I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I got licensed about four years ago, near the beginning of the bottom of the sunspot cycle. Add to that the fact that I haven't been particularly active for the past couple of years and I don't have a huge beam antenna or an amp, it means I haven't had many European contacts.
That seems to be changing for the better now. Last week I had QSOs with someone in Holland and someone in Switzerland, within about half an hour of each other. They were both new ones for me, believe it or not. Last night I finally had my first contact with an English station, Rich G0BLB, near Bath.
There's several reasons why I was really happy about that particular contact. Firstly, I'm originally from England. Secondly, one of my cousins over there is married to a ham, Andy 2E0HPO in Hertfordshire. And third, my signal wasn't as week as I thought it would be. If conditions keep improving it won't be long before I'll be able to chat with Andy. I only met him for the first time two years ago when my wife Donna and I were over there on holidays.
Actually, with conditions improving now, I'm at that stage in my ham career where a lot of my QSOs are new ones, which makes it more fun.
73 Steve
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2 comments:
Hello Steve, don't know if you made the QSO's in SSB or CW? But sunspots are increasing, so there will be possebilities enough. I invite you to take part in de Dutch PACC contest next weekend. You probabely have the chance to work europe again. It's in both SSB and CW. 73, Bas
Bas,
The QSO was SSB, but I've been learning CW. I'll be listening out for the contest, a few more Dutch contacts would be great.
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