QSO Statistics for 2021

At the start of each year I like to go through my logs and pull out various statistics for QSOs for previous years. Gives me an idea of how I am going for various awards, and can see if the bands are improving. Plus I like to dabble in stats :)

A plot of counties worked per band.

Seem to be stuck at around 118 countries for the last 4 months. Now getting harder to work 'new ones'.

Best bands are 30m, closely followed by 17m. Recent openings on 10m have seen some new ones.

A plot of US States worked per band

I have finished WAS, of all 50 US States on 40m now. 17m only need a couple more. A large number of US States recently worked on 10m, a sign that the new Solar Cycle 25 starting to take off'.

QSOs per Continent

Only just started collecting statistics for this for 2021. A big spike in OC mid year, and spikes for NA and AS later in the year. AF and SA continue to be rare for me here in Australia.

QSOs per band

Only collected for 2021. A spike in 40m mid year. 17m a bit later. Good to see a lift in QSOs on 10m, which had been quiet for so long.

SOTA Black Mountain VK1/AC-042

Each new year gives VK stations a unique opportunity to activate SOTA summits each side of UTC day, which is at 11 am local Eastern Summer Time. Basically an excuse for a S2S SOTA bash fest...

I decided to activate Black Mountain, VK1/AC-042, mainly because it is the closest summit to me and the quickest to get to. I had activated it before in 2021, so before UTC would just be collecting S2S points, but would get a point for it after UTC changeover.

Drove to the car park near the tower. Found the faint track I used previously was now upgraded, and other access tracks down were now closed off, directing walkers onto it. So got quite busy... Instead of setting up on the track, set off to one side just in the scrub, using an old star picket for squid pole support. Black Mountain Telstra tower can be seen in the background

A view down the track. It got quite busy with joggers and walkers.

Shack on the tarp

At 2330z got on 2m FM with the Jpole ribbon antenna, using 30w from the FT857D. Found 146.500 too busy to get on, announced there would be calling on 146.550 and moved there to start working S2S and chasers. Worked prior to UTC rollover

VK1DA/p on VK2/ST-006 South Black Range

VK1RW/p on VK1/AC-048 Mount McDonald

VK1MF

VK1MIC/p on VK2/ST-053 Mt Mundoonen

VK1AD/p on VK1/AC-043 Mt Stromlo

VK1VIC/p on VK1/AC-008 Mt Ginini

VK2COW, VK1DW, 

VK2XDT/1 on VK1/AC-040 Mt Ainslie

VK1GVC

VK1MCW/p on VK1/AC-033 Bullen Range

VK1LF, VK1FELF, VK1FDNK all /p on VK1/AC-023 Mt Coree

VK1DD/p on VK1/AC-037 Mt Taylor

VK1MA/p on VK2/ST-005 Webbs Ridge

After UTC rollover at 1100 am local time

VK1MA/p on VK2/ST-005 Webbs Ridge

VK1MF

VK1LAJ/p on VK2/ST-008 Baldy Range

VK1RW/p on VK1/AC-048 Mount McDonald

VK1AD/p on VK1/AC-043 Mt Stromlo

VK1MIC/p on VK2/ST-053 Mt Mundoonen

VK1DD/p on VK1/AC-037 Mt Taylor

VK1MCW/p on VK1/AC-033 Bullen Range

VK1DA/p on VK2/ST-006 South Black Range

VK1LF, VK1FELF, VK1FDNK all /p on VK1/AC-023 Mt Coree

I briefly tried 40m, it sounded very quiet, not that much activity. Managed  to work a couple more

VK1ACE/p on VK1/AC-031 Mt Rob Roy

VK2NKO/1 on VK1/AC-037 Mt Taylor

Getting quite warm, packed up at noon and headed home for lunch.

  

600 US stations award

After working several US stations on 10m before the new year, managed to reach 600 stations and applied for the FT8DMC 600 US stations award.

 

10 Hungarian Stations Award

Latest award for me, for contacting 10 Hungarian stations on FT8 mode. 

SOTA Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041

With a sunny day on Wednesday decided to to a SOTA activation of Isaacs Ridge, VK1/AC-041. There was an alert for Compton VK2HRX to activate Mount Canobolas at 2300z, or 10am local time. Plus needed to finish completing 44 contacts for the WWFF award. The summit is in VKFF-0845, Isaacs Ridge Nature Reserve.

Parked off  Long Gully Road and walked up to the gate entering the reserve.

A short walk and joined up to another track heading up the hill. 

Near the top the track bends to the left, took another minor track that heads straight up the hill, steep but not too bad.

Reached the top. Track log of walk, taken from Garmin Connect off my Garmin watch. A distance of 0.7 Km taking 15 minutes to walk. 

Set up on my usual spot, a concrete post near one of the transmitting towers. Got some shade off an nearby pine tree, which was good as the day heated up. I did lose the shade later on.

Initially set up just 2m, but then found spots on ParksnPeaks for Compton on 40m, he had got on air early... so quickly set up the 40m dipole. Set up my FT857D on a rock

While operating spotted a lizard sunning itself on a nearby rock, type of skink I think.

Got on 40m and worked Compton, VK2HRX/p on Mount Canobolas VK2/CT-001, VKFF-1353 with a good signal. I switched to 2m FM and tried calling, got Andrew VK1AD close by. No other callers so went back to 40m and put up a spot up on SOTAwatch/ParksnPeaks. Got several callers pre UTC rollover

VK2YW, VK2WP, VK1AD, VK2IO, VK2VW, VK2HFI, VK5IS, VK3PF/m, VK1MIC, VK2NP, VK3ZPF, VK3SQ, VK2VH, VK4AAC/2, VK3ARH, VK3HRA.

Briefly tried 20m, worked ZL1TM and VK1AD.

After UTC rollover worked Compton, VK2HRX/p on Mount Canobolas VK2/CT-001 VKFF-1353 again for another S2S/P2P contact. Worked a few more chasers.

VK1AD, VK3GTV, VK5HAA, VK2YAK, VK4YAK, VK3AMO, VK2VW, VK2HFI, VK3ZPF.

Briefly tried 2m FM again, working VK1AD and VK1MIC.

VK3PF, who I had worked mobile pre rollover, had reached his summit, so worked him for a S2S/P2P.

He was on VK3/VE-192 Hore Hill in park VKFF-0767.

Starting to get warm as no longer had the tree shade, packed up and headed back down to have lunch in Woden. 

1025 VKFF Parks Hunter Award

Checking Logsearch recently found I had reached another milestone, 1025 different VKFF parks hunted. Here is the award. 

700 Japanese stations award

 New award for me, for contacting 700 different Japanese stations on FT8.