The best laid plans etc.etc. and then there’s Murphy’s Law so that’s how it is sometimes in this hobby that we’re consumed with or…the hobby that’s consumed us. The first conundrum was the DXpedition to Bouvet that was suddenly aborted within sight of the Island, next was the much anticipated DXpedition to Baker/Howland that went QRV at the appointed hour with some of the poorest propagation of sun cycle 11. This operator spent literally hours listening for even the faintness signal of CW or SSB to no avail. There were no sunspots at the start of the DXpedition and no sunspots during nor at the end of the DXpedition. There was some sort of propagation for some regions of the globe but…nothing to my station. The operators on Baker Island did a terrific job of making 64,000 contacts with 17,000 unique call signs. I have an acquaintance in Hamilton, Ohio NØFW who filled 21 band slots out of 30 available indicating a propagation path for Pete who is an avid DXer. In all, KH1 on Baker Island made 11,000 CW contacts on 20-meters and 8,000 SSB contacts on 20-meters to North America. There’s no doubt that disappointment runs deep because of the poor band conditions. I suspect the low numbers to North America were a disappointment to those on the Island pounding brass and those on phone along with digital modes that expected the overall numbers to be closer to 100,000. I applaud those folks for their efforts to bring this rare ATNO to the worldwide DX community…they’re deeply appreciated. I’m disappointed that 2 good ones got away from me. Sunspot cycle for the most part was not as good as it could have been plus it has a couple of years to go. Hopefully we will see better band conditions soon. In the meantime, I still work HF almost daily connecting mostly with stations in the U.S. and occasionally a DX so the hobby is alive and well here at my station. Be sure to keep HF radio alive by calling CQ because someone somewhere is listening for your call, don’t disappointment them. So long from my station in Huntersville to your station wherever it may be.

Best 73 es gud DX de Bob/WØZPE

Happy Field Day guys and gals…I wish I were with you but having an old white haired dude with a pony tail using a walker to get from point A to point B doesn’t really represent today’s Ham Radio Operator. I’m going to have to be satisfied in working Field Day making contacts from my comfort zone in my airconditioned cave. Good luck and good fortune working your contacts today.

The Baker/Howland DXpedition has left Pago Pago by ship with all their gear, food, shelter expected to arrive at KH1 on the 26^th in a couple of days. Propagation isn’t the best but it’ll be all the sweeter getting that ATNO in the log if we have to work harder to get the job done. Unfortunately their permit does not allow directional beam antennas plus…they are restricted to 48 feet of antenna height so we’re going to be working verticals that are omni-directional without the good gain of a Yagi antenna.

It is what it is so plan to make the best of what we’re offered. I suppose these restrictions have something to do with protecting the Island’s bird inhabitants. I’ve been working on improving my CW skills just in case I miss making contact on SSB. Failure is not an option so I’m getting myself psyched up in preparation for next week’s fun on the globe’s equator. That’s about it for this month from my station in Huntersville to your station once again wishing you luck on Field Day. Remember to activate your station and start calling CQ so the station awaiting your call can answer you from out there somewhere someplace in radioland…

Best 73 es gud DX de Bob/WØZPE

All Things HF

As you get older it seems as though you’re prone to attend more funerals or at least read the obits more often. In the obits column a couple of weeks ago was the demise of Art Bell (W6OBB) who had a long running syndicated early morning radio show titled Coast To Coast AM. Art was quite famous for dealing with the paranormal on his radio show. I must admit that I was not one of his spooky radio show listeners. I never met Art but…in 1997 when the Magic Band was doing its magic, I worked Art Bell on 6-meters at his station in Pahrump, Nevada.

One might ask ‘where the hell is Pahrump anyway ? Well, Pahrump is the home of the Chicken Ranch. If you’re asking what’s the Chicken Ranch ? You’re from the younger generation 2 or 3 times removed and I would suggest you Google Chicken Ranch to become enlightened. So long Art and good DX from your home up there! The strange places one runs into when driving the expanse of our interstate system is amazing. On interstate 15 going through the eastern half of the Mojave Desert is a green road sign with the arrow pointing to Zzyzx Road. Folks, you just can’t make up stuff like that. I worked an operator on 17-meters years ago who lived near Zzyzx as I thought to myself ‘what a great CW call’ oh well, you can’t make that one up either.

Speaking of CW calls, my QSL card for Kosovo (Z6ØA) arrived in the mail courtesy of Club Log and their OQRS QSL service. This brings this old operator to 311 worked and confirmed for DXCC as I march (limp) toward Honor Roll. On another note re: band conditions reported by an expert on the subject of solar activities, the expected minimum for cycle 24 will be the year 2020 so let’s not give up hope. It ain’t over till the fat lady sings…That’s it for now from my station to your station. Don’t forget to sit at your station and call CQ because someone somewhere is listening for you…could be the six call from Zzyzx, you never know.

Best 73 es gud DX from Bob/WØZPE