Very fruitful afternoon on DX.

The signals are incredible.

All exotics... some are new.

CQ WPX SSB contest 2015.

This weekend WPX SSB contest must have been fun for many.  The condx were good and there were lots of signals and mostly strong.  Very impressive was 10 m.  In my limited time when I was on the propagation on most bands was good.  Had no problem being heard by the DX stations.

My score:

 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:    0
   40:    0
   20:   28
   15:    6
   10:   84
------------
Total:  118  Prefixes = 102  Total Score = 32,844

One of those days I'll get used to SSB contesting. 

I've played with the macros on my radio and N1MM log and got most of the voice 
macros recorded and all I had to say into the mike was the other station call 
and my number to him. The rest was recorded and sent with the "F" key. Great fun.

John Moyle contest and my personal disaster.

Last weekend was the Commonwealth contest, known as BERU and Heidi gave me "full rights" and I think I've done OK in that.

This weekend it was Heidi's weekend and we were at North Avoca with friends and I was "allowed" to operate only the "small radio" ie QRP portable.  About two years ago I operated from Innamincka with the same setup (radio and antenna).

The antenna was the trusty G5RV and after two contacts I was sure "this will be OK" and tried to rearrange the work area and then accidentally dropped the small led gel battery off the table and on my toe.  The battery and the radio survived, but the cabling got destroyed.  End of the contest.

The RSGB BERU (Commonwealth Contest) was this last weekend.

Comments:

Not the best conditions.   Last year my score was significantly better.
10 m was poor.  The performers were 20 and 15. Some cream dripped from 40.  I think apart the great dip in propagation (which was forecasted by the VOAPROP) the average was good and when the band was open the signals were huge. Can't stop thinking that many stations were not interested in entering.

Some time was wasted by non BERU stations calling.  It was a flattery during
"slow" times, but made the rates lower when the pressure was on.

In every case the guys got their 599 and were happy.  It is much quicker that to explain that the test is only for Commonwealth entities. 

Some of the callers made me think that my signals were very good in non BERU areas too.

Tolmie pub sign

Little town of Tolmie has about two houses and one pub.  The pub has a sign on its porch: