: a Tono 9000E. When asking him two simple questions (my knowledge was low so it must have been easy questions...) he could not answer them both. He was supposed to sell those things.....
SO FAR MY FIRST IMPRESSION OF THE "REAL RADIO AMATEURS". I felt like CB is at least as good as the Ham things.

June

15 days of Es on CB making 45 qso's (40 x UK and AB- Trine)

QSO with a mobile station near Lübeck: Short Skip!

July

8 days of Es on CB making 13 qso's (10 x UK)

Qso's to ile d'Oleron and VR814/MM 60 miles SE of Shetlands

When /M in Zeeland, one qso into Wales on UKFM.

Application for VHF Amateur exam send out.

Fl 50,-

€ 22,73

August

4 days of Es on CB making 10 qsos (9 x UK)

qso with a farmer on a tractor! See also July 1992 !!!!!

Visit of good old CB Friend and TV-Dxer DW-17-Derek from Consett Durham to our QTH in Kerkrade when they were on Holiday in Valkenburg. See also July 1992.

September

Preparing for the VHF exam at Theo's (PB0ADM) place in Eijgelshoven. His wife Marjo and our Friend Ruud (W51) have 2-3 times a week a lesson.

PB0ADM

October

2 days: 19 and 27 october, 6 qso's 6 x UK

November

I passed the ham exam for VHF

PA3DMU

Fl 25,-

€ 11,36

2 days: 3 and 4 november, 4 qsos, 3 x UK

December

Callsign PE1LKM issued for me (and PE1LMM for Rudi)

1986

January

15th. Call PE1LKM issued for me. First ham QSO: 2 meter QSO on 26/01/1986 14:00 PDØOLY good old friend for many radio years Rudi in Bocholtz. I made a 1/4 lambda GP for 2 meters, and it would work fine!

Home-made GP

Working with a homebrew antenne can be done.

February

Very quickly I am convinced that Ham radio had more to offer then CB. People tend to be more seriously and have much more (technical) knowledge.

March

Started with VERON membership

14th. Portable /P Activity from the old Mine-coal hill of th Wilhelmina coal mine in Schaesberg (230 m asl) together with Theo. Not many qso's. But some nice on 70cm: 200 km. It was damn cold on the hill at night. AND: we we visited by some police officers. They wanted to know what we were doing there!!!!!!! We could explain it of course....

PA3DMU

The fun of /P working

15th. Portable /P activity from the Gulpenerberg (230 m. asl.). Best (on 70cm) Rotterdam. Only 5 qso's.

PA3DMU

20th. First repeater qso's upto 100 km.

Working over a repeater.

P=>

27th. From Theo PA3DMU I get a 9 element Tonna for 2 meters. The same day in 7 m. agl. See me on the roof after installing the 9 ele.tonna.

PA3DMU

9 ele tonna 2 meters.

29th. Going to the QSL manager (RQM=Regional QSL manager) with some SWL cards. Also I had one for 6W1xx (I don't remember the suffix) from Senegal Operator Jean Claude that I worked on CB. The QSL manager would not let me send the card via the buro because it had 27Mc on it!!!

PA3DEK

April

Buying a second hand 2 meter allmode mobile IC-245 in the fleemarket of Bergheim.

Fl 650,-

#######

IC-245 (12)

After 10 minutes of testing at home the main processing chips breaks. The thing is unusable. Repair costs : Fl 250,-.

May

11th. Start Es season on CB

Es clouds

11 days of Es on CB making 92 qso's (92 UKFM)

Nice qsos: VR51-Jim (Also GM4SRU), Looe Island, MC08/MM on Scapa flow, Benbecula isle, Isle of Coll.

June

15 days of Es on CB making 70 qso's (72 x UK)

Es clouds move at appr. 200 kmph

15th. /P activity on Gulpenerberg: Working (on 2m SSB) OK and G for the first time. Total of 9 qso's.

P=>

Member of VR (Viking Radio) CB Club from Shetland VR621. See some club stamps here.

The broken IC-245 is swapped for an 2m FM only mobile IC240, 10 watts from DG9KAW (Peter) in Aachen. It will be used intensively on 2 m FM tropo for many contacts!

IC-240 (13)

Some old friends contacted: BA17-Lisa Aberdeen, Dragonfly-Jenny (Scilly), TK37 Trevor en GH37 Francis in Cornwall, WJ-Willy Norway, VR51-Jim Shetland, FB03 teresa, EA73 Liz (Scilly) DW17 derek, WL458 Gary.

Highlights: "Mazda"-Tony in Scilly Lighthouse also on Television because of the near Helicopter crash that left many people dead..

Tropo: 5 watts on GPA to Delft ("Tarzan").

28/29th. Tropo: 2m FM into North of Netherlands! Working G several times.

30th. /P Steenberg Wilhelmina: FB Tropo: 6 x G; best 691 km.

July

13 days of Es making 44 qsos (36 x UK)

Some old friends contacted: AB-Trina Norway, John - Coleraine, VR600-Sandra (Shetland), Wl386-John Orkney!

DX record: 5 days after eachother qso's to CDX01-Mark on 10,11,12,13 and 14th july.

I met Herwig - ON1CCS (later ON4AHS). He visited me in Kerkrade. Very nice to meet a ham from Merksem!!

ON1CCS/ON4AHS

August

10 days of Es on CB with 34 qso's (33 x UK, all with stations that I already contacted before!)

5th. /P on Gulpenerberg. Only 2 qso's but 1 nice: 275km into France. Later /P on Vaalserberg: 1 qso: Deventer 2m SSB.

September

Many tropo qso's on 2m FM. Best: 608 km with 30 watts in SSB.

October

First participation on a JOTA (Jamboree on the air) with PA3DMU/J in Kerkrade at Scouting Eijgelshoven

PA3DMU

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See the Scouting Souvenir from Eijgelshoven here.

Many tropo qso's on 2m FM. Best: 653 km with 10 watts in SSB.

11th. /P activity on the Gulpenerberg (JO20VW) again. There is also a Y-contest (DDR). We working 13 Y2 stations in 2 hours. Best DX: 548 km.

November

5th. Working PI4VRZ/A first time.

Clubstations activity.

December

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Meanwhile I have a ZX-Spectrum in use and a progam from Albert (PD0MDH/AM51) to decode Telex. I connected it to the Murphy B40 and had nice receptions of Press-agencies. See a part of the log here.

PD0MDH

470

1987

January

MS induced Es? 4 jan 2 qso's to Guernsey

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More Telex reception, now listening specially to IRNA because of the IRAN-IRAQ War. See the log.

30th. Letters sent out to IRNA with reception reports and asking for a QSL.

February

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More Telex reception, now specially trying to decode "AAXX" Weather stations. See the log.

March

When we meet up on Ch34 UKFM (27931) with Ruud, Albert, Frens, me and some other friends we calls ourselves the DKO club… DKO stand in local dialect for: "De Kloe-ete Op". So we are DKO001, DKO002, DKO003 etc.

May

Quit membership of VRZA (as SWL PA 7846)

July

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Starting to listen to 29 Mc Satellite downlinks. Over 200 ham qsos logged when listening on the B40. See an extract of the loggings here.

October

I am now Ing. (Ingenieur, B.Sc.- Bachelor of Science, Computersciences)

JOTA Eijgelshoven club…….PA3DMU/J. I worked on HF for the first time : at night 18 /J jamboree stations on 80 meters.

November

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Buying the famous Amateur World Globe from the DARC.

Dm 225,-

#######

December

Total number of logged CB QSO's for 1987:400

400

1988

January

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Ron was propagating RS10-11 satellite work. He supplied materials and info to build a manual satellite position finder for RS satellites. Marvellous!!! See here how it looked!!!

PE1ISP

February

19 th: First satellite QSO: RS10/11. Equipment: UP: borrowed 2m SB radio, 9 element tonna, DOWN: Murphy B40, CB Pre-amplifier.

G1RPN

March

1st. From PA0ULT in Hulsberg I buy a second hand IC202S 2m SSB portable radio for using it as satellite radio.

Fl 200,-

€ 90,91

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Also bought a Junker straight key to be able to make morse contacts.

Fl 45,-

€ 20,45

First CW QSO (2m tropo).

PA3EGW

69 km@2,5W&CW&9 ele Tonna

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Several more satellite QSO's (all SSB). 4 more contries confirmed: G1RQM, OH2NZV, PE1ISP ,G1EXX, DG7BBQ. See the loggings of the RS10/11 satellite contact that I made.

June

From now on it is weekdays in Apeldoorn because of my job there.

Practising CW: Listening to the VERON cursus on tape in the week and listening PI7CWE from Eindhoven on 145.325 in the weekend. PI7CWE is an excellent method for practise.

Automated stations.

July

We were given a AW (Alpha Whiskey) CB Club membership from Scotland (AW97)

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I met a girl on CB radio. She lived close and I had some nice chats with her. Her name was Chantal. Once we had a QSO that lasted 12 hours from 10 in the evening untill 10 the next morning!!! Later she became PA3GQG and my wife (in this order hihihi). Here a pic of her in 2006.

August

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13 skeds with Ruud-PA3ETW from the work-qth in Apeldoorn with a 9 element tonna in the attic in the wrong direction. Using 2,5 watts from the IC202.

PA3ETW

1 real qso, several positive identifications, mostly NIL.

October

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Buying a Hunghans Atom Clock.

Fl 199,-

€ 90,45

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14/15th. JOTA with PA3DMU and scouting Eijgelshoven we went to the Steenberg Wilhemina in Schaesberg. Wet, cold, Foggy. The moist killed Theo's HF RIG (Yeaesu FT101ZD). See the picture.

PA3DMU

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One more picture form the JOTA on the hill.

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And see the Newspaper article (in Dutch).

November

I passed the 12 words per minute morse-exam in Utrecht.

December

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The callsign PA3FDW is issued for me and now I can also operate on HF Bands.

Total number of logged CB QSO's for 1988 : 299

299

1989

January

Went to a bank in Apeldoorn to get 100 single dollars for my QSL Direct…

February

Somewhere in this time I have a 12 hours long CB QSO (ten in the evening untill ten in the morning) with Chantal.

March

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From PD0NOG I buy a second hand Grundig Satellite 400 Digital Shortware Receiver for use in Apeldoorn

Ge-PD0NOG

Fl 225,-

#######

April

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8th. TS680S bought in Hilversum (Venhorst) HF and 6 meters. Price: Fl 2995,-. See the Picture.

Fl 2995,-

#######

TS680S (14)

First HF QSO 08/04/1989 with DJ9CZ on 10 meters in SSB

First HF CW QSO: 11/04/1989 11:45 UB5QSX 10 meters

June

Bought a PK88 Packet Modem from Venhorst to be able to start with Packet Radio. It would never really work.

Fl 300,-

Digital Communications

July

Discovery of QRPPPPPP: Highlight: OD5SK: 500 microwatts CW on a CB GPA

OD5SK

QRPPPPP

6th. TH75E bought in Hilversum (Venhorst) 2m and 70cm portable FM, 5 watts.

Fl 1495,-

#######

TH75E (15)

August

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Portable on the local coalhill of Rolduc. Only me and 2 meters (9 ele tonna). See the picture.

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One more picture on the hill.

September

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Swapping the Murphy B40 for an AOR AR2001 Wideband AM/FM/WFM Scanner with a local CB user.

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Special contact with OK4FIG/MM on a ship. See the QSL here!

OK1FIG

October

7th. Special activity at the JOTA station PA0LPE in Beek: Contesting with PI64VLB, having big fun to work and explain that PI64VLB is NOT PI6LB, nor PI64,ZB nor PI4LB, nor PI64B etc.etc.etc.

PA0LPE/J

JOTA with Ramon PA63EUG/J in at Scouting St. Hubertus Terwinselen. See the QSL here.

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29th. CQ WW SSB CONTEST. Worked 135 contacts and 12 CQ-Zones on 28 Mhz. October, November, December the special call PA63FDW could be used. See loggings here.

November

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Sending invitations to CB fiends to make QSO's on January 3-6

MS induced Es???

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26th. Special contact with OK4FIG/MM on a ship. See the QSL here!

OK1FIG

December

24th. Very very special qso with HP1XFZ on 28 Mc in SSB. In Panama yesterday a civil war was started, and several people got killed in the streets. The OM asked me to call his 85 year old stepmother in Maastricht (because of the situation, they had no phone). I had to tell her that he was allright and being protected by the military (as he was a panama canal operator). What a message to pass on Christmas evening !!!!! I will never forget this QSO. (and never got a QSL hihihi).

I found out that amateurs while making contacts with special, remote and rare stations, don't fight against nature (propagation) but fight eachother. It is manners and big guns that make up the rules, not weather your skills overcome noise or QRN.
SO FAR MY SECOND IMPRESSION OF THE "REAL RADIO AMATEURS".

Total number of logged CB QSO's for 1989 : 68

1990

January

MS induced Es?

12th. I installed a narrow CW filter in the TS680.

February

This year a short time membership of the RSGB

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11th./12th. FIRST Participation in the PACC: Mixed: 171 QSO's. Place 8 in the QRP section with 9918 points. See the results here.

March

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Giving once more (3 rd time) Ham Radio classes to several friends. See on the picure from left to right: Theo (now PD0ROC), Chantal (now PA3GQG), Myself, Albert (now PA3GKY), Andre (now PE1OXS) and Fer (who unfortunately passed away some years later).

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See this picture of the drawing board on my Olmenplein shack!!!

April

Activity at PI9IRC clubstation in contest. (From the Afcent base in Brunssum).

7th. Selling the IC202S to Jack in Linne - PE1KXH. (*) In july 2009 Jack says he still owns it and he still likes it!!!

May

17th. Buying a TR751E 2meters All mode 20Watts second hand from Venhorst in Hilversum.

Fl 750,-

#######

TR751E (16)

June

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See a part of the compulsary station register from that time.

15th. Working V31BB on 10 meters at 01.30 L.T. in the middel of the night…. Always thought that nighttime=dead on 10 meters!!!!!!

30th. Working more stations at night on 10 meters: WP4CLZ (02.35 L.T.), WA0LSN, W4VN, N4WCQ, NA1X, KA5W, W2NCF.

July

1st. Working XE1VIC on 12 meters in the middle of the night. Understanding Greylines because of HF contacts at night into USA and Mexico.

August

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Chantal is using my TS680 regularly for nice CB contacts. Picture of the TS680 temporarily at her QTH in the Dir. Geurtsstraat.

September

24975 on 12 meters is the spot where we meet the world in the weekend.

PA3EZL

October

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JOTA Activity with PA3EUG at Scouting Terwinselen St. Hubertus. See the QSL.

PA3EUG

27th/28th. CQ WW SSB participation with 50 milliwatts and 100 milliwatts. 124 QSO's very many statesside.

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An impressive propagation study by Sid-WA2FXB on the Es subject. He sent a copy of his works to me. See the pic here.

WA2FXB

November

I received a QSL from K9UIY directly. Not very exciting? Consider the following: The address on the envelope was the following: PA3FDW,JOS, JO30AV, KERKRADE, NETHERLANDS, EUROPE, ZONE 14, ITU ZONE 27………………

December

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13th. Buying another HF radio: Kenwood TS440S from Venhorst in Hilversum.

Fl 3995,-

#######

TS440S (17)

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Also bought an International Callbook. Where I could look up the adresses of all registered non-USA Hams.

Fl 60,-

Total number of logged CB QSO's for 1990 : 841

841

1991

January

MS induced Es? 2 jan: 4 qsos UKFM, 4 jan 8 qsos UKFM. All 30Watts FM and 3 ele Yagi

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6th. Contact on 12 meters with SY4PK. He was NOT a radio amateur, but a Radio Officer aboard a ship. The 12 meter band was previously in use by ships. See the logpage here..

SY4PK

February

9 th./10th. Participation in the PACC with QRPPPP 10 milliwatts SSB 28 Mhz. Worked 23 stations on 28 Mc. 1 USA and 1 Canada. Place 23 of 25 dutch QRp participants.

17th. Spoke with CU3LF, Mike for a very nice QSO. He would visit us later for a weekend, but I forgot the date and times. We showed him Zuid-Limburg and Rolduc (thanks to PA3GDK) but lost the contact later.

CU3LF/PA3GDK

March

2nd. And 3rd. Participating in the ARRL contact with 5 milliwatts. Working 25 times statesside on 5 milliwats and a 3 element yagi.

25 times @ 5 milliwatts into the USA.

16th. Very nice QSO serie with: CE3GEI in Chili:

CE3GEI

22:53 CE3GEI 59 SSB 18Mc

23:01 CE3GEI 58 SSB 28Mc

23:14 CE3GEI 59 FM 29 Mc !!!

23:22 CE3GEI 59 SSB 24 Mc

23:24 CE3GEI 51 AM 24 Mc

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24th. /P DX qso's from the train when going to Apeldoorn Sunday-evenings. I use a 2 meter portable and Aurelio - PA3EZL relays me to 24.975. QSLs from HK5JPS, CO6CG and VU2RX prove the train DX QSO'S (see picture).

PA3EZL

TRAIN DX.

Working CE2BIC, PZ1EL from the train via Aurelio's relay.

I brought a large pile of QSL's to the Veron QSL manager PA0ADT in Apeldoorn: about 1500-2000 filled in!

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A very nice weekend activity at PI4TUE. Working in the CQ-WW contest. See the pic with Martijn and me.

PA3EZL

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One more picture at PI4TUE with Martijn, Aurelio and OM Bas Forgothisname?

April

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More or less regular visitors on 24.975: K1ZFE, PZ1EL, VU2RX, VK6HD, HI8LUZ, VK4CEK, VO1SA, UA9CBO, HK5JPS, EL2SM, PJ2MI, VP2MLD, DU4DX, PT7BZ, A92BE, VK6AZL, LX2PA, PA3DYY, SM3EVR, LU8EWD, N3CSL, OH1NOA, N9DEO, CO6CG, W1DW, OD5SK, VK6RO, PA3CSR, 6W1QJ, AA0FB (Glen) a.m.o. See a typical log page here.

PA3EZL

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With several friends I also had correspondence by letter: Nice letter from PJ2MI-Jose. See it here.

PJ2MI

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And mail from Jorge - LU8EWD here.

LU8EWD

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And here.

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And some of Rudi in Kazan-UA4PK whom we met often on 10 meters on his net on 28475.

UA4PK

Working HK5JPS, VP8CFV from the train via Aurelio's relay.

13th. Very nice QSO serie with: VP2MLD on Montserrat.

VP2MLD

22:55 VP2MLD 52 SSB 12m

22:59 VP2MLD 52 SSB 17m

23:04 VP2MLD 51 SSB 15m

23:35 VP2MLD 51 SSB 12m

23:38 VP2MLD 51 SSB 40m !!! With PA3CSR-Hans

May

19th. Harry and Dora visited me and spoke in an illegal "live-patch" with their relative and friend Engelbert - 9Q5PX. They were delighted to speak with him, because there is no phone contact to Bunia and very irregular post delivery.

9Q5PX

19th. Very nice QSO serie with: VU2RX-Vas in Bombay.

VU2RX

19:24 VU2RX 52 SSB 24Mc

19:33 VU2RX 54 SSB 21Mc

19:43 VU2RX 41 SSB 18Mc

19:46 VU2RX 52 SSB 14Mc

24th. Very nice QSO serie with: 4J1FS.

4J1FS

10:40 SSB 28Mc

10:50 CW 24Mc

10:57 SSB 21 Mc

17:01 CW 10Mc

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25th. Hayle Breakers Eyeball in Cornwall. I went for a short holiday to Cornwall and met many CB friends form the previous years. Special credits to Jimmy- Cornish Pirat #9 form Newlyn-Penzance, who showed me the beautifull Cornish scenery and Lands End.

Jim - CP9 (deceased)

Cornwall and going on a holiday at all

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Jim - CP9 Picture. Hayle Breakers

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Jimmies tour over the Newlyn peninsula.

I bought a UK FM rig Euroline 4 watts in the local CB shop in Penzance, and scratched it to make it look like second hand as if it was my own, to cross the border.

Fl 150,-

€ 68,18

Working VU2RX, CO6CG from the train via Aurelio's relay.

June

Working LU8EWD from the train via Aurelio's relay.

6th. From the work QTH in Apeldoorn I worked 2 UKFM friends. I used the Eurosonic Audioline that I took from my visit in Cornwall. Just 4 watts FM and an indoor dipole on the attic in Apeldoorn.

24th. From the work QTH in Apeldoorn I worked Carol and Sandy on his Tractor!!! Just the same 4 watts FM and an indoor dipole on the attic in Apeldoorn.

July

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Working ES1QD, PZ1EL from the train via Aurelio's relay. See the complete Train DX log here!

20th. Very nice QSO serie with: G0NOR: 8 BANDS!!!!

G0NOR

23:04 28Mc SSB 54

23:10 24Mc SSB 55

23:14 21Mc SSB 53

23:17 18Mc SSB 55

23:21 14Mc SSB 52

23:30 10Mc SSB 52

23:33 7Mc SSB 56

23:37 3,7Mc SSB 53

22th. From the work QTH in Apeldoorn I worked 12 more UK FM friends in Cornwall, Wales, Scotland and Orkney (John from our visit to Orkney).

August

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Sunday's (check date!) if often have contacts with Engelbert - 9Q5PX, passing on his messages to his family in Uden, since phone is not working in the jungle of Bunia.See this picture of one of his souvernirs.

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More souvenirs of Engelbert.

5th. From the work QTH in Apeldoorn I worked 2 more UK. Still just 4 watts FM and an indoor dipole on the attic in Apeldoorn.

13th. From the work QTH in Apeldoorn I worked 1 more UK station.

22th. From the work QTH in Apeldoorn I worked 4 more UK friends that I met before.

September

5 th. Making 4 more ukfm cb qsos with my 4 watts and indoor dipole in Apeldoorn. Making the total number of QSO's in 1991 from Apeldoorn 30.

6 th. A very nice meeting with Nico from Maasland. He was on holiday in Zuid-Limburg when I met him on tower on the "Drielandenpunt". I forgot his former callsign, but remember the meeting very well…. He gave me just for free a homemade telescopic antenna for my TH75E. Those are the contacts to remember forever...

PE1NXB now PA3GXL

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29 th. 14:43 IY4M 10 m. CW qso-robot . See the QSL card here.

Automated QSO's

19 th. From my QTH in Apeldoorn I visited Hans - PA3CSR in Nijverdal on one evening. We used to make DX together on 24.975 and had some contacts on 2 meters. From his QTH we worked OE9EMI. This year in april, we worked VP2MLD together with Hans on many bands also on 40 meters with a special trick… Hans was delighted and so was I.. Hans is now very high up in the Honor Roll...

PA3CSR

October

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From PA3AWV in Maastricht I bought a MFJ-941B Switching Matcher to be able to work on more band than only 10 and 12 meters. See it here.

PA3AWV

Fl 100,-

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QSL DIRECT!

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In 1990-1991 I used to sent special DX QSL requests directly.

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Here is my collection of the envelopes.

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With many nice stamps on it.

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From several exotic countries

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In March 2008

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I throw all away but the stamps were cut of

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and given to a benefit organisation to support them in fundraising

November

24/11/1991 02:55 F6AML 599 160 m. CW FIRST 160m QSO with homemade magnetic loop made by Sjaak Tossaint. Also worked: OK,4N,PA,F,ON, LY, UA2 and DL.

Sjaak Tossaint.

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6th. Another example of correspondence with Radio frinds in this case Alex Wowk from Moscow. Front,

RA3ASA

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and backside of the letter in German.

December

14th/15th. Participating in the ARRL 10 meter contest with 10 milliwatts QRPPPP. Worked 23 USA stations.

Total number of logged CB QSO's for 1991 : 567

567

1992

January

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An impressive overview with many stories on his personal 61 years of radio activity and experience. Ernest-W1BFA sent a copy of his book. See the pic here. For the record: WAS and WAC in 1939!!!

W1BFA

February

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8th./9th. Participating in the PACC: Single OP SSB 124 QSO's. Place 66 of 94 achieved. See the results here.

16th. Participating in the ARRL contest using 20 milliwatts CW. Worked 29 stations in the USA in 18 different states in only 2 hours and 20 minutes activity!!!

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29/02/1992 17:44 GM4JJJ 559A on 2 m. CW First Aurora!!!!!!!!!!!! See the QSL card here…

GM4JJJ

March

On the annual fleemarket in Den Bosch, I bought a second straight key; also a Junker!

Fl 40,-

€ 18,18

April

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See a picture of the HF Shack on the Olmenplein. The table itself was built for me from redundant school furniture by Cor Stuijts (husband from my Kerkraads -dialect correspondence friend Maria from Haanrade).

Cor Stuijts

24th. Andre -PE1OXS and me were trying something very silly: hanging up a homemade 160m dipole (two times 40 meters of cable) over the roof of the house into the trees in the street in front of the house. It was not working anyway, but we completely abandoned our efforts when a man who was walking his dog, summoned us to stop this "wiring in the public domain" upon filing a complaint with the police.......

May

Back from Apeldoorn?? When???

P=>

I do not recall the occasion, but I was sent a copy of Bob's very interesting propagation survey: Long Path Propagation.

NM7M

A very nice meeting with Nico from Maasland. He was on holiday in Zuid-Limburg when I met him on tower on the "Drielandenpunt". I forgot his former callsign, but remember the meeting very well…. He gave me just for free a homemade telescopic antenna for my TH75E. Those are the contacts to remember forever...

PE1NXB now PA3GXL

June

3th. From the work QTH in Apeldoorn I worked 17 UKFM friends. I used the Eurosonic Audioline that I took from my visit in Cornwall. Just 4 watts FM and an indoor dipole on the attic in Apeldoorn. Also worked Irene FC200 that we visited and where we stayed overnight when in Scotland. Also worked Charles on the Isle of Tiree.

July

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18th. Start of a magnificent trip to Scotland, meeting and staying with very many good old CB friends. For starters a picture of Derek Waller (DW17) and his wife Kathleen (he's also on the april 1999 list!!). We had a one night stay at their QTH.

Derek (deceased) and Kathleen

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Next a picture with Carol, Sandy (remember the CB-er on the tractor in august 1985!) and his daughters, Chantal and me on a very nice trip to the local freshwater reservoir in the glens.

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Here's a picture of the AW CB gathering in Kirriemuir.

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And here a picture of me and our Host for several nights: Carol from Kirriemuir.

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Also hosting us: Bob with his bacon on a roll!!

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Next meeting Tartan Lad - David before boarding in Aberdeen for the Shetlands. He came all the way from Fraserburgh to shake hands with us.

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On the Orkneys, we met John form Kirkwall (also on the april 1999 list!), who kindly showed us ancient Orkney (Ring of Brodgar, Maes Howe and Standing stones of Stennes and Scara Brae) and more recent history (Scapa Flow and the Italian Chappel form Worldwar 2).

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When heading for the westcoast, we were invited to stay at Irene and Andy in Gourock.

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Finally we stayed two nights on the isle of Lismore with CB Friends Bert and Betty.

October

24th. Participating in the CQ-WW SSB Contest with 10 milliwatts: 35 QSO's over the ocean.

November

Preparing moving to Deken Deutzlaan actually I found out in 2006 that it was JO30AU instead of JO30AV (100 meters difference….)

24th. Chantal got her full HF license: PA3GQG

PA3GQG

December

Total number of logged CB QSO's for 1992 : 214

214

1993

January

10th. Moved to QTH Deken Deutzlaan in Kerkrade (same locator...)

February

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Participation in the PACC contest with 10 Watts: 71 contacts. Place 12 of 16 in the QRP section. SSB only. See the results here.

13th. Very nice QSO series with PA3GDK (local station on Rolduc):

PA3GDK

18:06 28Mc

18:07 21 Mc

18:08 7 Mc

18:09 3,8 Mc

18:12 1,8 Mc

March

Chantal and me took part in a Foxhunt in the Brunssummerheide, that was organised by the Veron afdeling 22. Nice to participate, not very lucky to find all the foxes though. And besides, it was very cold!!!

April

10th. I took my TH75E handy on an internal flight in Germany. They would not let me have it on board so the pilots were kindly enough to take it in the cockpit.

May

6th. Selling the IC240 to Andre-PE1OXS

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I stopped QSL-ing CB QSO's. Since I already stopped putting them in albums several years ago, I received about 185 more which are still in a box… See the Box with CB QSL's here.

July

18th. Putting up my 3 element (illegally) on the appartements roof.

