Official Kid's DXing thread

[KI4PRK]

OK everybody, as a far-gone totally-obsessed DXer, I hereby proclaim this the official Youth DX thread (IOTA included) :p

So, share your DXing totals, stories, favorite QSL cards, like, complaints, and ideas.

Favorite DX QSO: VU7RG. Said it many times before, but this was my first really big DX QSO. I *literally* hit the ceiling; jumped out of my operating chair and touched the ceiling!

Favorite QSL card: YW0DX. Fantastic QSL. I have never seen such an excellent display of operating expertise, and the QSL card has a beautiful picture of the quiet, serene, forboding beauty of Aves.

Total: 192 countries.

73, de Brennen KI4PRK age 13

[MI0JVI]

Hmm :rolleyes: best QSo ever has to be with ian, VK3MO at 0030Z on 20m during August 2007. I couldn't believe that he had requested all stations to stop calling so he could pick out the "Intermediate Licensee from Northern Ireland" We must have chatted for a good 15 minutes......thanks Ian :D

I usually have a hunt around the big contests like IOTA, CQWW WPX etc to try and work some of the more exotic stations that I never hear usually, mostly on 15 metres.

I'm not sure what my overall DXCC count is for the Foundation Licence but I do know that I have worked between 25 and 30 entities since getting the Intermediate Licence.....I dont have time to listen on HF anymore due to school work :(

73!

[K0DXC]

I have so many stories, it'd be hard to tell them all, but my favorite card was 3B7C. I was thrilled when I broke the pileup, and they have a fold card with plenty of pictures of the scenery and the setup they used

[KU0DM]

Gosh...I can't think of which one! :p

My favorite...was probably my first DX contact.
Just because I felt more thrilled then, then ever.

It was UA3TCJ, while at scout camp.
It was about 0400Z, on 20 meters.

I'm pretty proud of Guam on 15 meters, QRP.
Just because it was QRP, and on 15 meters.

But my favorite was again a QRP contact, but on PSK and 20 with Hawaii.
It was a fun QSO, we talked for a while, and when I told him I was QRP, he was shocked.

IMHO, my favorite QSOs aren't my best DX, but what was more of a challenge.

[K0DXC]

15 meters is really fun to operate on when it opens up, I remember the best opening I've seen on it was back last November during the CQ WW DX (CW of course) I worked at least 30 different countries on it in about an hour!

[KU0DM]

Yup.

That's why it's there.

Pleasing hams world wide.

[K0DXC]

Only some of the time though, not to often right now

[KI4PRK]

Only some of the time though, not to often right now

I disagree. It's open from about 8:30 in the morning through about 8 in the evening — day after day. I hear PY's, that FG Ham, and occasionaly TR8CA.

73, de Brennen KI4PRK age 13

[KU0DM]

Finally!

Someone who knows what I'm saying when it's almost always open!

:p

[VK3FTIM]

My best QSL Was KD5PL Who i think is a member of this site

We worked him on 80 Meters i think using the Scout Jamboree Callsign VI3JAM from North West Victoria in Australia

[KJ4AZX]

This is Stephanie, I am interested in DXing and I can not wait until I get my general class license, so I can do it. Thanks KI4PRK for all of the help!

KJ4AZX age 14

[KU0DM]

That's good!

You'll love it, lots of fun!

[K0DXC]

This is Stephanie, I am interested in DXing and I can not wait until I get my general class license, so I can do it. Thanks KI4PRK for all of the help!

KJ4AZX age 14


You can use CW to DX on some of the HF bands in select areas.

[K0DXC]

BTW


I worked a VP9 qrp in the ARRL SSB yesterday. First try, I was loud and clear.

[K0DXC]

I disagree. It's open from about 8:30 in the morning through about 8 in the evening — day after day. I hear PY's, that FG Ham, and occasionaly TR8CA.

73, de Brennen KI4PRK age 13

Brennen,

You really have to keep in mind that I am in a different part of the U.S. then you are.

You'll get the Carribean DX all the time, but I'll kick your butt in all the NAQP's.



Propagation varies.

[KU0DM]

I got Libya, Finland, Morocco, Austria, Uruguay, Tonga, St. Helena, Japan, and Galapagos yesterday.

10 entities till worked DXCC!

[KI4PRK]

I got Libya, Finland, Morocco, Austria, Uruguay, Tonga, St. Helena, Japan, and Galapagos yesterday.

10 entities till worked DXCC!

Applause, Applause!!! Congrats! Hurry up, you're almost there! I'm nearing the 200 mark myself, now that I have Ducie and Cocos, I just need 6 more 'til 200. I still haven't mailed in my application for CW DXCC, or my first endorsment.

Go get 'em, Duncan!

73, de Brennen KI4PRK age 13

[KI4PRK]

Brennen,

You really have to keep in mind that I am in a different part of the U.S. then you are.

You'll get the Carribean DX all the time, but I'll kick your butt in all the NAQP's.



Propagation varies.

I agree :D

But in fact you are closer to the Pacific than I am; you should still have heard some of the pacific stations; I got VP6DX easily.

73, de Brennen KI4PRK age 13

[KI4PRK]

I got Libya, Finland, Morocco, Austria, Uruguay, Tonga, St. Helena, Japan, and Galapagos yesterday.

10 entities till worked DXCC!

Not to be a party pooper, but I *highly* doubt you got Libya. That one's quite rare. Before the 5A7A DXpedition back in November 06, 5A (Libya) was the 50th most wanted out of 337. I managed to get on 40 SSB only, that was when I was still new.

Good job on Tonga and Japan. I still Don't have either. You probably worked A35RK; he's active in all the big contests. And for St. Helena you probably worked ZD7X, Tom. Tom's goal is to make his home in a very rare DX location. Before he moved to St. Helena, it generated some big Pileups. Soon he'll be moving to the Falkland Islands, and activating ZD9 and VP8/s.

73, de Brennen KI4PRK age 13

P.S. Hello Stephanie! She lives about 30 minutes from where I live, I know her well.

[KU0DM]

Yeah, we are unsure about the Libya here to, WFWL (work first worry later) hi hi.

Am checking up on that, thing is, several spotted him, so it's going to be interesting as to whether or not it really was Libya.

Will post back results!

[K0DXC]

I agree :D

But in fact you are closer to the Pacific than I am; you should still have heard some of the pacific stations; I got VP6DX easily.

73, de Brennen KI4PRK age 13


You also have to realize that I don't have all the time in the world to go on the radio.

I am very busy with school and other activities that come before ham radio.

I only tried VP6DX on three bands, I got them on all three that I tried. I didn't try them at all on phone, I love CW to much.

Don't assume that I have limitless time for radio, that comes after a lot of other things in my life that are more important.

[KU0DM]

Not to be a party pooper, but I *highly* doubt you got Libya. That one's quite rare. Before the 5A7A DXpedition back in November 06, 5A (Libya) was the 50th most wanted out of 337. I managed to get on 40 SSB only, that was when I was still new.



Yep, Libya is the one!

5A0A

[AD7TO]

My best DX has been my contacts to Australia back in 1996.
I was 16 then and I was using 100 watts and a G5RV antenna.
I never seem to be able to get Europe or Africa Mid East etc.

The worst thing that has bothered me in this hobby is the price of radios and amplifiers. And this still buggs me today and it prevents me from having a good station. Its to bad when a guy with a simpler station with only a 100 watts is can work some good dx. Only to be knocked out buy someone that has spent $30,000 plus on amplifiers and stcked yagis etc. It just knocks the little guy out of the water. I think this is also one of the things that hurts ham radio growth. At my age 28 and people that are younger. Spending a $1000 on a radio is a big thing. Now in order to be a station that can compete with all these other guys out there. You have to spend thousands more dollars on amps and huge antennas. Yeah its a fun hobby but the fun is kind of gone if love to work dx but don't have thousands of dollars to spend on it. This almost makes me think maybe the FCC should lower the legal limit to maybe 500 watts max power output or something. This allow the non rich hams also to have a fun time working dx too. Yeah I know you could buy a $200 HT and talk on 2 meters but to me that gets old. I was attracted to this hobby for the HF and worldwide DX. Not talking to someone across town about there RV or something. Or listing to the auto patch phone calls.
I know many friends my age and younger would love to become hams. When they see my HF radio and simple set up here. They think its really cool how you can talk to other hams all over the world over the radio. But then once they see the prices of these radios and amps, antenns etc they just shake there heads and say there is no way they can afford this. Given this you can see that just buying a simple HF rig for around a $1000 and thowing up a simple antenna $50 to $150 for example and $200 for a low end antenna tunner. Your upto around $1500 not too bad but now try to get on the air and work some DX on 20 meters. You won't really have a chance with all these guys running huge beams and 1500 watts +. These guys have 1000's or 100,000's of dollars invested in there stations.
This is something that I think is killing HF ham radio its driving the prices past the normal working guys income.

[K0DXC]

that was when I was still new.




You still are new.

I've been a ham longer then you have and I consider myself new.

[DJ1YFK]

This almost makes me think maybe the FCC should lower the legal limit to maybe 500 watts max power output or something.
Why not also limit
* CW speed to 25 WpM
* Antenna gain to 3dB
* Maximum time spent on the air for DXing to 2h / day
to make things even more fair? Ham radio socialism, that sounds like a great idea. Not.

The truth is that you can build a relatively competitive HF station (e.g. an old transceiver like a TS830 and a decent wire antenna) for much less than $1000. You can work all the world with it on 20m (especially if you work CW), given you have a little patience and that you don't let yourself discourage by being stomped sometimes by the 'big guns'. Remember that many of the DX contacs you make with your small station are only possible because someone at the other side spent a lot of money for great antennas.

We're just about to enter the next sunspot cycle, working DX will become easier and easier with poor antennas.

[KI4PRK]

Yep, Libya is the one!

5A0A

Sorry, man! You're thinking of 5J0A! That's still a good country (San Andres/Provencia) but not *nearly* as rare as Libya. Good luck on DXCC! I just got TX5C a few days ago, foir #195, and I'm still working on 9X0R for #196.

73, de Brennen KI4PRK age 13

[KU0DM]

Oh well, as long as it's new. hi hi

GL on that 200! Yeah, Clipperton helped, still what seems a long way to go! (9 left)