TX5EU in the Pacific BG66ED has been coming in with remarkably good signals from Austral Island, even now with the SFI dropping just above 100. The radio path from JO33 is QTF 316, sometimes on 20m directly over the North Pole. I missed the peaks on 80m and 10m, and now with a K=6 magnetic disturbance and a tropical storm affecting them, conditions are tough. I’ve worked 9 slots so far. The 60m contact was special, made with my Windom antenna, SWR 1:5, tuned and barefoot at 100W FT8—very surprised TX5EU came back after just a few calls.
Other bands required much more patience, though I prefer CW.
Twice I had SPLIT off—sorry about that, it was brief. I usually stop calling when a QSO is pending to avoid unnecessary QRM, but many callers just keep transmitting during an pending contact, even when the operator asks them to stop. On top of that, there’s often a lot of DQRM, which is pointless to respond to—it only makes things worse.
Great operation! Excellent signals from a rare and challenging remote location.
Great operators with a good ear for PA calls!
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I definitely prefer CW, but I’m not opposed to using FT8 or FT4.
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