IZ4AKS

Hamvention 2012: the hobby is alive!

IZ4AKS — Sat, 19 May 2012 08:16:54 +0000

Hamvention 2012 in Dayton is evaluated by wdtn.com as a boost of $10 million to the local economic area. For an event that is world wide recognized as “the top experience” of the amateur radio trade shows, seems to be a small niche of business.
Despite this, a lot of vendors are showing new range of products, a result of the investments in R&D implemented to fight the world economic crisis.
I don’t know if the market will reward their efforts (I hope YES!), for sure the interest on these topics is rising up again and it is evident in the “likes” gained by the live updating from Dayton posted by Michele, IZ4GWE on the Facebook fan page of DxCoffee.
The hobby is still alive!

Today: ARI Int. Dx Contest & 7O6T

IZ4AKS — Sat, 05 May 2012 22:39:14 +0000

Alex, IK8YFU and Fabrizio, SWL I0-111RM convinced me to join the ARI DX Contest. Thanks to Michele, IZ4GWE I had the opportunity to play for 3 hours on the air in this contest as IQ4RA. To be honest, the propagation was quite good and the station was absolutely not an average one: with a tower,a yagi and whatever you need to have fun in a mid-class contest. But, despite these impressive working conditions, there was not a massive participation in my logbook. Probably all the attention of the dxers was concentrated on 7O6T. For example, twenty and fifteen meters didn’t perform well at all. It was quite boring, and just after 2 spots a bunch of UK’s call-sings were able to push the runner to an acceptable rate (thank you guys!). I don’t know how many stations participated to the ARI International DX Contest from Ravenna, but I think RA was an interesting multiplier, anyway a lot of calls were sent from us without any answer bak. Moreover, many OMs doesn’t know this contest, they were often asking what I was expecting as exchange (3 on 5 QSOs). I’m sure, probably the contest itself has a potential, but it needs 2-3 years more of promoting activities.
Anyway, every cloud has a silver lining and we jumped quickly to compete on the pile-up of 7O6T. Before year 2000, I made few QSOs with Yemen, but the activity was not considered valid from ARRL. So, concerning 7O6T, the war chest of today is not bad at all! I’m waiting for the next update of the log online to check if my QSOs are in. Signals were excellent (the path is just perfect for us) only on 10 meters CW the QSO was quite difficult; I had to insiste a lot before passing the wall of stations calling, for other bands were much easier.
Let’s wait for tomorrow and “crossfinger” to have a look on ClubLog.

TNX Michele for the hospitality.

S5: a new QRV point for DXFC

IZ4AKS — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:29:00 +0000

Few years ago I went back from Ukraine by car traveling to Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia. Several good points for DXFC were gained in that trip but not for the QRV. We damaged the radio in Uzhhorod and we had no time to find a radio club during the way back. So the target was: go in Udine for other duties and be QRV from S5.
Mission accomplished. Tnx to Laura, Fabrizio IW3SQY and Silvia K1XYL.
Here some photos of S5/IZ4AKS.

SV5/IZ4AKS QSL Card Policies

IZ4AKS — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:31:42 +0000

As you can see, the QSL of the Micro Dxpedition to Rhodes Island (IOTA EU-001) has been already designed.
Silvia, K1XYL and I already uploaded our log on GlobalQSL and all the card for every contact will be confirmed via the BURO.
It is not necessary to send your card, we will not be able to receive them.
In case you prefere to QSL direct, you have to know that the QSL card will arrive from the printer usually in 2-3 months. Moreover I’m often abroad with my job, so don’t expect a very rapid confirmation. What I can assure you is that all the QSL cards will be answered (in my free time, that is a very limited resource) as soon as possible.
Before to send your card, please check the log online, is here. And if you need, write me an email to the address you can find on QRZ.com.

Reading the interview to William, N7OU

IZ4AKS — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 06:52:39 +0000

I’m still in the Rhodes Airport drinking coffee and waiting for the gate’s opening. I read the excellent interview to William Vanderheide, N7OU by Christian, IX1CKN.
Wiliam is one of the many dxpeditioner that make radio only outside their QTH.
Enjoy the article, in English or in Italian. The gate is opening, they just called the flight to Bologna…see you next post.

SV5/IZ4AKS went QRT

IZ4AKS — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 18:17:31 +0000

SV5/IZ4AKS went just few minutes ago QRT. The I1UJX Vertical multiband antenna did again its job. A special thanks to the Dodecanese Hamradio Community. They let me feel welcome and like at home (and sometime even better). But a special remarks is for my wife Silvia K1XYL: she starts to learning how to manage pileup, and it seems she really enjoy it.
I’m sorry for the friends I was not able to copy or the ones were looking for me on 10 and 12. Unfortunately I cannot said that there was not propagation because several QSOs with JA, DU, HS, HL, VK and also KH0 prove there was propagation, just in the oposite direction!
My log was uploaded on ClubLog. The QSL card will be send to every contacts using GlobalQSL services. Please be patience, you will receive the QSL card via the BURO. But if you are in hurry, you can send it direct. Just remember that I’m often abroad and the time to receive it back could be not immediate.
Thanks again for the fun I had on the air from Rhodes Island – Dodecanese.

SV5/IZ4AKS is on air…

IZ4AKS — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:17:20 +0000

I will be more precise later about what I discover on the island but I’m really enjoying Rhodes Island. Landscapes, people, hamradio community is just perfect. Just the weather is cloudy and windy today, I turned on the radio for around one our. I had not particularly good condition on the higher bands during my stay. Ten were almost closed and twelve were open just for a rush of 26 QSO. Anyway some good contacts happened on 17 and 15 meters. The UJX vertical is doing her jobs like all the other travels done with her.
If you are interested I updated the log on ClubLog.

SV5/IZ4AKS: new point for DXFC

IZ4AKS — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:33:11 +0000

Today a cold welcome: it was raining hard. So, I was not able to visit almost nothing. In this case there is just one one solution: set up a small dipole and try to turn on the radio.
I was QRV for one hour. SWR are not well, but I will move soon in another QTH where I hope to erect the UJX vertical antenna.

I cannot ask more than few QSOs to this setup….

SV5/IZ4AKS: ready to go

IZ4AKS — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 05:35:38 +0000

For the time you will read this post, my Ryanair’s flight will be taken off. I will land in Rhodes around 11.00. I have plenty things to do there, so do not complain if I will be at the radio starting for tuesday or wednesday. At the end I decided to bring with me a very light setup: my Yaesu FT-897D (100w output) and the vertical I1UJX. Nothing more.
I decided to leave at home all the interfaces to make CW and RTTY. I want to be very light for the squared policies of Ryanair and because the target of this trip is not radio. Yes, it is just DXFC.
It will be the opportunity to evaluate a software for MAC: RUMped. I will use that log.
Another important point will be to have Silvia, K1XYL with me. She will try to operate using my SV5/IZ4AKS. Be patience with her, she is at her first experiences on air. We will mark all her QSOs for the YL DXCC. Moreover, a QSO with us will be valid for the following references: IOTA EU-001, GIOTA DKS-006, MIA MGD-028 and WLOTA 0045.
Despite what was written in some DX-bulletins, Silvia and I are not ARI member. So we cannot use the QSL BURO. Our card is only direct. When the activity will be finished I will evaluate to send QSL cards using the service of GlobalQSL. It depends from the number of QSOs. I suggest you to wait for sending your card after the beginning of May. In any case, don’t send yours via the BURO.

I will keep you updated on this blog in the spare time.

Photo credits: Forrestal_PL

TY1KS: the video

IZ4AKS — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 14:20:00 +0000

With few months of delay, herewith enclosed the video of TY1KS.