27 December 2024

  I had some spare time this evening so I decided to head out to the beach and try 15m around 0640z. Several JA stations quickly picked me up and things were going smoothly. Then someone must have spotted me and at 0700z the band exploded with calls from EU rolling in. I initially set up and asked everyone to listen 5-10 up. There was another station 15 up and I did not want to cause them QRM, but I think eventually they were pushed out by the crowd unfortunately. Eventually I started listening up 5-15, as it was the only way to pick out calls from the pile up. 

  Tonight was probably the best conditions I have experienced operating into EU. By 0830z I was getting tired and could tell it was more effort to make sense of the calls coming in. Without the moon’s light it was really dark outside. Then the rain started. I was parked sideways to the wind (parallel to the shore) so I had nothing to shield my radio that was sitting next to me on the bench seat of the vehicle I was in. I also had to maneuver my paper log onto the steering wheel to keep it from getting drenched as I pulled in the last couple contacts and announced I had to QRT.

  I quickly unplugged my radio and stowed it in a weather proof container in the back of my buggy and began taking down my dipole antenna.  In the beam of my headlamp I could see the heavy raindrops pouring down. I can’t complain though. I like the rain, especially warm rain, but I was soaked by the time I was ready to drive back to my dorm. 119 contacts in two hours was no record but let the good DX conditions continue. 73, AL