August

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Holiday in Switzerland. I took my TH75E handheld to Kandersteg and made one contact with a HB9 station via a distant repeater when hiking up the hills.

Higher is not necessarily better!!!

I lost the repeater when going up higher.

21nd. Very nice QSO serie with OY2VO:

11:52 28 Mc SSB 59+10

12:00 21 Mc SSB 52

12:02 14 Mc SSB 55

12:30 28 Mc SSB 59 My power 10 milliwatts.

October

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8th. Chantal and me got married. :-))) See the Pic!!!

30th. On my birthday Sjaak build a Baycom Packet Modem for me. It would work very fine for years.

Sjaak Tossaint.

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JOTA 1994 at St Hubertus Terwinselen.See the QSL here.

December

Total number of logged CB QSO's for 1993 : 88

1994

January

Losing track of the regular skeds with 9Q5PX. No contacts for several weeks sometimes. Then sometimes weak signals and occasionally a good contact.

22nd. Testing a homebrew mobile antenna from Theo - PD0ROC. Nice results: UT, LA, UC, and even AK1L worked. In a net I could almost work Greenalnd (OX).

PD0ROC

February

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Participation in the PACC contest with 100 Watts: 56 contacts only. Place 63 of 78 in the SSB section. See the commemorative banners 1990-1994 here.

March

I gave a "lecture" at the local VERON club at the Sterrenwacht: about my QRPppppp results.

6th. Some more DX during the ARRL contest with the PD0ROC mobile antenna: VE3RM, N2RM,K1DG, K2BU, KS1L, K3ZO.

PD0ROC

April

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Got into the Packet Radio World. See overview of Nodes here.

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See another overview of possible connections here. My entrance to the Packet Radio world was Stef's Digi in Landgraaf.

Stef

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I had a mailbox at PI8JOP. See the items on the bulletin board here.

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I had a mailbox at PI8JOP. See the welcome screen here.

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And I used Graphic Packet. See the "license"here.

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And TFPCX. See some info here.

May

For many weeks now I have trouble listening to the "Zondagochtendronde". While trying to find out the source of the disturbances, I found it to be a 3 meters Radio pirate that lives about a kilometer away. I decided to report it to the government, but they would not do a thing unless they receive several documented reports.

June

Week after week I have heavy QRM on two meters by the pirate. And every time I send in a complaint.

July

Finally, the government and police silenced the radio pirate.

August

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Buying a DAIWA Digital SWR&Power meter DP-810

Fl 295,-

#######

October

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JOTA activity with my own callsign PA3FDW/J at Scouting St.Hubertus in Terwinselen. See the NEWSPAPER ARTICLE (in Dutch).

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See a better picture here.

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28th. I made a simple 160m dipole (2x40meters) and put it up for the contest. See the schematic here how I thrown it into a tree and on our car, with the feeding point near our window at 12 meteres high.

December

Total number of logged CB QSO's for 1994 : 39

1995

January

This year a short time membership of the ARRL

February

NO Participation in the PACC contest!!!!!!!!!!

3rd. I ordered a HF5B from Butternut at Etrons shop in Kerkrade. A compact butterfly antenna for 20-17-15-12 and 10 meters.

March

28th. The HF5B arrives from the USA after 7 weeks…..

P=>

After a week it is on the flat's roof: see the pic here.

April

3rd. First QSO's with the HF5B.

May

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VERON Celebrating 50 years. Special calls used PA53FDW for 233 QSO's. See (part of) the log.

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VERON Also issued a 50 year book. See the book here.

Fl 50,-

P=> Enlarge

I pre-subscibed to it. See it here.

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And I worked a special call station PI50ZOD which was good enough for the local newspaper to make it into an article.

June

9th. Very nice QSO serie with DL8USA 7 Bands!!:

DL8USA

17:11 24Mc SSB 53

17:24 18Mc SSB 59

17:26 10Mc CW 569

17:29 21Mc SSB 55

17:33 X-band My RX on 21Mc and my TX on 28 Mc

17:35 29Mc SSB 59

17:37 14Mc SSB 58; no copy on 40 meters!!!

11th. Very nice QSO serie with G3OQB!!:

G3OQB

17:47 28Mc SSB 54

17:54 24Mc SSB 53

17:55 21Mc SSB 52

17:56 18Mc SSB 58

17:58 14Mc SSB 58

P=>

Holiday in Norway. We were guests at LA9OFA's qth for three days in EU-033 Vesteralen, making 33 QSO's as LA/PA3FDW/P. See the pic taken at Eiriks parents with Eirik (LA9OFA), Chantal, and me. I had many nice contact with Eirik during the years 1991-1995.

LA9OFA

July

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The LA1N clubstation in Narvik. Unfortunately no ham around!!

August

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Making a donation to the Phase 3D satellite project via ARRL. See the document.

Fl 25,-

September

The HF5B arrives from the USA after 7 weeks…..

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After a week it is on the flat's roof: see the pic here.

October

JOTA 1995 at Scouting St. Hubertus Terwinselen.

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See an information sheet for the scouts here (in Dutch).

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JOTA info here (in Dutch).

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more JOTA info (in Dutch) here.

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and here an example of a Jamboree radio license (in Dutch).

December

Total number of logged CB QSO's for 1995: 58

1996

January

Albert PA3GKY and me wrote a letter to the RSGB to put an article in the Novice section of RADCOM to encourange (extreme) shortskip contacts. Suggested frequency: 28.435). See the RSGB response here.

13th. After a nice QSO with UA9YE I sent him several dutch ham magazines. He told me that he collected ham-magazines. I never had a reply unfortunately.

UA9YE

February

Participation in the PACC contest with 100 Watts: 130 contacts on the HF5B. Place 59 of 96 in the SSB section.

March

More reply from the RSGB about the january request here.

September

Moved back to the Olmenplein (JO30AV)

P=>

20th. We met GD0BFN and hid wife Debby from the Isle of Man in Valkenburg on their holiday trip into Europe. See Chantal, Debby, John and me here.

GD0BFN

October

1st. Moving back to QTH Olmenplein.

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JOTA 1996 at Scouting St. Hubertus Terwinselen. See an information leaflet here (in Dutch).

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See the QSL and small newspaper announcement (in Dutch).

December

Total number of logged CB QSO's for 1996: 33

1997

January

February

9th./10th. Participation in the PACC contest with 100 Watts: 52 contacts in the mixed section. Place unknown.

April

5th. I put up an FD3. It seems to work fine here.

June

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27th. Meeting OD5SK on the Ham-radio in Friedrichshafen. Thanks to Andreas DL2EAD for his help.

OD5SK / DL2EAD

July

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QSL wall at the ham radio fair.

September

30th. We met GD0BFN and hid wife Debby from the Isle of Man again. This time we went to Liege (Luik-Herstal) to meet them on their trip to Austria for a nice eye-ball in a hotell where they stayed.

GD0BFN

October

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JOTA activity: PA3FDW/J at scouting Terwinselen. At the same time as Chantal in Molenberg with PA3GQG/J at scouting Willibrordus.

See the PA3GQG/J Souvenir shirt here.

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See the PA3FDW/J Souvenir shirt here.

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See the JOTA 1997 Souvenir shirt front here.

November

23rd. QSO with long lost CB friend Martin in Swansea. He is now 2W0AQP.

2W0AQP

December

28th. Nice DX-Cluster spot from me on 40 meters!!! AD6DO 7033.5 PA3FDW 0741 28 Dec 1997

http://oh2w.kolumbus.com/dxs

Total number of logged CB QSO's for 1997: 43

1998

January

1st. Giving a "Budelbak" (T813S) to Karl (PD1AHK)

11th. First participation in the YL-OM Midwintercontest, where Chantal is the contest manager from now on.

February

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14th./15th. Participation in the PACC contest with 100 Watts: 275 contacts in the mixed section. Place 12 of 30 participants. See results here.

May

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30th. Buying a TH22E handheld from Regenboog in Heerlen. 2 m FM, 5 Watts. See it here.

Fl 550,-

#######

TH22E (18)

June

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29th. Our son Jens is born. A picture of a beautifull baby (6 months of age). In the afternoon I was still having a QSO with SM/DK4UN/P

July

10th. Our newborn wakes up at night, I switch on the rig and I work on 20m in SSB: C6A25FV and 8P9JJ.

14th. Our newborn wakes up at night, I switch on the rig and I work: on 20m in CW several USA stations.

31th. Our newborn wakes up at night, I switch on the rig and I work: on 20m in CW several USA stations.

October

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JOTA activity: PA3GQG/J at scouting Willibrordus. See the QSL.

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See some action pictures here.

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See a newspaper article (in Dutch) about the JOTA

13th. First time ever taken a QTC list in a contest (WAE SSB)……

December

12TH. While taking part in the ARRL 10 meter contest on december 12, the new callsign arrived in the mail: PA4FDW. So I participated in the contest with two callsigns: first PA3FDW and later PA4FDW

Making 34 contacts into the USA.

December

19th. Nice cluster spot from myself: AI2Q 24894.0 PA4FDW Jos in Kerkrade 1652 19 Dec 1998

http://oh2w.kolumbus.com/dxs

Total number of logged CB QSO's for 1998: 37

1999

January

Annual meeting of the Veron section 22 Zuid Limburg. I joined the board as "bestuurslid".

February

P=>

13th./14th. Participation in the PACC contest with 100 Watts: 301 contacts in the mixed section. Place 14 of 32 Dutch participants. See the results here..

April

P=> Enlarge

Virtual end of all CB activities. See the overview of most worked CB Friends.

I gave a "lecture" at the local VERON club at the Sterrenwacht: about the technics of the GPS system.

July

Activity of DYLC - Chantal ON/PI4YLC/P in Leopoldburg

October

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16/17th. JOTA: PA4FDW/J at Scouting Vrank in Heerlen. See here for a part of the "log".

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See the front and back of the QSL here.

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22th. Buying a PCR-1000 Radiocontrolled receiver all modes 0,1-2000 Mc from the Regenboog shop in Heerlen.

Fl 1700,-

#######

November

20th. Buying from Classic in Roermond: MFJ762 (step attenuator for qrpppp), MFJ1700B (Dual Switch for QRPPPP) and Ameritron RCS-8VX 5 way Remote Coax Switch

Fl 625,-

#######

December

2000

January

February

P=>

13th./14th. Participation in the PACC contest with 100 Watts: 150 contacts in the SSB section. Place 58 of 98 Dutch participants. See the results here.

March

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Buying a handscanner PRO50 (68-512 Mhz FM) on the fleemarket in Rosmalen.

Fl 75,-

€ 34,09

13th. Started with Seti at home. See setiathome.berkeley.edu for more info.

Distributed computing

May

Buying a second hand Extrex GPS receiver from colleague Sjaak. I am definitely in JO30AV.

Fl 225,-

#######

August

6th. Our daughter Runa is born.

December

2001

January

I Gave up the task in the Veron afdeling Zuid-Limburg as "bestuurslid" because of the sitauation at home with Jens.

February

10th./11th. Participation in the PACC contest with 100 Watts: 125 contacts in the SSB section. Place 50 of 77 in the section.

March

29th. TR751 back from reparation

Fl 460,-

#######

July

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2,3,4 july several days of activity from LG5LG/SJ9WL. See a picture with Enar SM4IM. Loggings here. See www.east.no/priv/la7tia/arim

SM4IM

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See a picture of PA3GQG-Chantal in the Morokulien Shack.

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See a picture of PA4FDW (me) in the Morokulien Shack

November

24th. New callsign: PA7DW, NO MORE CHANGE OF CALLSIGN AFTER THIS!!! See this list what you possibly have to change if you (voluntarily) change your call.

Working PI4ZLB/30 form the Industrion exhibition in Kerkrade as a special event.

PA3HDZ, PD0-Jos.

December

2nd. Nice cluster spot from myself: N5PO 28012.5 PA7DW 1850 02 Dec 2001

http://oh2w.kolumbus.com/dxs

We bought a new house in Landgraaf: it is ham proof (i.e. it is possible to put up some antennas).

2002

January

My mother dies after a long stay at the hospital.

February

10th./11th. Participation in the PACC contest with 100 Watts: 106 contacts in the SSB section. Place 64 of 77 participants. See the commemorative banners 1995-2002 here.

May

Moved to Landgraaf. From the one corner of JO30AV to the opposite corned of JO30AV !

June

Buying a holiday/radio notebook. It will be used solely in the shack and on holidays.

eur 1700

#######

July

Chantal constructs a 6 meter pole next to the new house. The basic pole for the antennas to come.

PA3GQG

Hanging up the FD3 on the new pole. Test QSO with Thailand succesfull.

August

26th. The big spending day at Maas in Kerpen. (Some money left after my parents died).

IC910H, VX910, VT106, FL132, SM-20 Mike, MC-85 Kenwood Mike, Cobra MPR's, TM241 45 W mobile, Kenwoord LPD's, IC-AG35, IC-AG-1296, Kenwood SP23, cabling etc.tec.etc.

eur 3263,-

#######

IC910H (19), TM241E (20)

and Classic in Roermond: MFJ105C,MFJ 260 Diamond A502HB (50Mc HB9CV), IC SP7, Cushcraft LAC-4, LC2 etc.

eur 399,-

#######

September

Started with Electronic QSL: EQSL: www.eqsl.org.

24th. Bought a GB Warc Dipole from GBHF Antennes.

eur 150

#######

November

14th. Bought a Tonna 20635 35 ele. 23 cm Yagi from Classic

eur 75

€ 75,00

Bought an MFJ802 from Classic

eur 61

€ 61,00

P=>

Now EQSL Authenticity prooved.

December

2003

January

February

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8th./9th. Participation in the PACC contest with 100 Watts: 302 contacts in the mixed section. Place 11 of 25 participants. See the results here.

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Visiting PI4ZLB on a fieldday in Wiltz-Luxemburg. No QSO's. Only socialsing with Hein, Miriam, Jos and others form the VRZA/Scouting. See a picture of on of the antennas.

March

Donation of $25,- to eqsl.org.

$ 25,-

€ 25,00

April

P=>

15th. 35 ele yagi for 23 cm assembled by Theo. Later this month on the mast. See the picture of 70 and 23 cm antennas.

