[OKDXA] FD

[N5PA]

I went down to Hattiesburg Saturday afternoon and helped them out with their
FD activity.  I got there about 3:00 p.m. and they had made 30 contacts.  I
sat down and operated after the storms came through and made about 270
contacts in a couple of hours for them.  I think they were in it more for
the fun than a contest.  I helped a bunch of new hams at their GOTA station
and coached them along.  For a contester, a club FD is not the place to be
because they are there to have fun and not make a lot of contacts.  I got up
yesterday morning and checked 6 meters out again and there were some FD
stations on, but no DX.  I got on 20 meters and between CW and SSB made 250
contacts in a couple of hours.  It was fun to sit there and run a frequency.
I can do that with my 100 watts and a vertical during FD because we are on
more even ground with everyone else.  I heard 5J0M on 6 meters last night
but he was down in the noise and I was not able to copy him well enough to
work him.  I did work him about 8:45 last night on 20 CW.  The logging
software packages show 5J0M as Malpelo Island, HK0/M.  But he is on San
Andres & Providencia, HK0.  Even after downloading the latest country file I
had to add the 5J0M call to the country database for San Andres &
Providencia.  I bet a lot of people are working him as a new country for
Malpelo Island because that is what their logging software is showing.  I
worked several Oklahoma stations during FD but I did not work the EARS
station up in Edmond.  Tim Duffy got a big crank-up tower on a trailer with
a new Bench Skyhawk antenna on it.  They should have been able to rule the
roost with that setup.

I hope you guys have a big 4th lined up.  We are having a family get
together over in Brookhaven, MS with my wife's sisters and their families.
Then we are going over to the farm to mow and bush hog grass.  I am taking
my tower, Force 12, rotator, guy poles, and guy wire over there to store
until I put it up over there.  I think I will take my 706, tuner, power
supply, and an 80 meter dipole over and set it up for the weekend.  I can
work 6 meters off of the 80 meter antenna, also.

Out of all the DX that was worked Friday on the east coast, the propagation
never made it down to southeast Mississippi.  We just do not get the
propagation on Six that the east coast does, plus we cannot hear them over
the east coast stations.  I have yet to work Europe from here, but I have
worked Japan.  Wish I could bag Hawaii and Alaska on the Magic Band!  Good
Hunting!

73,
Alan, N5PA