KN4LF QRP DXCC Entity & WAS Totals

KN4LF
QRP DXCC ENTITY & WAS TOTALS

I dabbled in CW and SSB QRP between 1989 and 1992 with an old Icom IC-701. I was big into CW QRP between 1993 and 1996 using the Ramsey 40 meter QRP transmitter and receiver kits that I built. I also built their linear amplifier that allowed for an output of 5 watts. At times I also used a Heathkit DX-60 that I repaired and a Yaesu FT-840. I used an old U.S. Navy flame proof straight key and a full sized Vibroplex bug. All of my QRP operation was on 40 meters with a simple 1/2 wave dipole up at 15 feet.

Between 1997 and 2003 I went back to QRO CW and SSB so as to complete mixed and 160 meter DXCC. In 2003 I stumbled across the digital modes and began chasing QRO PSK31 and RTTY DXCC. If you are weary of all the big ego's and whack job's populating the phone sub bands then give the digital modes a try. I've yet to run into someone that is anything but a gentleman. A big plus too is that digital mode operators have a high QSL card response rate.

Having accomplished QRO PSK31 and RTTY DXCC in January 2007, I began dabbling in CW and PSK31 QRP operation and the QRP bug bit me again. This time it bit hard and deep so now I'm chasing QRP DXCC using CW and PSK31. I will probably do some RTTY and SSB QRP operation also.

By 1996 my QRP DXCC entity total worked was up to 81, confirmed 50 and QRP WAS worked 50, confirmed 50 but the totals languished there for many years.

However as of March 4, 2007 I've decided to start over from scratch and will be using the same QTH, rig and antenna from start to finish. Through May 1, 2008 my all band QRP DXCC entity worked total is 30, confirmed 13, QRP WAS total is 24, confirmed 13.

I used to belong to the Colorado QRP Club when I lived in Colorado and as of March 6, 2007 I have now joined the (NAQCC) North American QRP CW Club with member number 1723. The NAQCC looks like a real winner! I'm also a member of the Straight Key Century Club with member number 3097.

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NORTH AMERICAN QRP CW CLUB (NAQCC)

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STRAIGHT KEY CENTURY CLUB (SKCC)
My dedicated QRP rig is an Icom IC-718, which is very capable on QRP. It's output power can be cranked down to as low as 900 milliwatts QRPp and has an excellent CW keyer built in. You do have to add the optional 500 hz CW filter. I'm a fairly competent technician and recently I installed the W4RT "One Board" Collins mechanical 2.4 kc SSB and 500 hz filters. I also made some other modifications to the rig, which can be read about at the link below.

I recently bought a U.S. Navy flame proof straight key. It has the orange U.S. Navy stenciled on the bottom and the serial number on the base is CMI-26003A. CMI means that it was made by Molded Insulator Company and the number is the model number.

I am also second owner of a Vibroplex Vibrokeyer paddle, serial number 243902, circa 1965 and also do some of my Morse Code sending with a computer sound card, in a Celeron III computer that I homebrewed back in 1997, keyboard, MixW v2.18 and MRP v4.06 software, as I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and Diabetic Neuropathy in my hands. I find it less painful to peck with my index fingers then to actuate a key. MixW is an excellent piece of software for handicapped ham's that want to send CW, the MRP v4.06 software not as good.

ICOM IC-718 REVIEW BY KN4LF

MY MODEST QRP/DIGITAL MODES RADIO STATION & WORK BENCH
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On 80-10 meters I use a four wire element antenna made out of black UV resistant double coated plastic stranded #14 wire. It is fed with 122 feet of high quality #18 gauge stranded hard drawn copper 300 ohm window/ladder feed line.

I call the antenna a doublet (a very old antenna term) instead of a dipole, as the antenna has two 1/4 elements for each band like a conventional dipole, but is not self resonant like a conventional dipole. But for all intents and purposes a dipole and doublet are the same beast.

The antenna consists of the following:

A 134 foot 1/2 wave element for 80 meters, which is also a 3 quarter wave element on 60 meters, a 3 half wave element on 30 meters and a 7 half wave element on 12 meters,

A 67 foot half wave element for 40 meters, which is also a double extended zepp on 17 meters and a 3 half wave element on 15 meters,

A 33 foot half wave element for 20 meters.

A 16.7 foot half wave element for 10 meters.

It's up at 35 feet on a Rohn telescoping push up pole broadside NNE-SSW and is tuned by my link coupled balanced Johnson Viking Match Box (275 watt carrier/1100 watt PEP).

On 160 meters I'm using a W4TWW broad banded coaxial inverted L antenna. The stub is 88 feet long and the rest of the antenna 38.8 feet long for a total of 126.8 feet of 50 ohm RG-58, which is a 1/4 wave on 1845.0 kc. It is fed with 78 feet of RG-8X. I laid down 12 1/8 wave radials (64 feet) using #14 stranded double coated house wire. The vertical section is 42 feet high but eventually I will get the vertical section 65 feet high with 20 ground radials. The radial plate was purchased from DX engineering and is of very high quality stainless steel. http://www.dxengineering.com/Sections.asp?ID=109&DeptID=32#Top .