PD0ROC

May

3 rd. First 23cm QSO DLØVR in SSB (local station)

July

Morokulien. See www.east.no/priv/la7tia/arim

SM5DJZ

August

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2nd. Me operating at the beautifull LG5LG/SJ9WL station. See pic.

September

I gave a "lecture" at the local VERON club at the Sterrenwacht: about the technics of Cable TV networks in relation with ham issues.

October

P=>

30th. On my birthday! Never saw a visual AURORA before. What a surprise of mother nature for my 42nd. Birthday! See the pic.

December

I received a QSL from an AH3C QSO on 2 sept 1990 via K9UIY. That is 12 years and 2 months via buro.

2004

January

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Visit with Hams from the VRZA to the Deutsche Welle Shortwave Transmitter in Juelich. Impressive, all the way! See the Power measurement here!!! YES IT IS 100 Killowatts!!

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See the connectors here!

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And Hein - PA3HDZ at the Coax Cables here!!

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And Theo-PD0ROC, Miriam-PA7YL and the German lecturer standing next to a coax switching element!!!

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Jan 1st. 2004 : END OF PAPER LOGS!!! FROM HERE EVERYTHING IS ELECTRONICALLY IN VQLOG!!! See the picture with the old ham paper logbooks here!

First QSO on AO7 satellite (70cm/2m) with Andre-PH7AT

PH7AT

February

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14th./15th. Participation in the PACC contest with 100 Watts: 174 contacts in the CW section. Place 42 of 59 participants. See the resultst here.

March

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Visited LOFAR test site in Borger-Odoorn. A few PICS. See www.lofar.nl

PA3EET

I am happy with EQSL: I got a card form UI8DX form a qso in september 1991 !!!! That is after 13 years still a wanted QSL received!!!

EQSL

May

31.th purchased a VQLOG License

EA6VQ

eur 22,-

€ 22,00

15th. Nice cluster spot from myself: OZ1DJJ 50170.0 PA7DW hrd clg LA Short ship 0711 15 May

http://oh2w.kolumbus.com/dxs

June

Started with electronical logbook: VQLog. WWW.VQLOG.COM.

July

P=>

10th. The bastards broke into our car and stole the TM241E.

August

Purchased at the Aachen Fleemarket: EF-1 KW Magnetic balun vertical (MGP) by Telcom.

eur 99,-

€ 99,00

October

16th. Activity: JOTA With PE1IIG/J at Scouting Vrank.

PE1IIG

December

31.nd. In 2004 I had 1070 amateur contacts

1070

2005

January

February

12th. Participation in the PACC contest with 100 Watts: 220 contacts in the CW section. Place unknown. PACC 50th. Edition !!!!

I gave a "lecture" at the local VERON club at the Sterrenwacht: about the LOFAR technics.

PA3EET

March

Visited flee market in Den Bosch: the ON5UR QSL's are beautifull and afforable.

April

Finally developing a real full color QSL for myself.

May

P=>

The VRZA celebrated the 25th. Year of the famour Regio contest. Althought I always gave a few points in many contests, I never sent in a log. For this last year I sent in several, and the remeberance banner was sent to me.

VRZA

June

My first real full color QSL card is ready: made by ON5UR. Beautifull. See www.on5ur.be.

ON5UR

137 eur /2000 pcs.

#######

August

21 improvements on the new QSL detected…. (next time).

October

16th. Some QSO's at Scouting Vrank with PE1IIG/J

PE1IIG

December

A few (nice) spots of PA7DW on the DX-Cluster this year:                     EB1EHO 50140 PA7DW IN73DM(ES>JO30AV big 1645 10 Jun 2005
DL8PM    50098 PA7DW in QSO w. EH1KV              1722 08 Jul 2005
VE3VTG 14012 PA7DW cw                                         0021 12 Aug 2005
SK7MW   1296225.0 PA7DW caling in u dir !           1851 20 Sep 2005

http://oh2w.kolumbus.com/dxs

Seti at Home stopped. The 2500 workunits mark was so close… I See the final score here: Work done
SETI@home member since 13 Mar 2000
SETI@home classic workunits 2,467
SETI@home classic CPU time 21,544 hours

31nd. In 2005 I had 1393 amateur contacts.

1393

2006

January

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I dismantled the Packet Radio station, as WWW has so much more to offer these days. Since I am wireless connected in the Shack to the internet, I don't need the Packet Cluster anymore. See a picture of the equipment here.

Favourite DX-Cluster for several years now: PI7EHV (www.invullen) from Esrac in Eindhoven.

Aurelio

February

12th. Participation in the PACC contest with 100 Watts: 197 contacts in the CW section. Place unknown

P=>

See the PACC "Vaantjes" collection with 15 pieces.

March

On the annual fleemarket in Den Bosch, I bought a Diamond X50N omnidirectional antenna for 2 m. and 70 cm.

eur 75

€ 75,00

A colleague coverts the first 850 HF QSO's from dBase3 into a format readable by VQLOG.

Jo Dassen

April

Rudi repairs my Kenwood battery pack. I was about to buy a new portable because the PB from Kenwood is almost es expensive as a cheap handy. Rudi brought it back to life!!!

Rudi - PA3ETW

June

Installed G4ILO Software for propagation prediction purposes. Still in doubt of sending a donation… It IS a nice program, but how usuable is it/

July

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10-17 july several days of activity from LG5LG/SJ9WL. A location picture here.

SM4IM / SM5DJZ

eur 520

#######

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Meeting Morten-LA9DFA. Very nice visit! See me and Morten at his QTH.

LA9DFA

P=>

Morten and his wife Tove.

Loggings here. See also www.east.no/priv/la7tia/arim

And a picture of me in the shack of LG5LG/SJ9WL.

August

Started with my radio page: members.home.nl/pa7dw

25th. Donating another 10 dollar to EQSL.ORG

$ 10

€ 8,00

28th. First QRPpp tests on 30m. Using only 100 milliwatts and my GP. See the following clusterspots:                                                           PA7DW 10120 PA7DW/QRPP any cpy 100mW/GP 1936 28 Aug 2006
OH5TQ 10120 PA7DW/QRPP ur 559                         1937 28 Aug 2006
SP3BGD 10120 PA7DW/QRPP RST 449                  1946 28 Aug 2006

http://oh2w.kolumbus.com/dxs

October

Almost all results of my qsl collecting activity can now be found on members.home.nl/pa7dw

14th. When searching for "pa7dw" on Google, it finds this homepage first !!

November

Not much activity; But nice QSO with Morten - LA9DFA

LA9DFA

December

10th. With Rudi (PA3ETW) and They (PD0ROC) to the flee-market in Bladel. Nice day ! No special purchases.

I could not work the 1A4A due to limited time and huge pile-ups

31th. In 2006 I made 795 amateur contacts

795

2007

January

P=>

10 th. Upon request, I volunteered for backup for leading the "Technonet". That is a local net (round-table qso) on our relaystation PI3ZLB on 145.725. Today was my first time ever that I lead a "net", although a local one. Some 6 active hams and 18 listeners including one SWL. See the paper sheet that I used for it.

Backing up for PA0EJH (Egbert)

Leading a ham "net".

13/14th. Some qso's in the YL-OM midwintercontest. My wife Chantal (PA3GQG) is the contest-manager.

February

Addings some more pictures to the homepage: First a collection of ham books:

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Collection ham books 1

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Collection ham books 2

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Collection ham books 3

Next some pictures of collected propagation articles:

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Propagation articles 1

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Propagation articles 2

And some pictures of my folders with QSL's:

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QSL Collection 1

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QSL Collection 2

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QSL Collection 3

11/12 th. Nice PACC contest. Over 100 QSO's, but very bad conditions. Worked PD0MNF and PD0ROC for the first time on HF.

24th. Got another pile of buro cards. On card from Ukraine from a 1994 PACC qso!!! 13 years!!! Not a record, because I remember on that I got after 14 years!!!

March

3/4 th. Nice ARRL DX contest for working prefixes and USA counties.

P=> and here

22th. Today I visited the Dutch QSL Buro. I had over 1000 QSL's filled in (see the massive pile up on the picture). I thought it was wise to deliver them personally hihi. In fact I was on a business trip in Arnhem, and I wanted to save some postage money for the VERON. Impressive those people sorting out thousands and thousands of cards! They should have an article in the Electron magazine! The "guide" told me that the numbers of cards keep increasing and that the CW-course on CW is popular as never before.

24/25 th. WPX DX contest. Bad conditions on HF as in private (Chantal is suffering from hernia). Only 30 new prefxes and only 2 hours activity.

April

No activity, Chantal is suffering from a hernia. But yet another strange story: LA9OFA-Eirik called us by phone that he was going to visit us because he was in London and Brussels for his work. On the very day: no Eirik. The next day: no Eirik. What a pity that we did not have another chance to meet him again!!!! We really wonder what happend to him! We hope he is fine!

May

6th. Working on antenna's with They. We install They's hommade Isotron in my pole. Also we hangup a mini G5RV. Suprise surprise… Nothing is working. I will check the cabling first in the next weeks…

PD0ROC

P=>

23th. Egbert asked me to do the Technonet once again (see January 2007). Find the notes here for the record.

PA0EJH

25th. PA0IJM was in Morokulien. I spoke with him on 12, 6 and 17 meters. On 17 meters we even had a nice 20 minutes chat about Morokulien, the new 35 meter tower and the 8 element log-per. He had not seen any elk yet….

PA0IJM/Morokulien

26th.. Changed the G5RV cabling for the WPX contest. It did not help… The G5RV is still not working, maybe two coaxes are bad? Or maybe the Coax Switch not oke? To be continued…

26/27th. CQ WPX CW contest. Nice contest although mainly Europe. Exceptions: 3DX2Z (new DXCC, last worked Guinea in 1996, never QSL) and B7P (last qso with China was in 2003). Also nice: three new 5P prefixes from OZ!!

26th/27th. 6 meters is wide open into the caribic. Several countries in the cluster and worked as high as PA and DL. Nothing heard on my 2 element. But still a few new squares in Europe for me.

July

I did not take my radio with my on our holiday to Norway. When in Morokulien, we visited LA9DFA, but we only met his nice wife Tove. He ceased all amateur activities, what a pity. Also unlucky when visiting SM4IM-Enar. He was not on his home QTH nor on his summer cottage. Pity pity. In Morokulien the new mast looked very fine!!! The LG5/SJ9 shack was in use by two German hams (DK8...) from Dortmund and Konstanz.

August

17th. Nice one on 6 meters: EI75RTS, The Irish Radio society celebrates its 75th.

21st. and 22nd. Nice late season openings on 6 meters: working several new squares in Europe and also GW - Wales for a first.

23rd. The G5RV has fallen down on the roof……. Work ahead.

29th. I sent my latest Honor Roll results to PA0ABM-Wino. Then I discovered on the list at http://sharon.esrac.ele.tue.nl/dxpress/honor_roll.htm that PA3CSR was no longer on it. I decided to mail him and I got a quick reply. He was no longer active as a radio ham anymore. Pity.

PA0ABM PA3CSR

October

Logo

19-20-21. Jamboree on the Air @Scouting St. Tarcisius Landgraaf. Very nice event and good organisation with several radio-related activities as morse decoding, radio-puzzle and plain radio contacts. We were using Chantal's callsign: PA3GQG/J. We worked more then 10 international scouting stations and had several nice contacts with Dutch scouts on the 2 meterband. The scouting building is in JO30AV at 150 m. a.s.l. less than a kilometer from my QTH.

www.tarcisius.nl

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Antenna's and technics: They-PD0ROC. His daughter Anne joined him!! She is a Kids Day operator and helped with the contacts!!! See the picture.

PD0ROC and Anne

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Me operating VHF and HF radio.

We tried a ZS6BKW, but somehow it did not work although it works fine at They´s place…

P?=>

Next we tried the 160m dipole, that I made many many years ago. It dipped around 1700kHz so we made it a bit shorter. Then we folded it but it was no good on any band. It was worth trying, because now we know that it works fine as a dipole on 1850 kHz.

P?=>

The G5RV @12 m. a.g.l. worked fine for us! See the HF results on the world map here.

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A picture of the radio crew: They - PD0ROC, Chantal-PA3GQG, Jos -PA7DW.

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Finally a picture of the complete motivated crew. Will there be some new Hams among them????? Bottom left to right: Bram Dave Koen Chantal, Top left to right: Brian Joeri They Jos and good old Guy.

PA3GQG, PD0ROC.

27/28th. CQ WW SSB contest. Together with They-PD0ROC at my QTH. One of my targets was working 1A3A, and lucky I was!! I could work them on 28,21 en 7 Mc! Also a nice one for me: C50C. And after 18,5 years I could work 9N7JO for a very first!!!! Many USA worked as well, 20 prefixes and some new for DXCC. Total 70 contacts. Nice conditions, nice contest!

PD0ROC

November

Jens is learning morse code. He knows all the letters and 0-9 already. What I want to do is testing myself for the actual and real morse speed. I found an excellent morse program to do that: MorseCat by DK5CI - A freeware windows morse code trainer for beginners and experts. Curios about my real speed......

DK5CI Tnx Gerald!!!!!

6 th. Today I received 16 QSL's confirming 30 QSO's by famous QSL-Manager W3HNK-Joe FOR FREE!!!. Some new DXCC's (Costa Rica on two bands, Sweden on 80m SSB, Cyprus on 40m SSB), some new prefixes (SF80, Ti1, TI4) and some new Russian RDA's and IOTA (FM5 from Martinique). Joe owes Dutch hams something!! I like Joe a lot!!

W3HNK-Joe

16 th. Starting a new (novice) ham radio class at Scouting St. Tarcisius. Dave, Brian and Guy are going to try for next years's may exam. They - PD0ROC will assist me.

PD0ROC

December

19th. The best tropo opening that I have ever seen!!! Lasted several days. Results:

Weather…..

2meters: 50 watts and vertical Diamond X50: SC300VL (Sweden) on SSB, and SM7HNF in CW. LA6MV en LA2PGA in SSB.

23cm: 10 watts and 31 element fixed qtf 40degrees: GM4LBV (qtf 320degrees…) and SM7LCB in CW and SSB.

Nice dutch activity: special xmas calls: Px07XMAS. It is rather difficult to work them from here in Limburg……. But I was lucky to work: PA07XMAS, PC07XMAS, PF07XMAS and PG07XMAS. I missed one or two unfortunately…

28th. QSL via buro 28 dec 2007:
They PD0ROC brings the cards to the buro, My son Jens has written them (!) The following cards were delivered (total 113):
30 x PA3GKY
33 x PA3GQG/J JOTA
25 x PA7DW
7 x PI4YLC
18 x PA3GQG

31th. In 2007 I made 623 amateur contacts

623

2008

January

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6th. KIDS DAY!!! See the picture here. My 9 year old son Jens has his first contact with SK0TM in Stockholm. Thanks Bjorn. Jens is looking forward to receiving the QSL. He also worked They-PD0ROC and his daughter Anne. QSL already received.

SK0TM Op. Bjorn

10th. The PC in my shack was so slow that I went to get a new one form Mediamarkt (only 399 euro). No time to convert all data and software.

13th. YL Midwintercontest of PI4YLC (Chantal). Only 3 YL's worked, bad conditions…

19/20th. Worked all three last HA provinces that I need in the HA Contest, every province at least twice. Now waiting for QSL's…

22nd. PCR and DXCluster seem to have problems with the new notebook. Aurelia (PC5A) was available on 145.3375 FM in the weekend to help me out with the ESRAC DXCluster (Java needed installing). The USB-to-Serial converter cable could not be installed for the PCR-1000. I found another USB-to-Serial cable from HP. It could be installed and now the PCR Works as well!! Up and running with the new notebook!!!! It starts up in a minute where the old one took 10 minutes...

PC5A

25th. Annual meeting of Veron afdeling 22. Once again I volunteered for doing the "Kascontrolle" next year. They will join me.

26/27th. Worked 8 new French Departements for the DDFM. I still need about 25 of 95. Waiting for confirmations now...

27th. Together with They we tried to hang up a 160m dipole on the "Megaland" area. We wanted to try to make some contacts in the CQ WW 160M CW contest. After about 1,5 hours of preparations, still 10 minutes of work to go, the dipole-wire broke…. No luck this time. Next try in February? In the CQ WW 160M SSB contest???

PD0ROC

February

9/10th. Nice PACC. Nothing special at all, but still about 160 QSO's. Nice te be called by 3 stations at the same time. That only happens to me in the PACC contest! Nice to work the PA0ADT commemorative special call form Apeldoorn: PC99ADT. He was the PACC contest manager for many years. Thanks Ad -SK.

PA0ADT

10th. On the roof: my 70cm and 23cm antennas were increasingly elevating….I quickly had to tighten severals bolts and nuts in order to avoid hundreds of euro's damage (2 antennas and two mast-mount pre-amps). The weather was magnificent.

15th. 70cm is not working anymore… I went outside to see that the cable was completely disconnected from the antenna…..

23rd. They and me tried once again with the 160 m dipole near the Megaland area. The hanging up went reasonably well, just half an hour. Then the powerconverter in the car (12VDC to 220AC) went berserk and we could only make 5 watts with the TS440S. Took a while to find out that this silly device was the problem. We connected the radio directly to one of the two car-batteries. That was much better, we could match the antenna with the MFJ-941B but SWR was not very good (probably antenna still to low above the ground). The maximum power was only about 40-50 watts. The noise level was rather high. We started answering some very strong stations (DR1A for example). No success. Tried to answer the CQ-WW_SSB 160m big gun contesters but no one heard us. That was rather disappointing and we quit after having called for half an hour or so.

PD0ROC

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BUT: There was one close by SWL friend that heard us!!! Here is his SWL card!!! Thanks Nico-PD0MNF.

PD0MNF/PA5821

March

6th. Bought a second hand TM271E for 99 euro's form Schaart in Katwijk for in our car. The thing arrived the next day and is working fine so far.

10th. Preparing for the fleemarket Rosmalen. It is one of my yearly radio-events. The wish-list includes some cabling, connectors, a rotor(?), a magnetic loop(?) and getting my new PA7DW QSL card from the ON5UR stand.

15th. One the way to Rosmalen, I stopped at PA3GJU-Karel in Sint Odilienberg. He was selling a magnetic loop the MFJ-1788 40-15 meters. I bought it for 200 euros. They-PD0ROC tipped me on the internet add.

15th. Chantal joined me to Rosmalen (She had a meeting with the traffic buro for the PACC). In Rosmalen we met several radio friends: Martin PA0MJM, Hilly and Harry from Posterholt. Wim - PE1AED, Aurelio-PC5A etc. I went to collect my new QSL cards from ON5UR (1000pcs 82 euro).

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15th. I Also bought a decent folder for my DXCC collection. The old one was far to small to cover all the cards. ON5UR had a nice folder and maps for 30 euro. See an example page here.

16th. Trying the new loop in the shack. They - PD0ROC came to assist. It was tuneble on 40meters with an SWR of 1:1.8 at best. The other bands 30,20,17 and 15 meters were hardly tunable below 1:2.0 or some even 1:3.0. On 40m however I worked TK/OH2YL in CW with about 40 watts. As soon as time and weather permits, the loop goes outside. The rotator seems to be broken as well.

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The diagram shows the current switches and connections in the shack.

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21th. They repaired the broken rotor. The mechanical wizzard!!! I wonder how he got the parts together! See the parts here…

They-PD0ROC

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26th. New laptop means new EMC problems into the speaker and microphone soundcard. Solved by using 2 ringcores (2 euro each at Rosmalen). See the picture.

April

3rd. My new MFJ-1788 Magnetic loop helped me with a new one!!! When CQ-ing on 40 meters, I was called by 3A2LS for a first. Just once before I got Monaco, but I did not seem to be in the log :-(. Now my hopes are set to the QSL from Alpa!!!).

24th. Ordered an audio-coupler for Digi communications from Dierking (EM16Mi). This should be my start into the HF-Digital communications i.e. FSK.

25th. QSL via buro (thanks for getting the cards They): QSL form TL0R (Alex-PA3DZN) in Central African Republic; QSO on 12 december 1998!

27th. Leading the local sundaymorning net "Zondag-ochtendronde" for the first time. Only about 5 active participants and about 40 listeners who signed up. Nice to hear from PE1LLJ, a radio friend in Leeuwarden that I spoke many time with in 1986-1987 on 2 meters tropo. Not very nice to hear that Jacq Lambregts - PA0JLM passed away this week.

May

5 th. Bought a ED16Mi sound mixer from Dierking to get into the world of Digital radio (again).

6 th. The ED16MI seems not to work. Several hours of trying with several radio's and microphones. Just keeps making strange noises on the transmissions.

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An article for Kidsday in Electron. I sent in a few words about Jens. Here's the page.

June

10th. Chantal-PA3GQG wanted a HF radio in the living room to be a bit more active. They-PD0ROC had a TS440S fo spare. We bought it from him with a kenwood power supply.

15th. Antenna work: The magnetic loop is 6 meters higher now: on the upper roof. Also the Magnetic Groundplane is now on a heigt op about 16m top

16th. Now we have a small shack in the living room (2m FM and HF). Just need to make the right antenna switch arrangements in order not to go up and down the house when changing antennas. The MFJ double switch should make that possible for me.

19th. I ordered a Signalink new Interface from QRPprojecte in Berlin. That should do the job instead of the ED16Mi

27 th. The Signalink arrived.

28th. Made my first QPSK31 QSO on 20m with OE2008OIL.

OE2008OIL

July

1st and on. Several more QPSK31 QSO's with the magnificent Sotware of HB9DRV. Have to make a donation for the free excellent suite of (digital) readio software programs. DM780/PSK/RTTY etc. etc.

HB9DRV

6th. Made 8 RTTY qso's in a German RTTY contest. Also this is a first for me: RTTY QSO on HF! ZCZC!!!

7 th. Plans are definite: Chantal and me are going to the Falklands in January. She is attending the YL meeting, and I am joining her. See also: www.radioclubs.net/vp8yl.

Bob-VP8LP and Janet from Falkland.

13 th. IARU HF contest. I like to work all those Headquarter stations like PA6HQ, DL0HQ, etc. Must make a folder with them! But now I had a special event: Worked TM0HQ from France in less then 1,5 hour on 5 modes/bands:
Working TM0HQ in France in the IARU contest: 5 bands x 2 modes in 1 hour and 28 minutes:
13/07/2008 03:48 TMØHQ 599-27 599-REF 20 m CW IARU HF TEST
13/07/2008 03:50 TMØHQ 599-27 599-REF 15 m CW IARU HF TEST
13/07/2008 03:53 TMØHQ 599-27 599-REF 10 m CW IARU HF TEST
13/07/2008 04:32 TMØHQ   59-27   59-ref   15 m SSB IARU HF TEST
13/07/2008 04:33 TMØHQ   59-27   59-ref   20 m SSB IARU HF TEST
13/07/2008 04:34 TMØHQ   59-27   59-ref   10 m SSB IARU HF TEST
13/07/2008 04:43 TMØHQ 599-27 599-ref 40 m CW IARU HF TEST
13/07/2008 05:03 TMØHQ   59-27   59-ref   40 m SSB IARU HF TEST
13/07/2008 05:04 TMØHQ 599-27 599-ref 80 m CW IARU HF TEST
13/07/2008 05:16 TMØHQ   59-27   59-ref   80 m SSB IARU HF TEST

15 th. I worked Bob-VP8LP. He was with Chantal on skype/internet for 2,5 hours. We made the skeds and I worked him on 18 en 21 Mc!!! Thanks Bob!

VP8LP-Bob

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16 th. With the Signalink and MixW software it is very easy to do many digital modes. I did some decent SWL-ing on SSTV on 20m. I used to play with ZX Spectrum in the mid 80's with barely any readable pictures. Now it’s a matter of 10 seconds and you receive those nice pics. See an example here.

August

I took some wire antenna's and my TS440 on the holiday to France, but it was not possible in the holiday QTH to put up any antenna's.

30th. Very nice results in the Slovenian RTTY contest: worked about 50 stations with some very nice ones: CN8KD, TF3PPN, LT0H, FG5LA, TI8II, YV5AAX, J39BS, FM5CD, VY2SS (40m).

September

2nd. Donation of euro 46,50 to the developers of the MixW Digital communications suite, to obtain a license. Now a registrered MixW user. I like her HRD suite even more, but it makes my PC's go blue-screen.

12th. Went to Classic in Roermond (They-PD0ROC thanks for joining me, I need your mechanical advise!!). Spending day… I was in the shop for three hours and spoke with Joop for two hours about my new setup. He gave extended advise on my situation. The following stuff are now part of my radio station:

PD0ROC-They

=> MFJ209B Antenna Analyser (HF upto 150 Mc).

=> Hygain TH3MK4, (3 element beam for 10,15 and 20 meters)

=> Hygain Tailtwister Rotor, very heavy duty stuff...

=> Enough stuff to put up a good deal of antenna's on the roof like rotor platforms etc. Plans are: 23cm, 70cm, 2m, 6m, and 2 times HF beams.

=> and also an Ameritron HF Amplier.

12th. They and me went to pick up a 17 elements 2 meter Yagi from Walter - PA3GJA in Simpelveld. They will repair it after it fell down in a storm. We will be able to use it in the next JOTA at Scouting Tarcisius! By the way: Walter also knows Ernest W1BFA! The one from the magnificent book.

PA3GJA/ W1BFA.

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19th.20th. Took all the antennas down. Only the Magnetic Broadband balun GP is still usable.

26th. Working on the antenna: They and me went to pick up a 6 m alu pole. Costs: euro 96,- in the Ford bus from De Kissel to home.

PD0ROC

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27th. Working on the antenna: The Rotor did not fit on the rotorplatform, despite of Classic Internationals (PA0JOP) advise. Chantal has sawn it 6 millimeters deep!!!

PA3GQG

28/29 th. CQ WW RTTY Contest: Another nice RTTY activity: Special ones: P49X, ZF2DF, 4K9W, 4L1BS, TF3PPN, 5C5W, JR3NCZ (50w plus GP, solar flux minimum, remember), LV5V, LT0H, TR8CA (eqsl already in, thanks Alain) 4L6AMB. And for the very first KG4SS (new DXCC, not even ever heard before: KG4SS in Guantanamo)

30th. Next problem: The rotor did not work. Trouble with the delicate 8 pins in the cable connector. Could not get them deep enough in. They helped me out on that one. Thanks again They!

PD0ROC

October

1 st. Leading the Technonet on PI3ZLB. 6 active users, 6 listeners. Nice to hear Tonny (PE1OEM) and Harry (PA3FDE) again.

4th. Working on the antenna's again. The rotorplatform seems te be just a bit unstraight. Hope it does not cause any problems.

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18-19th. JOTA at scouting St. Tarcisius. Very nice event. Nice local contacts on VHF, many nice contacts on HF. Scouting stations worked in Malta, England, Portugal and even Japan. We used Chantals callsign PA3GQG/J. Operators: Chantal, They (PD0ROC) and myself. See the picture of operations with our son Jens talking to LA1CI Aage, to whom we spoke for several hours.

PA3GQG/J and LA1CI.

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See the picture of the best DX to Japan (via the greyline)

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See the picture of the stations worked on a worldmap.

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24 th. Another Visit to Classic to pick up the DB1217 from Hygain. Chantal joined me. We discussed the possibilities of putting op a 160/80/40 meter vertical. At the end the only opportunity that was left was the PKW Super Bazooka. See the picture here.

24 th. Put up the PKW Super bazooka with They to use it in the CQ WW contest this weekend.

25th. Only 2 or 3 contacts in the contest on 160m. SWR is okay, but probably something wrong with the cable length…

30th. Chantal borrowed the Kenwood TS-50 from PD0ROC. She is planning to take it to Falkland in January.

November

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2 nd. Working on the roof for another 4 hours. Hardly visible progress, but many things done (on my own this time)

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7 th. Spending another 6 odd hours or so on the roof with They. Now up: 23 cm, working 70 cm working (the entire quarterwave stub was repaired), 6 meters working, Rotor working. See the picture. 3 more antennas to go!!!

PD0ROC

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8 th. And one more antenna on the pole! The jota antenna was taken down today and the 17 element for 2 meters from Walter (PA0GJA) was carried home by me. Within 30 minutes it was up. See the picture!. 2 more antennas to go!!!

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16th. Started the construction of the DB12/17. A lot of work! 75 tubes!

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23th. Problems with the construction of the DB12-17. The Clamps don't seem to be appropiate in some cases. Chantal once again gives me a hand!

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See the problem here.

