Category: All Things HF

October 2021 All Things HF

Leave a comment

October 2021
All Things HF


More news on Bouvet Island. Another team has thrown their hat into the
ring and this makes DXpedition attempt number 4, with another vessel
since the MV Braveheart was sold and retired from DXpeditions. This
group will be using a sea-going yacht built completely of aluminum. The
vessel is 101-feet long with a displacement of 68 tons. Mainly operating
with sails and wind power, the vessel has a 320 HP diesel engine by John Deer.


The call will be 3YØJ with 12 operators on station for 20 days in the
month of November. There will be no helicopters used for access to
the Island. There are other plans including the use of inflatable boats
along with various systems of landing, hauling and modes of lifting their
equipment up to the operating position. The team will be mostly made up
of Norwegian operators. The NCDXF (Northern California DX
Foundation) has written a check in the amount of $100-thousand to
support the DXpedition…this is going to be the real thing this time
around.


A short note on DX conditions worldwide…there are good conditions
and good opportunities to work good DX. Get on the air and get the
best our hobby has to offer. That’s all for now from my station in
Huntersville to yours, wherever it may be. Get on the air and call CQ,
someone somewhere is listening for your call.


Best 73 es gud DX Bob WQZPE

All Things HF – September 2021

Leave a comment

September 09, 2021
All Things HF


Is the third time really a charm? Apparently not for the DXpedition team attempting to activate Bouvet Island. Their transportation via ship to their final destination, the MV Braveheart is being sold by its owner who has cancelled all future engagements. This very sought after ATNO has once again been pulled, disappointing the DX folks worldwide.
On the brighter side of the news, band conditions continue to improve as we move closer to the Autumnal Equinox with good worldwide DX, especially for those who are seeking first time DXCC. This is a good time for those of you seeking to work the world of DX to get going, as there are abundant opportunities on the ever-improving bands for all modes of HF radio communications.
Where were you on that awful day 9/11? I remember the day vividly as I was working a station in Argentina who informed me that his TV was showing a fire in the World Trade Center building–a vary large fire. We closed our QSO in order to get to the news of that tragic day. The world changed forever that infamous day…9/11
That’s all for now from my station in Huntersville to your station wherever it may be. Good HF conditions are returning, so sit down at your station and call CQ because someone somewhere is listening for your call. Don’t disappoint them.


Best 73 es gud DX
Bob WØZPE

All Things HF – August 2021

Leave a comment

August 1, 2021

Where did they go? We had sunspots, lots of them until the 3RD week of July then they went ’south’ taking with it the good solar index numbers. Good DX didn’t go away but it was a lot more difficult to work. I did answer a CQ portable from a station in Lugano, Switzerland. Going back to my home town of San Luis Obispo, California, there is a connection with Lugano and the central coast. In the late 1800’s there was an exodus from Lugano to SLO of dozens of dairy farmers starting a new life in the US. The town of Lugano’s official language is Italian.

The Swiss/Italian community in SLO no longer farms but they still speak their native language and have become shakers and movers in their adopted community. I visited Lugano in 1982…it’s a charming and beautiful part of the world. Isn’t it amazing what we as radio operators can do to make this world a nicer place by friendly communication with other Ham radio operators around the world? 

Keep looking ahead as the band conditions improve and perhaps you will make a connection as nice as mine. Keep on keeping on and remember to sit down at your station to call CQ because someone, somewhere, is listening for your call–don’t disappoint them. So long from my station in Huntersville to your station wherever it may be.   

Best 73 es gud DX,

Bob WØZPE

All Things HF

Leave a comment

 July 2021 

“Sunspot Cycle 25 Is Coming Alive” 

This catchy slogan bodes well for those of you who have plans to make Ham radio your window to worldwide communications and…go for DXCC credits with an opportunity to make the coveted DXCC Honor Roll. I’ve been working in that direction for the past 22 years with 315 countries worked and 315 countries confirmed. My DXCC credits are for both phone and for CW. 

Also in the news, there are some great DXpeditions coming along this year that will include Bouvet Island and Bangladesh along with several other rare countries. These past several weeks have produced great signals worldwide allowing for fantastic good old fashioned QSO’s and exchanges of information which this wonderful hobby is all about. 

The provocative tee shirt proclaiming FT 8 is Ham radio without the Jibber-Jabber was amusing to me so let me tell you about my tee shirt that proclaims all Hams are not alike, some know CW. I personally will not be operating any of the digital modes but as I’ve always said, there is room for all of the legal modes of communicating in this hobby. My CW operating has renewed and piqued my interest in HF over the past 2 years. Even though the bands produced little opportunity for phone, CW still got the job done. 

I’m approaching my 93rd year so you can imagine how wonderfully this station of mine keeps me entertained. So, off I go to call CQ for some good old down-to-earth conversation with whomever answers my call. No waterfalls or greasy kid stuff here… 

So long from Huntersville for now, and be sure to call CQ from your station wherever it may be as someone, somewhere is listening for your call. Don’t disappoint them. 

Best 73 es gud DX 

Bob WØZPE