As follows is the VSWR curve:

2.0:1 1690 kc

1.5:1 1742 kc

1.25:1 1813 kc

1.5:1 1860 kc

2.0:1 1906 kc

I had tremendous DX success with this antenna on 160 meters between 1989-1991 running only 100 watts. You can read more about the antenna at W4TWW 160 METER BROAD BANDED COAXIAL INVERTED L ANTENNA .

If you really want to learn about antenna's, feed lines and VSWR check out W2DU's website. He was a professional in the field before retirement and put's to rest allot of bad bad antenna theory that's been floating around within our hobby for decades.

W2DU ON ANTENNAS

Understanding LF/MF/HF frequency radiowave propagation and taking advantage of conditions is an integral part of successful QRP operation. I have several websites that cover LF/MF/HF radio propagation theory, that keep track of current and solar, space and geomagnetic weather conditions, as well as an archive for the data. You can check them out at below.

KN4LF 160 METER RADIO PROPAGATION THEORY NOTES
SOLAR SPACE WEATHER & GEOMAGNETIC RAW FORECAST DATA LINKS
KN4LF DAILY SOLAR SPACE WEATHER AND GEOMAGNETIC DATA ARCHIVE SUBSCRIBE TO LF/MF/HF/UHF FREQUENCY RADIOWAVE PROPAGATION EMAIL REFLECTOR

2008 KN4LF DAILY LF/MF/HF/6M FREQUENCY RADIOWAVE PROPAGATION FORECAST & ARCHIVE
G4ILO has written a piece of propagation prediction software called VOAProp. It is actually an interface for the very accurate but otherwise difficult to use VOACAP software written by the Voice Of America and honed to near perfection over many decades. After you download VOAProp you then download VOACAP and the two pieces of software work together in a seamless fashion. When you unzip the VOACAP file called itshfbc allow it to install on your C:\ drive directly, not into the "Programs Files" folder. The software covers 1.8-30 mc and the 120-11 meter shortwave bands. BTW both pieces of software are free.

DOWNLOAD G4ILO'S VOAPROP V1.1

DOWNLOAD VOICE OF AMERICA'S VOACAP

KN4LF AMATEUR & SWL RADIO AUTOBIOGRAPHY HOME

NUMBER	DATE	CALLSIGN	DXCC ENTITY	BAND	MODE	POWER WATTS	APRX MILES PER WATT	CONFIRMED
001	03/04/2007	K8PAB	U.S.	20	PSK31	5	200	EQSL
002	03/08/2007	EI9JF	IRELAND	30	CW	5	819
003	03/09/2007	EA5AXE	SPAIN	20	PSK31	5	920
004	03/10/2007	DG4WK	GERMANY	40	PSK31	5	951	EQSL
005	03/11/2007	UY8IF	UKRAINE	40	PSK31	5	1205
006	03/12/2007	TC0DX	TURKEY	30	CW	5	1164
007	03/13/2007	F4EZD	FRANCE	20	PSK31	5	951	EQSL
008	03/13/2007	HK4KDO	COLOMBIA	20	PSK31	5	312	LOTW
009	03/15/2007	CO2EL	CUBA	40	PSK31	5	69	EQSL
010	03/15/2007	YT7YT	SERBIA	40	PSK31	5	1092
011	03/15/2007	ZP6CW	PARAGUAY	20	CW	5	809	LOTW
012	03/17/2007	PT7AG	BRAZIL	20	CW	5	724
013	03/17/2007	YV6BTF	VENEZUELA	20	RTTY	5	322	EQSL
014	03/20/2007	VE3CGC/QRP	CANADA	20	CW	5	286
015	03/24/2007	FM/DK5AL	MARTINIQUE	20	SSB	5	328
016	03/24/2007	P49Y	ARUBA	20	SSB	5	265
017	03/24/2007	TI8II	COSTA RICA	15	SSB	5	252
018	07/27/2007	KH6G/QRP	HAWAII	20	QRP	5	959
019	03/24/2007	HR1AAB	HONDURAS	15	SSB	5	197	EQSL
020	03/24/2007	LU7MCJ	ARGENTINA	15	SSB	5	858
021	03/24/2007	XE2S	MEXICO	20	SSB	5	351	LOTW
022	03/25/2007	5D5A	MOROCCO	15	SSB	5	876
023	04/01/2007	TG9AHM	GUATEMALA	20	PSK31	5	215
024	04/01/2007	CX4ACH	URUGUAY	20	PSK31	5	930
025	04/08/2007	HP1AC	PANAMA	15	CW	5	263
026	04/12/2007	N8S	SWAINS IS.	17	SSB	5	1303
027	04/23/2007	IK5OJB	ITALY	20	CW	5	1015
028	05/03/2007	SP7IIT	POLAND	40	PSK31	5	1050
029	05/13/2007	ES2DJ	ESTONIA	30	CW	5	1027	EQSL
030	05/15/2007	OK2BYW	CZECH REP.	30	CW	5	1039
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