Year of DXing 2016

January 2016

Happy New Year 2016, fantastic new years party in the City, fireworks and drinks!

GM Ladys and gents... Looking forward on making a fair amount of new DXCCs this year on many bands. I have heard Nodir EY8MM got a license for 60m and also 4m... Hope to make a qso with him on 4m, 60m band is still only clubcalls here in Finland. Also heard a rumor that Russian stations would get 6m licenses but this is not verified yet.

Planning to get some more aluminium up in the tower.... Thoughts are also in some 2m/70cm EME stuff but thats been cooking for some time.

OZ5AGJ, Benny was asking for a sked on 4m, worked him as a new # for me too. Clive GM4VVX and Robert 2E1IIP were also worked on 4m digitalmodes. Picked up HB9RUZ Peter CQing on 6m JT6M, these were the tops of January Quadrantis shower... Didnt have that much time to be on radio.

Waiting for VP8STI and VP8SGI to get on air later this month!

ZL9A Antipodes Island will be QRV before them, so I will have an eye out for them as missing ZL9 as a new DXCC :)

ZL9A worked on 20m SSB ! ! ! DXCC 254! Great! Wish the guys a safe return from the sub-Antarctic island of Antipodes.

Next new ones will be the VP8 stations, have been monitoring VP8STI for a few days, hard to copy but also Palmyra K5P is on the air, nothing from them. K5P will be too hard for my simple equipment as it is too far and has huge piles.... VP8STI logged!!! DXCC number 255, 20m SSB and later 40m CW!

Guys packed up their gear, tents and antennas from South Sandwich and started their voyage to South Georgia island with the Braveheart! QRV from South Georgia as VP8SGI, monitoring but no qso yet...

February 2016

VP8SGI still in focus! Pileups are still big but managed to push hrough with RTTY on 15m! Yes, and another qso with them on 15m CW!! Its DXCC 256! Hope to get a SSB qso also with them, but for my bad luck looks like thats not going to happen. They are not very strong but will keep looking.
Got them on 40m CW and now looks like they are up for some bad WX again... They have now QSYed to Braveheart to safety from the storm bringing snow and bad WX to South Georgia.

Free weekend of anything....well sick with the flu... Try to do some radio still... FS/K8EAB and company calling on 15m CW, a bunch of US hams QRV from FS. Heard them quite good, but signals still down in S1-3. Getting stronger and stronger, and I keep pushing the send button on my rig, O H 1 M N ... then cpi ....tu FS/K8EAB up2.... TX my call once...another time.... and then hear O H 1 M N ... O H 1 M N .. 5 9 9 khssss static...I reply O H 1 M N .. 5 9 9 .. T U. It was DXCC numnber 257!

Next ears open for 7P8C from Lesotho and also A35T from Tonga

Lesotho 7P8C... nice trip from F6KOP team, first day catch! 40m SSB loggen! Nice qso and a ATNO in the log, DXCC 258!

I had the pleasure of working them also on 20m SSB, 15m SSB and CW and 10m SSB. Great dxpedition, conditions were not ultimate and they also suffered from bad electricity + WX.

Lesotho is behind and looking ahead to the future! Future is bringing us lots of new DX on the air, 3X, C9, FO/M, VK0 etc...
Started to monitor for 3X, as it would a new DXCC for me. Signal from them hasn´t been that good.
Finally got the on 40m SSB and after few days on 15m SSB! Thats another DXCC for me! 3XY1T Nr. 259!

3XY1T group photo in 3X!
Had some fun on 15m, nice JA pileup as conditions were up! Alain TR8CA worked on 40m SSB, a new band.
I went and made a endfed halfwave wireantenna for 17m, just because the antennas I had tuned for 17m but didn´t really know how good they were.
First qso with the new antenna (feedpoint 1,5m agl and end of antenna up @ 11m agl) was S01WS. Works fine. Also worked AP2IA on 12m for a new band.

March 2016

3XY1T worked on 12m and 17m also, nice to get more bands, daytime condx are good and seems its just work that is making trouble to work DX :)
C91IJ and C92CC are QRV, worked first C91IJ on 15m SSB and then later C92CC on 12m SSB.

C91IJ and C92CC working the pileups in Mozambique!
Nice conditions also during ARRL DX contest last weekend! Made my first stateside qsos on 40m SSB, booming signals from K3LR, W3UA and mny more.
Been looking for FO/M Marquesas island, TX7EU.... lots of monitoring been done and then finally in one morning on 20m CW, breakthrough! Got them! 599 tu for DXCC nr.260!
TX7EU Marquesas

Womens Day Contest in Finland, asked my doughter Siru, 5 years if she wanted to make some qsos on the radio?
She was super excited for days and when the time came to take part she could not keep her pants...
Luckily it was a small Finnish "contest" and she only had to give out a report like; 59 YL Siru, she took part as a secondoperator using my normal call OH1MN.
She had fun and worked 21qsos of with one was abroad to RI1PA.

Then after all the fun it was my turn to work some DX, heard Kenneth LA7GIA signing as 3C7A working on 15m SSB, called for him a few times and got into the log, DXCC nr 261! >

Been calling for S9BK Bruno for a few days now during his time on the air... Finally got through, worked him on 15m SSB, looks like 15m is working fine. It was another new one for me, DXCC nr 262!

This has all been a party, now another new one active, VK9CK from Cocos Keeling, a Norwegian team. Worked them on 15m SSB and afterwards on 20m SSB. DXCC 263!!

Now the big a famous Heard Island is on the air! Signing as VK0EK...They have a great website and almost online logging DXA... vy nice!
Got them on 40m cw and 30m cw, it was not easy but my 30m dipol and 40m slopers did the job! DXCC 264 in the log!

It looks like there is no end to the fun! A team of French guys and on Spanior are on the way to Juan de Nova, Europa island as FT4JA, they will be QRV the same time as VK0EK, using split other direction then they so they will not colide and pileups will be separate. I will be hunting them for a new DXCC!

As they came on the air, bands have been full with VK0EK and FT4JA...
Feeling very lucky, got them on 4 bands, 15m+20m SSB, 17m and 30m CW. DXCC 265!

April 2016

I have been looking for 1S, Spratly islands many times in the past but never had the luck on making a qso with any of the dxpeditions. Now would be my chance, OH1TV Pekka and OH2YY Pekka are going to Spralty, signing as 9M0O from Layang Layang. They usually listen carefully for us locals :)

They are QRV! Logged fast on 30m CW, fantastic, DXCC 266! And on Saturday they had a huge pileup of OH guys calling, logged them on 15m SSB also. Vy happy man!

Spring time is here, some focus on high bands, VHF etc, worked a few qsos via MS on 4m and 6m, LA9BM, SP8SN, GM4KLN... Lyrids shower was dissaponting... But hey! First Es opening one week before my predictions, opneed to G, DL, PA... second day F, G, DL and even some EA on 6m.
Back to HF :)
The hunt for EP2A, Iran dxpedition by LY, EP and UR guys...

My luck! Big signals from the EP2A team, looking good in my log. Worked them on 40m cw and ssb, 30m cw, 20m cw and ssb, 17m cw and ssb and 15m cw and ssb... 9 qsos in total, last night tried on 80m cw but my dipol and 100W was not enough and some QRMers were also on freq making trouble.

EP2A QTH and antennas... now they are QRT...

8Q7CA worked on 30m cw, I am very impressed with my 30m dipol, it has brought me many nice qsos and some vy good DXCCs. The Sporadic E season has started on 6m, first beacons heard on the 17th and some G-men active to get first qsos in log. 5B4ALJ was the first new DXCC and # worked on 6m also heard Ami 4X4DK.

May 2016

6m is very much alive and kicking! have had some incredible pileups, many new stations and also meeting some of the usual 6m gang.
9K2NO and UB7K were some new stations logged, UB7K as European Russia. 4m has also opened, the other night was up until 0130 local time/2230UTC even though there were no stations for an hour or so on 6m. Worked on 4m, SP, ON, PA now in the early start of 4m SpE season. UK8OM Mike was logged on 6m, belive its a new # for me, long one 3960km. Good start for east direction... Hoping for some JAs, BAs, HLs...etc this year.
Also worked 9K2MU , lucky me, he is in another locator then 9K2NO so it was a new grid for me.
SU1SK Said was also worked on 6m CW, has been a good spring, cnan it be better?
Few great pileups on 6m, best directions have been to UK and Italy. Also had a very good opening towards UK on 4m, worked more then 30 stations.
Although I have had big focus on 4m, there has not been much that I have missed. Ofcourse have also been looking for 2m SpE opening.
One short opening from us here in north. Worked two YO stations on 2m but seems that the south Europeans are getting the most fun :) 6m multihop E seems to have some correlation to 2m SpE.... Usually looks like when 6m wide open then there is also a 2m opening. I have also tried this year not to forget all about HF bands, I got a tips from OH1MRR about JJ, FW5JJ being active on 17m CW.
Jumped right in to look for the long wanted and waited DXCC... Pileup was big, but I managed to get through it!!!! YEAH, A new DXCC, number 267 was logged!
Jean-Jaques was logged and I said big TU to him for the new one!
It was not long untill worked the next DXCC, YJ0CS on 20m CW! DXCC 268!
Big opeing on 4meter, running lots of Gs in the first opening, turned to 6meter as the MUF dropped a little. Few days of nice band openings on both 4 and 6m.
Even first signs from Asia... BM6GJL Bill worked from Taiwan, my first contact to BV! Also a few JAs logged. One using JT65...
Lots of monitoring been to that direction but no further luck.

QSL well rxed from Bill BM6GJL!

June 2016

BOOMBOOM!!!! 6m is rocking! Month startedwith an opening to JT1CO who was working from OO20VA grid, new one for me.
Also OY9JD worked from IP62OA, new grid and DXCC.
TY1AC and EA8DBM logged also in the good openings. 4m has also been up, just picking up some new grids there also. Havent had that much time to be on the radio, too much work and too little hobby.
I have been planning the trip to north Finland with the kids for a few years and now it looks like I finally have time and money to go. Next month is a few weeks trip planned, atleast KP02, KP36, KP37 , KP38 and KP39 will be on the air. If there is good WX and depending on lots of stuff maybe even some KQ squares.
Plan is to take 2m, 4m and 6m yagis with me and FT847. 31th June and the car is packed!

July 2016

Finally we are on the road! First stop was Vaasa, stayed the night to contiue north in the morning. While going up noticed that my carDCdual adapter was not working, called on Oulu repeater for some help and got OH8GZZ Marko to help me out, quick visit to his QTH and soldered the adapter and trip continues. Drove to Ranua, visited the Zoo there and drove to Pyhätunturi KP37, Setup first time there.

Drove to KP36 as its quite close to KP37 QTH and spent there some time giving the square to those who needed.

Continued the roadtrip north to Ivalo and Inari, visited a few friends, short trip to KP39 Kaamanen to give it out! Fantastic views and nice condxitions, WX was not the best. Drove to KP38 to have a more stable setup, even a good Es opening from there. Lots of guys happy to get KP38. Laft the kids to their grandparents to take home with them and for myself it meant some alone radiotime :) drove down to Jyväskylä and to the Finnish Radioaamateur League summercamp there.

Finally home again... Took part in the CQ WW VHF contest, all Band as usual. I looks like I was the only contester from OH...
Unpacking all gear and stuff from trips, lots of pics and memories. Will need to make this trip again, maybe even activate a few other grids while up there.

August 2016

Now waitng for another trip, Going to KP21 to a cottage and from there to Lappland again. This time to the west part, Sirkka/Levi city, KP27JT... Will only be takeing 6m with me as its a family holiday and need to spend time with them also :).
QRV from KP21, making lots of qsos on JT6M, JT65 and a few on SSB when band opens. Then the trip to Lappland....
QRV from KP27JT Levi, got a great cabin just down the mountain, sadly conditions here in north are not the same as down south. And well the mountains are not helping, still manage to make some nice contacts and give the 6ers KP27 square.

There has also been some spare time to try some THz qsos... we checked a few places from where to try the next 353THz qsos... thats 850nm band... Janne OH1SDR is the designer and maker of these IR TRXs. The other night was the day... Me and Elias OH1XFE drove to Lieto Tornivuori viewingtower and Janne OH1SDR with Olavi OH1OP and Ari OH10AS drove to Hevonlinna similar tower. At 0110local time a PSK31 qso was made on 353THz / 850nm band. 27,7km, claming it to be Finnish record!

Long times since been looking for anything on HF, CY9 is on the air and thats one missing DXCC, monitored for a day, nothing but then next day heard, not vy strong but sure workable. Few calls to CY9C and logged them on 20m SSB! DXCC 269 was there!
A small tropo opening at the end of the month on 2m, few qsos to SP, OZ and SM7 area. OA4DOS worked as a new band and mode on 30m JT65 mode.

September 2016

Been working mainly JT65 on HF as its so easy and nice to work late evenings, not disturbing the family.
Took part in the 6m NAC at the beginning of the month, got myself 4 new gridlocators, nice!
Again a small tropo opening on 2m, worked SP, UA, EU and SM stations.
Was among the first guys making qso to Märket Reed on 4m, OH3JR was there signing as OJ0JR. First logged SSB then also CW!

Comoros on the Air, looking again for that new one. Wasn´t long before I managed to get my first call in. Made it, DXCC 270!
15m CW first qso done!
D66D Comoros in the log, continued calling them when ever heard on the band. worked them on 15m RTTY and SSB, 20m SSB, CW and RTTY, 17m CW,
30m CW and finally on 40m CW. Nice to get new DXCC and with multiple bands and mode.

October 2016

Month started with a nice 2m tropo, got some qsos down to SP, YL, LY, EU, OZ and SM.
Othervise it was not a very active month.
Did however make some 20qsos in the ARRL contest with some stateside guys on 20 and 15m. Very late night propagation.

November 2016

As usual my month starts radioactive from OH1AU, where we go each months 1st Tuesday to work the 2m NAC, we have calculated
that we have already won the Finnish Phone Section 1st price but we like to go there and enjoy the band.
YL VHF Contest at the beginning of the month from home, good conditions and many qsos made, lets see if I win :)
Managed to get 4 new # during the contest, so all and all it was a great day!
DP1POL worked on 30m JT65! Felix does a great job! Was not long after him worked the Russian base on 40m JT65, RI1AND.

Last QSO of the month was Henri OH3JR in VP2/E signing as VP2EHC worked on 30m CW.

December 2016

Again up the hill to OH1AU, this time it was the Indepence day of Finland. So we had the best of the best on us and worked the years last
2m NAC with full steam, 64qsos and section win, again...
J6/K0BBC was worked on 40m SSB, with a nice clear signal. Nice to catch J6 on SSB. New band and mode.
As there has been some talk about Finnish hams getting 60m band to use in future, maybe in January 2017. So I started to build a dipol for
the first antenna for the band, measured some cables and used a commercial 1:1 balun for feedpoint. Tested out on the yard and MiniVNA showed it was
good. No need to modify anything. Next thing was to get it up to the tree... Feedpoint ended up to be around 10m AGL.
Then the news came, on 9th December Finnish FCC gave out info that from now on we are allowed to use 60m band with 15WEIRP...
Rig on and CQs out! First ever qso for me on 60m was LA5TFA on JT65 mode.
First DX on the band was WP3UX also on JT65, great, with a low dipol and 15WEIRP... Have seen LU and few K stations on monitorr but they have been
during the night while been sleeping.
Few other highlights have been C31CT and 4Z5ML on 60m too.
Janne OH1SDR told me to try the tower slopers wich are for 40m, but try and tune them for 60m, surething they work! Tune just fine.
A morning at the office was made by W4DR who I worked remotely from office on 60m, after Bob got K1OF with a bit of struggle but still made a perfect qso.
Small tropo opening on 2m, worked some SP, OZ, DL and one PA station. Propably the years last tropos for 2016...
Saw DP1POL Felix calling on 60m JT65, gave him a call and logged him also on 60m, nice... 15000km. Slopers are working great, dipol is to low to work as
anything else then a omnidirectional antenna.

Felix DP1POL was my 25th DXCC, worked KC4/N2TA also from down Antarctica on 60m JT65, they are quite active. Still looking to catch OJ1ABOA Mika, he should also
be QRV on HF bands, mainly SSB I belive.
Now up to 27DXCCs on 60m band. Looking forward on many more!
Sorry for big delay on the updates on the site.
The year is about to end, still trying to find a few more DXCC for 60m. The end of the year brings a few new ones, V51PJ, GU8FBO and VE9DX logged, I must say that the
slopers work great for 60m DX. Strange thing is that I even worked a russian guy, signing as R4NAP and after him Karstin OY1DZ.
Cu All next year!!! 73 HNY 2017!