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25th. Chantal made several contacts with the TS-50 and plans to buy it from They-PD0ROC. She also changed the setup in the living room: see a pic for the small livingroom shack here.

29th. On the roof again. Making the 2m cable ready for entrance through the hole in the wall, and cutting the PKW Bazooka feeding cable to the right length of 42 metres.

December

6th. PKW Bazooka connected, 17 elements 2m yagi connected.

8th. ITS FINAL:
I WILL BE JOINING CHANTAL FOR THE VP8 ACTIVITY IN JANUARY!

VP8LP-Bob & Janet: http://www.radioclubs.net/aa_vp8yl_/

9th. Dutch locator contest. The 17 elements works fine: PI4DEC worked on 145.275 FM with 59+++ sigs.

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10th. The internal cabling is not up to date anymore. Still some work to do. See part of the connections in an overview here.

12th. Rediscovered Sattelites… Have been working on RS11/12/13 but now on VO52. Could hear myself clearly on 145.909 (USB) and transmitting on 435.247 (LSB), but I could not contact EA4DS who was calling in loudly. Now I have to find out how multi band sattelite works best with the ICOM 910H. RTFM!

www.amsat.org

13th. and 15th. Worked MW0BBU in Wales on the same satellite!

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19th. Working 4 hours on the TH3MK4 with Chantal. Most work done. Two clamps died anyway, but the rest seems fine. Take a look at the preparations here.

PA3GQG

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and here.

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and here.

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and here.

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21th. Finishing the TH3MK4 took another 3,5 hours. Putting it on the roof was a special assignment!!! But Chantal and me did it, only the two of us. See it here in the mast. Plans for the future: 1,5 meters higher and the DB12/17 under it. So one more beam to go!!!

PA3GQG

23th. Excellent Tropo opening! The 17 elements is really working well!! With 50 Watts 3 times into Spain on 2 meters! Best DX: EA1FDI in IN53 for 1380 km! Never worked so far on 2 meters before!!!

Tnx Javi.

23th. Worked Spain also on 70cm for a new country! Dx:1200km! Best ever on 70cm.

Tnx EA1EBJ!

24th. Chantal worked VP8LP-Bob on the new 3 elements with solid S5 signals!!! Now only the problem with the Tail Twister rotator must be solved. It makes on 180 degrees from north to south via west… Maybe just a calibration problem.

26th. Albert - PA3GKY (re)discovered this story. Some amendments will follow shortly with his help. I haven't remembered everything… (selective memory hi hi).

PA3GKY

2008: QSO Statistics: 1013 ham qso's.

2008 qso's by band click here

2008 qso's by mode click here

2009

January

11th Doing the yearly treasury check at the local department of the VERON A22. Jelle has all very fine of course. It is the third time for me and the first time for They. The famous ONE DUTCH CENT (1950) of cash is now suddenly accompanied by another one, a new EUROCENT.

PE1AEM

Veron A22 treasury check. Sun 11 january at PE1AEM Jelle. All oke. 3rd time for me. First time for They. One old Cent now accompanied by one Eurocent.

12th. Chantal was making some contacts on 20 meters when she had a call from a neighbour across the street. She told Chantal that she can hear some (slight) interference on her PC speakers. Chantal promised to come back on the subject after our VP8 trip.

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14th VP8 Callsigns issued via Bob. Jos - VP8DLS and Chantal - VP8YLH. See the license here. It says 150 Watts INPUT ;-))

15th Leaving for Falkland.

16th Met Liz (M0ACL) & Brian (G0UKB) on the airplane from Madrid to Santiago - Chile

18th. Met Victoria SV2KBS in Punta Arenas, and later Nicky (M5YLO), Ruth (IT9ESZ), Brian (G0UKB) and Liz (M0ACL) and Unni (LA6RHA) on the plane from Punta Arenas to Mount Pleasant Airport in Falkland. Such a pity that Jeany (WA6UVF) and Mio (JR2MVF) missed the connextion in Santiago! We had problems too in Santiago: We were sent to the wrong gate, but discovered it in time!

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18th. Met Bob (VP8LP) and Janet (VP8AIB) and the local YL's: Celia, Myriam, Nancy and Bernadette. Most of them have not operated for many many years. See the picture of the whole group. Without Bob.

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And the local YL's WITH Bob.

18th. 119 SSB QSO's on 20 meters from Port Stanley as VP8DLS while testing the parallel operations of the main and secondary shack.

20th. 74 CW QSO's on 20 meters from Port Stanley al VP8DLS. The radio was not in use by the ladies in the secondary station…

21th. My TS440S was blown UP in the remote shack. I am devastated. 6 months ago I had one good HF transceiver, and now I have 3, all with problems, and the PACC is coming up.

22th. Sitting next to Chantal (with VP8YLH) having contacts with Dutch friends and amateurs (Willem-PC5W, Hilly and Harry PA3FDF en PA3FDE). Sitting next to Chantal I experience massive pile-ups. When asking for numbers, saying "number 2 only", 5 or 6 stations answer: PY4, SV1, DL5, G0, W6, I3 etc.... deaf???? dumb??? stupid??? ignorant??? Bob - VP8LP says it goes like that very often. Really a new experience.

24th. Again the remote shack was free at night, so I worked some more pile-ups (all CW) for the VP8DLS total of 553, accompanied by Janet-VP8AIB. See the complete VP8DLS log here. A compliment for JAPAN!!! When having a massive pile-up form JA, I asked for VK and ZL. It went quiet immediately!! Thanks Japanese hams, your the best!!! By the way, a massive CW-pile up sounds like one long unstable dash, a bit wobbly in frequency, and also slightly unstable in loudliness. I wonder how many were calling together at once, 20?, 30?, 50?, 100???

Band Totals: 15m 1, 17m 15, 20m 384, 40m 153
Modes Totals: CW 379, SSB 174.
Countries worked: 40 DXCC.

PA's worked: 13: PA0FBI, PA0RDY, PA2KW, PA3EVY, PA3FDE, PA3FDF, PA3GDY, PA3GGH, PC5W, PD0ZX, PD5CW, PD7BZ , PE1NCP.
Others: USA 60, Japan 52, Argentina 21, USSR-EU 14, USSR-AS 13, Brazil 13.

24th. Chantal also worked They - PD0ROC and Nico - PD0MNF!!!

24th. Leaving Bob and Janet and Ruth, Anni, Kicki, Victoria, Nicky, Liz and the local YL's. We take home memories that cannot be expressed in words………..

Thanks Bob and Janet!!!

26th. Back home safely. Gratefull for this extraordinary experience and the DX lessons from Bob!!! (full callsigns, no 55 etc.)

27th. EQSL: 28 eqsl's received untill today. Uploaded my complete VP8DLS log to EQSL.

28th. Temporarily hooked up the TS680 to the 3 ele Hygain for the PACC and maybe a lucky VP8 sked with the ladies.

30th. Repair time: We took the TS440S (my old one with a small receiver problem), the TS50 (TX interrupts) and the VP8 blown up TS440 to HAJE to have them looked after.

31th. About 20 stations worked (only Europe) in BPSK125. I like it, it is a lot faster!

31th. The Super Bazooka does work on 80m: Worked TF and CU5 and heard OX. However 180m is still a problem. And the noise level on all antenna's on HF is alwas minimum S5 these days, terrible.

February

6th. Went to HAJE to pick up the "repaired" TS440S. There was just a slight problem with the ATT circuit. For euro 90,- the problem was solved, but when trying at home with the Internal ATU-Matcher, it did not Tune, not even on my Dummyload…. Terrible!! Back again to Berg en Terblijt.

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7th. As promised on January 12, I went to check out on the RFI that we probably caused on the neighbours PC speakers. Chantal was trying all bands and antenns but nothing heard this time. We agreed she would listen carefully next weekend when we were contesting. See the help that I have for these cases here: My special EHBRO (Eerste Hulp Bij Radio Ongemakken) Suitcase.

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And see what is insid the EHBRO: RFI documentation, PR brochures, A Field Strenght meter, and many ferrite cores in different sizes, to use in disturbed equipment.

13th. 3 radio's are back. The TS440S seems to work but the SWR indication when using the internal ATU (matcher) is strange. And even more strange is that the other TS400S does the same. The TS50S is not repaired yet. According to HAJE it is going to cost a lot...

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13th. Downloaded al VP8DLS cluster announcements. Nice to see them. Click here (about 60).

14/15th. Nice PACC contest. Conditions rather poor, but 143 worked only CW. Two new Russian Oblasts (RDA) worked, and P43JB is also very nice..

14/15th. Meanwhile some nice ones in the WPX RTTY contest: H7/NP3D from Nicaragua is very fine!! Total 12 RTTY contacts. D4C from Cabo Verde is also very nice!

15th. Nothing heard from our neighbour. Seems to be allright. But we never used the Ameritron yet(!!)

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15th. Nice to see you call being announced in the cluster in the pacc. See it here.

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18th. EQSL proved my VP8DLS authenticity. Now I can get started with answering the VP8DLS EQSL's that I received. See the Email here…

tnx Dave-N5UP

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22th. I had to get up at night, to help Jens turning around in bed. This time it was not only usefull for him but also for me: I went into the shack and worked K5D from Desecheo on 30m CW. Needed only 3 calls because it was not very busy and he was not working split. See the most wanted DXCC list form 2008 here. Desecheo Island is on place number 6!!!

TNX DX News/Thanks Jens hihi.

24th. Archived 64 EQSL's from VP8DLS.

24th. Sent in my PACC log for 2009: 140 QSO's. Score 5358 in the SO All bands CW Low Power category.

25th. I have another 90 incoming EQSL's in my PA7DW inbox. Now when do I have time for those HIHI.

March

1st. EQSL day again: 98x PA7DW, 20 x PA4FDW, 16 x PA3FDW 1 x PA53FDW. 1x PA63FDW, PI4YLC 10. Took almost 5 hours to handle these 146 cards, mostly because several very old ones that were only logged on paper log had to be looked up in the old paper log archive folders......

2nd. RTTY is real fun: worked J5UAP (very first to Guinea Bissau)
and TG9AHM (never yet) confirmed country. Earlier already worked: FG5FI (on my cq call), H7/NP3D and KG4SS (Guantanamo)!!!

3rd. My First Hellschreiber QSO. VE9NC (tnx Paul) gave me the first! There even seems to be an amateur Hellschreiber club (free of charge).

VE9NC

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4th. While preparing to send some QSL's direct (KG4SS, V26B, KH6ND, T97M, 5T5DC (3 times), 1A3A (3 times), HV50VR, H7/K9NW, 4KR60S (3 times), 9N7JO, 5D5A (2 times), 9M8Z, B7P (twice) and ZF1A (twice) I found some old IRC's that I had to throw away. Here you can see them.

6th. Small emergency repair: The top-lager screws had loosened. Another half an hour on the roof to make the antenna-pole standing straight up again… Thanks again Chantal for the help.

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7th/8th. A very nice weekend on the radio. ARRL contest: about 40 USA/VE stations (nothing much new). Several RTTY and PSK125 QSO's but most fun was the VHF contest. Despite the poor tropo conditions, I worked the squares that is shown on the map on 2 meters! And best of all: a new country on 2 meters: Austria!! Thanks OE5MKO. HB9MI from Switserland on 2 meters was also nic. OE5MKO Was the best DX with 550 km.

13th. I visited the website of the Feld Hell Club FH-1941 and filled in the member form (free memberschip). Only a few hours later I had my membership certificate. Thanks Larry N3LFC (FH#2)

http://sites.google.com/site/feldhellclub/

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Click here to see the very nice free certificate.

N3LFC-Larry

14th Went to the largest Dutch Ham Radio event: the annual Flee Market in Rosmalen. Probably my 20st visit. They-PD0ROC and me had a very nice time, looking for stuff, seeing (old) friends again. This time was different because I got my VP8DLS cards from Max-ON5UR (and of course Chantal's 2000 pieces of VP8YLH).

And in Rosmalen I met this time: Wim (PE1AED), PA3DLJ-JAN, Wilco (PD2WDR), and also:
- PB2T-Hans (the current IARU Region 1 chief) who remembered my visit with Aurelio in 1990 in Wegberg very well!!!!
- Andre (PE1OXS) and his XYL Esther
- Martin (PA0MJM) a former collegue from the Hengelo area (and voorzitter of the local VERON branch).
- unfortunately I had a misunderstanding with Martin-PE1NCP so we did not meet and I could not hand over the VP8 QSL personally..

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14th. See a picture here of the little purchases that I did….. Always taking home some small stuff like plugs and spare cables…

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And here the beautifull VP8DLS QSL card front.

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and backside.

15th. EQSL form J5UAP received. Later that day working 6W2SC in RTTY in Senegal and the EQSL was in my Inbox only an hour later!!! Isn't this big fun???

16th-17th The sending has started: 16-3 25 direct VP8DLS QSL's to Japan and 17-3: VP8DLS/VP8YLH QSL'S to Japan direct.

April

5th. All direct VP8DLS and VP8YLH cards have been sent so far. Only about 10 problem cases remain.

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10-20th. I filled out over 600 VP8DLS and over 1600 VP8YLH QSL cards by hand. Ready to go out via the buro. See the piles here!!!

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25th Chantal talked me into buying a IC-7400 instead of the Kenwood TS-850 that I was looking for. And damn right she was!! The ICOM is a really magnificant radio. Bought it second hand from Auke. Now I also have 100W on six meters.

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26th Beautifull article in Electron from the VP8 YL event. See a complete PDF here!!!

30th. Remarkable meeting on 20 meters (SSB): HZ1SK: Samir!!! Our last contact was in 1994 when he was still OD5SK and I was PA3FDW!!!

http://www.od5sk.com/main.htm

20-30th. 40 meters is remarkable: On my FD3 with very bad SWR we worked: ZL4IR, VK8GF, HK3JJH etc.

May

2nd. Received a reminder from LOTW to renew my subscription. Apparently has been three years (!!!) since I tried to complete the procedure. This time I will finish it: Sent my paper license information to the ARRL today!!!

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3rd. Nice SOTA activity with They, Nico, Albert, Ruud and Net on PA/PA-002. Total 47 qso's with 3 operators. See us on the picture.

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Thanks for the pictures and nice company Net. (I look kind of tired here…)

PE0RDM

4th. A package with over 610 VP8DLS and VP8YLH QSL's is shipped to the ARRL buro!! The weight is over 2,5 kilograms!

5th. Thanks for the EQSL Samir!

HZ1SK

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6th. The QSL cards of VP8YLH and VP8DLS (5.5 kilogram for the QSL buro) is ready.

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6th. The QSL cards only need to be sorted out for the QSL buro. See an impression here.

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7th Visiting the QSL buro with They, Anne, Jens and myself. See the picture of They-PD0ROC in QSO with Chris, the manager of the VERON Service Buro. Big unfortune for Anne and Jens: 4 hours driving, but not allowed to go inside….

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13th. Nice confirmation of Rose-Anne Lawrence, KB1DMW of the ARRL that the package with > 600 QSL's was in safely. See the mail.

KB1DMW

16th. Sold the redundant Fritzel vertical GP4 to PE3MHZ.

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20th. Presentation of PA3ACJ from Leiden University at the local radio club in Schimmert. Very impressive Superconducting demonstration. They, Anne, Jens and me were equally impressed by the floating magnet and neverending current!

PA3ACJ/ Pictures Pascal PA3FKM (tnx)

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21th. Family visit to the gigantic Radio-telescope dish of Effelsberg. Extremely impressive! You rarely see a 100 meter large antenna turning around and going up and down. See it here.

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And here with Jens on it as well.

22th. Another ham lesson for Anne and Jens. This time about the dipole, the groundplane and series and parallel resisters.

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31th. The magnetic wideband balun GP (5 meters long only) also worked nicely on 40meters: I worked VK6AA on 40meters!!! Yes, it was 100W, yes it was in CW, yes it was in a contest, but nevertheless only with a 5 meter long antenna!!! See the picture here.

June

4th. Jens has a very nice contact with Detlef on Skyathos Island in Greece (EU-072, also a new IOTA Island for me): SV8/DL8MCA

13th. Nice contact with Wally: PA3BTT/QRP. He was using only 2 Watts. Tropo??? Backscatter??? Very interesting contact from Den Helder: QRB: 240km!!!

20th. installed wsjt: it works with the Signalink! jt65 sigs received on 20m. No contacts yet! Have to look very thouroughly into the operating procedures. Unfortunately wspr gives blue screen.

20/21th. 6 meter contest! Worked many (40 stations) and many new squares (14) and some very specials. This new ICOM 7400 is supberb!!! Some far results:
17/06/2009 18:08 SV9CVY KM25 2287km.
17/06/2009 18:18 4Z5LA KM72 3121km.
21/06/2009 06:48 EA8ACW/P IL28GC 3109km.
Surely two double hop Es contacts!!

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22th. In the mail the Radcom article of the VP8 YL expedition. Of course I am not in it hi! Part 1 here.

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Part 2 here.

23th. Jens receives the direct QSL from Skyathos Island. Tnx Detlef!

SV8/DL8MCA

25th. Status update: just for fun: From the current most wanted 100 DXCC countries, I have confirmations of number 4, 24, 26, 28, 33, 44, 48, 55, 59, 69, 70, 72, 73, 74, 76, 82, 88, 89, 93, 94, 95, 97 and number 100. That makes 23 of 100. For the record.

July

8th. While doing one more Technonet, PA7HJ Hub reported! Nice to meet him again after many years (ex-PA3GDK)

PA7HJ

15th. Chantal and me did a nice, two hour, presentation of the Falkland trip in Schimmert. Not a large audience, but the present folks liked it. We already have a new invitation for a presentation in Haelen. The complete presentation is over 100 MB in PPT, too big for the website…

Aug

1+2, Chantal had the special call PA80ZERO for the weekend. She's member of the VERON traffic bureau, and the special call is to remember that the first PA0 license 80 years ago was issued. Activation by members of the traffic bureau. I was co-operating her RTTY and CW and the result was: 66 x RTTY, 196 CW and 111 SSB QSO's. 262 on 20m, 30 on 10m, 7 on 80m, 33 on 40m, 41 on 30m and 1 QSO on 15m. Nice!! QSL via PA3CAL.

PA3GQG

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12/13/14 aug. Morokulien. See www.east.no/priv/la7tia/arim. Very nice to meet Uni-LA6HRA again and Ingrid-LA8FOA. See a beautifull picture of a sunset with the new FB antennas (erected 2008). It is always a big pleasure to go there. We made about 500 contacts with SJ9Wl and LG5LG. QSL via LA4EKA.

Thanks ARIM's crew!

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See the SJ9WL logs here. (QSL via LA4OKA)

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See the LG5LG logs here. (QSL via LA4OKA)

September

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11 th. Very nice one in PSK on 30meters: ZL30 speciall call from New Zealand. EQSL is already received. See it here.

12+13, Chantal had the special call PH75AJU for the weekend. She's member of the VERON traffic bureau. Activation by members of the traffic bureau. There were much less QSO's then PA80ZERO unfortunately. QSL via PA3CAL.

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19th. Chantal had to go to the VERON HF day for two reasons:
1. To give her presentation on the VP8YLC event (pity she had only 45 minutes, unworthy of the 2 hours presentation!). But she has already a new invitation from " afdeling Waterland".
2. Handing over the prizes of the PACC 2009.
See a report of the whole day here (in Dutch). nice to meet Wino-PA0ABM for the first time personally!

PA3CAL, PA0ABM

23rd. I sent out 30 usd in an envelope to EQSL. It arrived safely and quickly!!! Here is the confirmation:
Hello Jos Koekkoek,

We received your donation today.
$30.00 has been posted to the account of PA7DW.

Thank you very much, and I hope you enjoy the eQSL.cc service!

Dave Morris, N5UP
Webmaster, eQSL.cc

N5UP

October

4th. Spent 3,5 hours with the St. Tarcisius crew to put op a 10 element (thanks They) 2m yagi and a vertical (again thanks They) for the coming JOTA-Jamboree on the air.

9th. Spent another 1,5 hours with Guy from St. Tarcisius hanging up the FD4 (again thanks They=PD0ROC) for HF (20,40 and 80 meters)

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16th. Some problems at the JOTA station with water and cables. The MFJ antenna-tuner was a great help!! In the end the FD4 worked fine: for the first time in many years, we could sign up with the national PA6JAM/J station. See the antenna that was setup at St. Tarcisius here.

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17th. See a picture of the D-I-Y soldering project here. Many credits for Taco - PE1SAC and his hours of patience, troubleshooting the odd 15 or so PCB's. In the right corner Chantal - PA3GQG

Taco-PE1SAC

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17th. Another picture showing scouts activity on HF. Several had their name and age spelled into Austria (OE) and Wales (GW).

24th/25th. Marvellous CQWWSSB contest. 20m was humming like in the old days for many hours…. I worked 28 cq-zones. 131 contacts with many new prefixes and new DXCC's. No completely new country however. Highlights: ST2KSS, BY1CW, A73A, ZS9X, HT2N (Nicaragua), JU1DX, AH2R, UA0YAY (New RDA), VU2PAI, 7Z1SJ, VP5T, A47RS, HC8A, JY5CC, CU5CQ (Last of the Azores that I needed thanks Johan!), XR6T (Chile), D44AC. etc.....

CU5CQ-Johan!

25th. Nice Es surprise in the CQ WW Contest: 28Mc was open for Europe for many hours and we were lucky to get C31CT form Andorra. Andorra is in my log only 5 times before, being to close to work easily on the hogh bands (and not enough antenna performance on the low bands here).

31st. Very nice day at the Dag van de Radio-amateur in Apeldoorn. Chantal had to show up for the Veron traffic committee, and I was joining her.
We met several (old) friends like Anneke PB7XYL and Martin (PA0MJM) and several Limburgers (Frans-PA3BHM, Martin-PE1NCP, Jelle-PE1AEM, John-PE1SBN, Egbert-PA0EJH etc.etc.). Besides, I took 2,2 kg of QSL's to Kris from the Veron QSL Bureau!!!
From the flee-market, I took some coax-cables, low-voltage plugs and a Coax-switch with - STUPID ME - N-Connectors. Have to swap that one or see if I have sufficient converters. Nice day out anyway.

November

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8th. Spending a very nice day with Albert (PA3GKY) and Ruud (PA3ETW) on the local fleemarket in Treebeek. See the picture of us, trying to sell some redundant radio-stuff. My earnings totalled 18 euro's, that’s an 8 euro's margin considering the 10 euro's cost of the place/table. I sold the Grundig Sattelite Shortwave receiver (see march 1989) for 3 euro.

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8th. I sold the TS680s to Albert. Now I have enough money to have some NEW QSL's made by ON5UR!!! 2000 pcs for euro 137.

9th. I discovered that the TS440S upstairs is suddenly completely deaf…. Something must have gone wrong… I used it for Digital modes.

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10th. This is what my shack looks like these days.

28th /29 th. CQ WW CW. 123 contacts.

December

All month low activity from my side.

31th. Statistics for this year: It has been a wonderfull radio year: 550 QSO's from Falkland, 2439 with PA7DW (most contacts since very many years!!!), working with: PI4YLC, 323 qso's with SJ9WL, 200 qso's with LG5LG. Supporting Chantal with PA80ZERO and PH75AJU. My total number of contacts in 2009: over 3500!!!!

2009: QSO Statistics: 2439 ham qso's with PA7DW.

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2009 qso's by band click here

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2009 qso's by mode click here

2010

January

All month low activity from my side. I don't seem to be very interested these days.

February

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7th. Taco-PE1SAC has a nice wire antenna for us to use in the PACC. It should do 40m, 80m and 160m!!! It took us almost a whole day to get it running. The direct "Kippenladder" to my MFJ941B did not work, as the Balanced Line input of the MFJ941B does not seem to be internally connected. Also we had problems with the two legs being to short to other wires. But after 6 hours it worked fine on 40 and 80 meters! See Taco here hanging it up in a tree.

PE1SAC-Taco

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See Taco again here.

14th. Superb PACC! Never worked as many contacts in the PACC as this year: over 400!!! Thanks to the activity on 40 and 80 with Taco's wire antenna.

March

5th. Chantal has her new callsign: PA5YL. PA3GQG is over and out.

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6th. Chantal's first contact with her new callsign: PA7DW. See the EQSL here!!!

22nd. The Rotor seems to be malfunctioning. Checking on the roof and in the shack. Suddenly it worked again… What happened????

27/28th. Nice WPX SSW: 119 contacts.

April

4th. Sent all new pictures and info to Max-ON5UR for ordering another 2000 QSL-cards. My sponsor: The TS680S was worth another 100 euro at resell. Thanks Albert!!!

PA3GKY

13th. Working on my EQSLs: Found 188(!!) in my PA7DW Inbox!. Now I have a total of 1809 in my EQSL archives and I sent 8938 EQSL's so far (total of my Outbox.). Also 6 QSL's processed for VP8DLS. In my inbox for PA3FDW: 12 cards, PA4FDW: 5 cards, PA53FDW and PA63FDW have no EQSLs waiting. It took about 6 hours to process about 180 EQSLs correctly for all my QSL collections(prefix, pamc, dl-m, 6m, etc.). This means 2 minutes per card. For my Prefix collection that would be about 2500 x 2 minutes = 5000 minutes = over 80 hours.

13th. Also 208 EQSLs for VP8YLH processed and about 150 buro QSL for PA7DW. Total number of QSL's processed yesterday and today: 188+12+5+6+180+208= about 600 QSL's.

29th. Telephone call from a long lost radio-friend: "ELLA NIE OO EF AA"! Eirik is oke! We thought something bad had happened when he was in Brussels a few years ago and he did not show up on a scheduled eyeball the next day. But very glad to hear that he's FB!! (See 2007, April)

LA9OFA

May

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3rd. While checking the buro cards that came in last week, I had a dull moment and listed from VQLOG my DXCC pending confirmation list: 10 countries worked that I had never confirmed. CP (Bolivia) 8 contacts and still never a confirmation!!! The other countries are: JD1 (Minami Torishima) in 1989, ZD9 (Tristan da Cunha -ZD9BV) in 1990, 7P (Lesotho)-ZS6AIS/7P8 in 1991, D6 (Comoros)-D68FT in 1991, KH8 (American Samoa)-KH8D in 1995, PPØ-PYØ (Trindade & Martim)-PYØTI in 1996, S7 (Seychelles)-S79WJK in 1990, 9M8R (East Malaysia) in 2001 and XX9 (Macao) XX1TRR in 2003. See the complete list here with my actions to have some QSL's anyway......

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4th. Through Chantal, I ran into the "VERON AFDELINGSCOMPETITIE". Nice stuff. This I am going to do some extra efforts for A22 in contests. See the current personal results here.

http://www.veron-afdelingscompetitie.nl/

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And the "afdelingsresultaat"

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10th. My new ON5UR cards are ready. See the result fine here. The third ON5UR version already. 2000 pieces ordered. I have already 9 changes for version 4…. Click here to see the front.

ON5UR

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And here the back.

18th. Marac 40+80m CW contest. 26 QSO's. For the "afdelingscompetitie".

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19th. Sometimes a late QSL arrives: Ogasawara after 20,5 years confirmed! See the scan here.

20th. RSGB 80m CW contest. 27 QSO's. For the "afdelingscompetitie".

23rd. PSK-63 contest. 101 QSO's. For the "afdelingscompetitie".

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24th.-27th. Filling in about 600 cards for the buro. See the pile here! Over 50 DXCC countries. Had to go back to july 2009…. 66 cards were on request, the others for my own collection: PAMC, DLM, Prefixes, IOTA etc.etc.etc. 1400 left (hihi). See the pile here.

June

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5th. Trying the AL-811. Necessary to connect without ALC! But then it works fine. On 40 meters several PY's and several USA worked at approx. 500W output. My FIRST QRO QSO's ever!! Taco's twinfed wire works FB!!! See the piece of equipment here.

Taco-PE1SAC

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The results of the 2010 edition of the PACC have been published in Electron. See the scan here. I was proud to be 5th (of 39 entries) in the C1 section (Single Operator, Low Power, Mixed Mode). All thanks to Taco's twinfed dipole!. This antenna has the best qso per euro rate by far (in this solar flux minimum). BY the way: The best DX per euro antenna was my homemade 17m dipole that I used from my previous QTH (Olmenplein) in the 90's.

7th. Only 15 qso's in the 80m UK PSK/RTTY Championship. Not good enough for a point in the Afdelingscompetitie…

10th. Es on 2m for me! I worked EB7COL and CT1CAD.

