[W8MWA] The HF Bands Ain't Dead (Contrary to what you hear out there.)

[Spence Graham]

Yeah, this sunspot low is way out of the ordinary and stubbornly hanging on
far longer than expected, or wanted.  A lot of folks think there is nothing
to do on the radio now, other than listen to a lot of static and an
occasional band opening here or there.  I respectfully beg to differ!  Here
are my experiences over the last week between Christmas and New Year's Eve
mid-day.  I have popped on and off several times a day and evening as I
could, given I have been playing with a 16 month old active grandson.

I chose to improve my skills with PSK31 on 20, 40 and 80 meters and also
fine-tune my macros in Ham Radio Deluxe.  I am running 30 watts into a G5RV
dipole at 35 feet (ends pointing North and South) with my Icom 7300 and an
LDG IT-100 Autotuner.  (The dipole and rig get rave reviews from many folks
I have QSO'd with!)  So... what's out there to work on the bands, you ask?

I worked 26 different states in the good old USA and using grey-line as a
guide can just about predict what states will pop in next on the waterfall.

Here are the countries I worked... several more than once on different
bands... Cayman Islands, Belgium, France, Columbia, Italy, Spain,Peru,
Germany, England, Poland, Venezuela, Netherlands, Switzerland Cuba, Panama,
Czech Republic, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Quebec,
European Russia and The Azores.  (Tried a few times to snag South Africa
when they popped onto the waterfall... no joy.)

I was able to do that while watching several football games and basketball
games in my shack!  Also enjoyed several extended conversations and learned
how to bounce between my macros and actually typing to my new friends
around the world.  AND... I didn't need any more than 30 watts and a wire!
I didn't require a linear amplifier, rotor or a tri-bander at 85 feet,
either.  It has been a ton of fun!  Even with the sunspots not cooperating
as we would like, there are STILL many stations out there to work!

Here are a few suggestions you might consider to work PSK31 more
efficiently.  Get a reliable software to use.  I use Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD)
and it is slick as a whistle to use once you get it set-up.  Not only does
it handle rig control and PSK31 but it also automatically adds every
contact to the HRD Logbook at the end of the QSO.  It then easily uploads
all my contacts to Logbook of The World, eQSL, QRZ and HRDLogbook!  Ham
Radio Deluxe for rig control is easy to connect to just about any HF radio
you have and they have a great support website.  The HRD macros are
templated for easy use and pulls all your station info (Call sign, name,
signal report, QTH, station details, current weather and QSL info... it
even pulls all the info of the station you are talking to!) into every QSO
so that you know who you are talking to and how far away the are from you,
their grid square and the direction you need to point your beam antenna
toward, if you have one!  If you follow the grey-line you can expect to
grab the stations along those edges.  Also, as the day moves from morning,
to afternoon, to evening you can change bands accordingly or you can bounce
back and forth checking the waterfall for signals popping up, off and on.
(Software for PSK31 and other digital modes is all over the place, such as
N1MM, N3FJP, FLDigi, HRD, etc.  Some software has different features or is
better for contests.)  I have been adding remarks to my QSO's before
submitting the contact to the logbook about what radio, power level and
antenna the other station is using.  By far dipoles of various types are
most often used.  Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood and Ten Tec transceivers are
popular, but there are numerous others out there..  Most stations are using
30 watts of power... and talk all over the world!

I still get on the evening OMISS Net on 40 meters... 7.185 ... for Worked
All States voice contacts (still need Alaska on 40) and WV is a popular
state people want to add to their own logbook!  But PSK31 is a much more
laid-back type of QSO and if you scroll over the signals coming down the
waterfall you can see what they are typing to other station and easily find
someone calling CQ to go back to.  When the waterfall seems empty, I will
load my own "CQ CQ de WT8WV WT8WV" macro and transmit it... most of the
time someone is lurking out there thinking the band is dead... BUT IT'S NOT
DEAD... and I snag another contact for the logbook!

THE HF BANDS ARE NOT DEAD... try PSK31 for some added fun.
-- 
73,

Spence

*Spencer W. Graham, II*
*WT8WV*
*73 Crosby Road*
*Morgantown, WV 26508*

*2017-2018 VP of Monongalia Wireless Association http://www.w8mwa.org/
<http://www.w8mwa.org/> *
*ARRL Volunteer Examiner (VE)*
*ARRL WV Section Affiliate Club Coordinator *

*Check Out My Ham Radio Blog Site...  http://kb8fir.wordpress.com
<http://kb8fir.wordpress.com>*

*(ex-KB8FIR and ex-KA8LJO)*
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