2020 FT8 Countries Review

At the start of each month I record the number of countries worked per band, to track my progress towards DXCC. Here is my tally up to the end of 2020

Can see how I passed DXCC, 100 countries overall in Nov 2020. 😀 The 17m band continues to be my best band with 74 countries.

Next is 30m. This has mainly been due to chasing EU DX there in the early mornings here in VK, I guess grey line DX. At 56 countries now.

After that 20m with 50 countries. Not a fan of 20m as gets very crowded. Then 40m at 19 countries. Also not a fan of this as gets very crowded, with some heavy QRM from strong VK stations. It does at least keep working in the winter months when higher bands are dead. 

The dark grey line is 10m. For several years not many contacts on 10m, due to just no sunspot activity. Then a burst up in December 2019 and another more rapid jump in December 2020, when had EU coming in at long last on 10m. The start of the new sunspot cycle. Starting to die down again though.

12m is a new band for me, having put up a dipole in June 2019. It was dormant until December 2020. 

15m is a band I don't use much, due to not having an antenna for it... I use my 40m dipole through the IC7300 tuner. Not great but have got 23 countries.

Last is 80m. Until FT8 thought this was just a local rag chew band, but it can provide DX. 19 countries so far, not bad for a shortened trapped 80m dipole.

A similar plot for USA States per band worked.

I'm stuck at 49 States, still looking for Wyoming :(

40m is the best for Stateside, with 45 worked. 17m after that. On 30m a bit of a jump in January 2020 as it opened to the US, but did not last. Other bands not so good for working the USA.

Last a simple plot of QSOs per month

A lot of QSOs in August/September 2019, when I had some time off work, and then December 2020. With the new solar cycle the bands should improve a lot in 2021.

 

25 African Call Signs Award

 After several contacts with the Canary Islands, Seychelles on 30m managed to qualify for the ERC 25 Africa Call Signs Award.

 

10 Portuguese Stations Award

After working a Portuguese station on 30m FT8 recently, CT2GLO found able to apply for 10 Portuguese stations award

Half of my contacts with Portugal were on 30m, different prefixes so also qualified for 5 Portuguese prefixes on 30m award

600 Oceanian Stations Award

Latest award, for working 600 Oceanian stations on FT8. No doubt the recent sporadic e openings on 10m and 6m around VK/ZL helped.. Thanks for QSOs.

SOTA Mt Stromlo VK1/AC-043

With a couple of SOTA activations planned today by VK1AD, VK1MCW and VK1CT decided to get out and activate a summit myself for some S2S contacts. Decided to revisit Mt Stromlo as close by and had not been there for a while.

Drove to the mountain bike car park just below the summit and walked to the trig. Didn't set up here as a known RF interference spot...

Laser ranging station opposite

Dropped down to the North of the summit and set up in the bush. Initially just set up the 2m ribbon slim jim antenna.

Checked the SWR, pretty good

Shack on the rocks

On 2m SSB 144.2 heard Andrew VK1AD/p on Mt Ginini, VK1/AC-008, not that strong but an easy copy. Worked him for S2S. This contact gave Andrew 9000 S2S points, well done!

Went up to 146.5 Mhz FM. Worked Wade VK1MIC with a strong signal, then Dermy VK1DB, and Bill VK1MCW/p on Mt Ainslie, VK1/AC-040 very strong. Also VK1LAJ Aaron.

Put up the linked dipole and tried 40m. Unfortunately had not moved far enough away from the RF noisy summit, had about S8 of noise... Anyway managed to work VK2IO/P Gerard in a park, VKFF-0550 Wyrrabalong National Park. Then worked Ron, VK3AFW, Brett VK2VW.

Another S2S with Peter, VK3PF/p on VK3/VE-159.

Returned to 2m FM as saw a spot for Chris, VK1CT/p on Black Mountain, VK2/AC/042, worked him with a very strong signal.

Finally, a contact with Glen VK1FB/p on VK1/AC-040 Mt Ainslie, doing an activation with Bill VK1MCW, also very strong.

Packed up and headed home for lunch. 

300 European Stations Award

 Latest award from FT8DMC, 300 European stations. Helped a lot by good band openings on 30m, 10m.

75 Australian stations on 6m Award

The 6m band has been good recently for summer short skip around Australia, worked several new stations. Managed to work 75 stations and applied for the ERC, European ROS Club award.