EB7COL / CT1CAD

12th. Only 27 QSO's in the Portugal Day contest. I was looking for the 8 missing Provinces (of a total of 18). But not much activity at all from CT-land.

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19/20th. All Asia DX contest CW. Managed 101 QSO's (including some dupes…) Good for 4 points in the Afdelingsklassement. Conditions were up and down. Propagation these days is very variable. Without the help of the AL-811 I would have worked only half of the stations. The Solar Flux does not seem to go up! Less than 75 for weeks and months... See the Radio Situation these days according to the G4ILO propagation program here.....

G4ILO

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19/20th. Collecting new squares on 6 meters in the contest. 40 QSO's and several new squares worked. 2 days later: 5 new squares confirmed by EQSL. Almost 200 squares on 6m confirmed. See the actual coverage here.

24th. Another deliverance of buro QSL's to the local QSL manager - Tom (thanks). This time about 250 QSL cards.

PC5D

July

8th. Chantals UX5UO QSL's arrived, very nice personal design. I filled in about 40 qsl requests (oldest 2003) for her

9th. Special double QSO!!! SM3EVR and YU7YZ were calling on 6m close to eachother. I replied and had TWO QSO's in ONE!!!!

31th. If an antenna specification says "max.500 Watts", then 580 watts will not be a problem, I thought. Now I am a bit wiser….. Using 580 W on my Warc dipol (500W max…) damaged the 30m section! I was running to fast CW with a small letter-pause to letter ratio... That makes a hogh average power.... Not like SSB, stupid me!!!

Aug

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3rd. Spending a few hours in Roermond at PA100J/J. Chantal has been at this JUBJAM for 10 days operating PA100J/J herself regularly. She took some of our equipment for the station. See the list here.

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3rd. I was able to help some scouts with a QSO and QSL-card. See a picture of the PA100J/J activity here.

4th. Removed a twist in the twinlead that goes to Taco's-spacial "dipole". Now it seems to be tunable even on 160m!!!

14-15th. WAE contest CW. 101 QSO's. Poor conditions. Using my AL811 to get most contacts. QRO necessary…..

17th. Working Nicky at GB2SLH in Sumburgh. Tomorrow Chantal leaves to join the YL's.

18th. Working Chantal MM/PA5YL/P at GB2SLH in Sumburgh!!!! Strange idea to talk to your wife over the radio…

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19th. Dedicated an old laptop entirely to Digital and MixW. Now using the livingroomshack for Digital and SSB for Jens. Late at night Jens sits next to me and listens to my QSO's. Every now and then I have him spelled his name. His name was picked up by NK3Y, WY2G and WB2TFM, who are willing to exchange a QSL card with him!!!
See a picture of the new livingroomshack here.

To my surprise YN2MB comes back to my call. New DXCC!!!

YN2MB

21-22nd. Lighthouse weekend. Working about 30 lighthouses. I am not collecting them, but it is nice to have some QSL's in the shack, isn't it?

21-22nd. RDAC contest CW and SSB. Still 124 qso's. On 80m, only QRO Worked. ONE NEW RDA (RZ0WWA) Thanks!!!

21-22nd. SARTG WW RTTY Contest 162 QSO's. Not bad. All worked with the new livingroom setup.

21th. Working Chantal at GB2SLH in Sumburgh again.

22th. VK6ABS comes back to my call. Despite of the very low Solar Flux values, still sometimes remarkable openings on 20m!!

22th. Working Chantal at GB2SLH in Sumburgh again. This time in CW!

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22th. Jens is joining me again and listening in while playing his online action game. At 2206utc I have a very special contact with PD0PJH/MM-Martien in HO66 (mid atlantic). He is only using 5 watts. Nevertheless we have a good qso for quite a while. I like the square ver much!!! He hears Jens' voice too... Time for a direct QSL! See the Ships position, marked with an arrow, here!!!

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22th. Also reply from Claudio in Iceland: TF3CL/P. He is using a 2m long antenna with 30Watts! He hears Jens too. See the logbook from a nice evening here!!!

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23rd. The special digital laptop suddenly gives trouble after working many many digital QSO's the last 3 days…. I seem to have lost the Windows XP Rights to start any application (including the explorer)… They's wife Diana helps me into the Windows limited startup, so I can make a new user with new administator rights. This seems to help, MixW can be started again!!! AND WHAT THE XXXXXXX!!! FELDHELL WORKS SUDDENLY AGAIN. It keyed my rig wrong for quite a while (I even forgot my FH number #1941 HiHi). Now its FB. See the Feldhell QSO's here!

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23rd. When They was helping me with an XP recovery CD, the second TS440 came across our minds. He could use the matcher, so I sold the TS440S to him. Good luck with it, Theo!

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23rd-24th. Another very remarkable radio night with Jens joining in even longer untill 0300 in the morning...… See the logs here.
And: What I learned from Rolf VE4VZ: 14240 and around are Canadian frequencies. No wonder I don't have any reply from the USA, they are below 14250 only allowed in Digital.....

VE4VZ-Rolf

28/29th. SCC RTTY Contest: > 150 contacts, YO-DX contest 125 contacts and 3 new "Judets" (Romanian provinces)

29th. Chantal ordered a CAT interface for the ICOM-7400 in England. She likes to work radio computer controlled with HamRadioDeluxe. Because she also ordered a cable for Digital, this means that I could be doing digital upstairs as well.

31rd. August 2010 seems to be the most productive radio month ever for me!!! VQLOG reports: over 1030 contacts (I don't dare call it "QSO's"….) The massive 3500 contacts of 2009 should be easily beaten with some major contests coming up…. At the end of august, it totals over 3300 only with PA7DW callsign!!! The AL-811 helps of course, but over 95% of the QSO's is made "barefoot".

31st. Trying to get WSPR working in the livingroomshack. No luck so far (no internet yet, and that is required for exact timing)

September

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1st. My first WSPR decodes!!! Adjusted the Time manually within 1 second accuracy by help of the other PC that was updated by internet time. See them here. So far reception only...

Tnx K1JT and team!

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1st. TX is easy in WSPR! See the first receptions of my signals here!

Tnx K1JT and team!

154,-

5th. Spending some time trying to find out why the antenna-rotor is not running anymore. Taco gives me a hand. Following all instructions, the conclusion for the moment is: 2 diodes in the controller have past away….. Time to mail Classic.

PE1SAC-Taco

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6th. I ordered a QRP Wattmeter to measure my QRP(P)(P)(P) power more exactly for WSPR. I found a kit and also ready built ones in the USA, but I wanted one quicker and found one in Berlin with QRP Projecte (where I also bought the Signalink)

154,-

10th. The WSPR is very fine but also needs a lot of manual attention, because the old Laptops' PC Clock runs slow by 4 seconds a day…

12th. Solution for the problem: Very fine software program (freeware) called Dimension-4. Only registration necessary. Maybe I will send them 10 USD as fee, as the website suggests.

Dimension-4

13th. Several e-mails to Classic but no help from them:
wrong diagnosis, carry-in repair only…:-(((.
I will find the components myself and repair it myself….

15th. Disappointment: The Oak Hills QRP WM2 wattmeter arrived from Berlin: it is a kit! I thought I ordered a ready built one! Stupid me!!! I want to measure my power, not burn my fingers hihi.

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17th. Chantal helps me out! She builts the WM2 in about 6 hours and it works fine first time! Congrats! The tuning was very delicate!! but it is very fine now and perfectly in line with the digital powermeter. I used the -20dB 100W attenuator, and having 2,5 watts from my ICOM-7400, the WM2 gave 25mW (behind the attenuator of course).
Very accurate, Very happy.
See Chantal here winding the coils!

PA5YL

18th. Some misfortune as well: Both tubes of the AL-811 both flashed and probably blasted. Why? It has not been used for several weeks and when I switched its power on it said twice "pft".. :-((

18th. Taking part in a QPSK contest. Making contacts is much more difficult than in BPSK. The 4 phases need much more accurate frequency tuning and higher signals. To much time for me per contact. I quit after 4 contacts.

18th/19th. Therefore I switch to the SAC-Scandinavian Activity Contest. I made 87 CW QSO's easily.

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20th. Very Fine WSPR decodes!!!!! My 10mW was copied in VK6-land. Antenna: 3 ele Hygain TH3-MK4.See the Database picture here.

20th. I switched my WSPR beacon to 1mW (0 dbmW). See if there is any copy. If I am right, this power level on HF is free of regulations. I have read a long time ago that below 10mW between 3-30MHz is without permission necessary. In other words: unattended transmission is allowed…… It will be one for quite a while!

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22th. No copies on 1mW. So back to about 5mW. And see, there is one DX copy (yes and Albert-PA3GKY too hihihi).

23rd. The wifi dongle on the special WSPR Notebook gives in. I'll be offline again on WSPR.

23rd. I joined Chantal on her VP8YLC presentation in Belgium (UBA Section Noord-Limburg). There I met ON6NL-Anton. Very Nice! I work him in allmost every contest! He prooved to be a brother of Thieu Mandos…(NL-199)

October

2nd. EPC Russia DX Contest. 81 PSK63 QSO's.

16th. Worked All Germany Contest: 101 CW/SSB

17th. JARTS WW RTTY Contest 77 contact in RTTY

29/30th. CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB 205 contact

3rd. ON (UBA) 80m contest 26 QSO's.

30th. On my birthday I made an important decision: No more Qsl-collecting!!! See here my vast collection….. It takes to much time for me, time that I want to spend otherwise!!!

November

6th. Nice visit with Chantal to the "Dag van de Radio-Amateur" in Apeldoorn. She had to deliver prizes for the PACC contest as she's the PACC contest manager. Met many people there!

13th/14th. Cosily participating together with Chantal in the PA Beker in SSB and CW.

14th. WAE RTTY Contest: 38 QSO's.

20th. I sent a Photo presentation for Electron to Anne-Marie from the editors board. I visited the QSL Buro last year and made some pictures.

27/28th. Best Contest result ever! 424 QSO's in the CQ WW CW. (Including about 10 dupes hihi).

December

6th. QSL sores: I filled in about 35 more VP8YLH and 15 VP8DLS cards, that were requested via the buro. Now still a pile of about 300 paper (buro) QSL's to be sorted out including PA3GQG, PA5YL, PA7DW and PI4YLC. On top of that: today, PA7DW has 377 more EQSL's….. Since I am planning on making no more QSO untill next year PACC, I hope the QSL-pile-ups will quickly disappear HIHI.

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8th. See my final scores of the afdelingscompetitie for 2010 here. A total of 4079 contacts in 39 contests in 2010!

31th. Statistics for this year: It has been my most active radio year ever: with 4977 ham contacts with PA7DW

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2010 qso's by band click here

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2010 qso's by mode click here

2011

January

Here a grand total of all QSO statistics.

Number of CB contacts, number of CB QSL's

Number of ham contacts, number of ham QSL's received, and sent.

Number of DXCC counties, per band, per mode.

Etc. etc. etc.

NNNN DE PE1LKM PA3FDW PI4TUE PI64VLB PA4FDW LA/PA3FDW/P LG5LG SJ9WL PI9IRC VP8DLS etc.

Februay

12/13 feb. PACC: 6 QSO's. 2 x PI4TUE where Chantal is operating. She's taking over my activities in ham radio, it seems. :-)

18th. I moved the ICOM downstairs. Chantal likes her shack downstairs. The (TS440S + Signalink) WSPR station (that was already closed for a while) is now upstairs waiting for re-activation………Probably long after I finished writing my (not ham radio) book.

24th. QSL via buro: 60 cards for PA7DW, 8 more for VP8DLS. Last time via buro in was January, so I will keep a monthly track of the decreasing numbers.

25th. In EQSL I have currently over 540 EQSL's waiting. Out via EQSL is up to date b.t.w.

26th. QSL manager for VP8YLH: 17 more QSL's out via buro (and 1 log correction…)

March

Radio ham flee market in Rosmalen with Chantal. We bougt a new handheld 2m/70cm 5W. Type DB-32 by "Pol-mar". Cotsts 99,- euro. Works fine. Comes always handy. We met several ham-friends.
Sjoerd (PA0SHY) gives a CW-Paddle to Chantal. In the evening we connect it up to the ICOM. Works fine. Chantal wants to learn CW this way.

31st. 107 QSL for PA7DW in via Buro. Also having a short presentation about WSPR at the Veron.

April

28th.

67 QSL's via buro for PA7DW. I am curious how the numer increases this year. And 606 EQSL's waiting for processing.

May

27th.

Thanks Taco for bringing our buro QSL's:
- 30 x PA7DW,
- 2 x PI4YLC,
- AH2R for PA3GQG (and for me as well),
- 2 x VP8DLS (1 x PSE),
- 2 x VP8YLH (1 x PSE),
- 5 x PA5YL.

June

28th.

60 x qsl for pa7dw via buro.

Aug.

26th

77 x QSL for PA7DW via bureau

10th.

8 QSO's on EU-008 Skye as MM/PA7DW

17th.

Meeting Radio Friends in Perth via Ted MM3SYJ

Sept.

29th.

57 x QSL for PA7DW via bureau

Oct.

14/15th.

Nice JOTA under Chantal's call PA5YJ at scouting Tarcisius. About 15QSO's with my call on Friday while testing and setting up.

Special remark: Taco discovered that the 2m beam with a folded dipole needed a 1:6 transformer for the 50 ohms cable! I went back home to get Rothammel and the ARRL Antenna Handbook. I made some calculations and Taco did the soldering. Antenna worked FB in the JOTA weekend!!!

27th.

Presentation about the VP8 trip with Chantal at the local Veron A22 meeting.

51 x QSL for PA7DW via bureau.

709 Eqsl's via EQSL.org. Already 658 confirmed, so moved them to Archive. Now still abt. 50 EQSL's to check.

Nov.

24th.

Only 17 QSL's via buro for PA7DW. None for VP8DLS.

2012

January

26th.

Annual meeting VERON Afd. Zuid-Limburg. Collected 39 QSL cards for PA7DW

February

23rd.

36 qsl's for PA7DW via the buro

May

30th.

50 qsl's for PA7DW via the buro (16 per month)

December 2010 / January 2011:

In PHONE: QRT

In CW: SK

In RTTY: NNNN

In PSK, Hell, etc.etc. ????

This concludes about 32 years of active Radio hobby.