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This year I had planned to participate a bit more in the CQWW CW contest than I did. But I managed to put in some time, mainly to gather more LoTWconfirmations on 80M. I now have DXCC confirmed on 40M-6M on LoTW. 160M and 80M are the ones missing. 

On November 23rd in CQWW CW I worked the following DX on 80M CW: C6AKQ, ZF1A, D4C, VP5CW, KP2B, P40L and PJ4A. I also worked several stations from W and VE.

On November 24th in CQWW CW I worked CR3E, PJ2T, CT3KN, HI3A, J73A, V31ZM, HK1NA, JT5DX, JA3YBK, BY5CD, 3V8BB, 4L0A and 4Z4DX.

Some of these stations were surprisingly easy to work, others were tough. Though, I can't expect my low-hanging dipole to be a dx-antenna, I'm positively suprised at what I have managed to work. I also heard AH0BT, VK2DX, OA4SS and VP2MMM in the contest, but I didn't manage work any of those.

On November 28th Kevin KL7KY was spotted on 80M CW. I could hear him quite good. I fired up the amp and got him in the log for several new ones on 80M. He was a new zone, state and dxcc on 80M. 5W8A and FK8DD was worked on 40M CW. V73NS was worked on 40M CW for a new on 40M. ZM90DX was worked on 30M CW. J88HL was worked on 30M and 10M CW.

On November 29th I worked VU7AG on 15M CW for a new one on 15M. J88HL was worked on 40M and 20M CW, 15M SSB and 12M RTTY. TU5NK was worked on 17M SSB. PJ2/VE7ACN was worked on 12M CW. VU7AG was worked on 80M CW. I had to work him twice, because he would not get my call correct. The signal was quite strong, and I was surprised to work him.

On November 30th I worked FJ/DK7LX and FG5FR on 80M CW. Both were new on 80M.

On December 1st I worked FJ/DK7LX on 15M CW for a new one on 15M.

On December 3td I worked FJ/DK7LX on 10M CW for a new one on 15M. VU7AG was worked on 30M CW for a new one on 30 and #300 on 30M. That is my first band with #300 DXCC's worked.

On December 5th I worked PJ7/G3TXF on 12M CW. OD5NJ/P was worked on 20M CW from AS-108 for a new iota.

Soundclips:

• KL7KY 80M CW
• VU7AG 80M CW
• 5W8A 40M CW

I started the month of November off with a new iota on November 2nd. 4X6HP/P was worked on 20M and 17M CW from AS-100. 5J0R was worked on 40M SSB for a new one on 40. 4Z5IW/P was worked on 17M SSB from AS-100.

On November 3rd I worked TX5RV (Austral Island) on 12M CW for a new one on 12M. I also put up a low hanging 80M inv-v to get back on that band. I'm aiming to finish my 80M LoTW DXCC. I have DXCC confirmed, but that's with cards and LoTW.

On November 5th I worked 5J0R on 80M for a new one on 80M. It was quite a surprise to work them that easy. They had a nice and strong signal here. A little later I worked 5J0R on 40M CW.

On November 6th I worked 5J0R on 30M and 20M CW.

On November 8th I managed to work K9W (Wake) on 40M CW for a new one on CW and 40M. 5J0R was worked on 17M CW. T33A was worked on 30M for a new one on 30.

On November 14th I worked K9W on 30M for a new one on 30.

On November 15th I worked J88HL on 17M from NA-109 for a new iota. XZ1J was worked on 40M CW. JW8HGA was worked on 17M CW.

On November 16th I worked JW8HGA on 80M CW.

On November 17th I worked JW8HGA on 12M/15M SSB, and 12M CW. KH8/WD5COV was worked on 20M CW for a new one on CW. I have only one qso with KH8 before this, and that was all the way back in 1998, so it was nice to finally get the country on CW as well. FJ/DK7LX was worked on 12M CW for a new one on 12M.

On November 18th I worked J88HL on 80M for a new one on 80M.

On November 20th I worked 4U1ITU on 80M for a new one on 80M.

On November 21st I managed to work VP9/WA1Z and 4K6FO on 80M CW for two new ones on 80. 6Y7W and 4L/UU0JM was also worked on 80M.

On November 22nd I worked PJ7/N7QT, PJ4/KU8E and XT26DJ on 80M CW for three new ones on 80M. EA6/DL6RAI was also worked on 80M CW. PJ2/K2PLF and PJ4/K4BAI was worked on 20M CW for two new ones on 20M.

November har been quite a month with many expeditions and lots of dx being active. Though several of the expeditions has not been very good at working europeans when we have good conditions, but instead continue to work stuff they can work most of the time when band is not open to Europe. Chosing band has also been quite strange at times. One expedition had good signal on 30M, but suddenly went to 160M. A few minutes later, they were spotted with no takers. A while later, they were back on 30M when a DL and an OH station got through. The station however didn't bother to ask for more EU, instead they continued on with NA and JA. And once again, with a good signal, the station went to 160M. Frustration was quite high and I did see spots that people were not happy about this.

Another pacific expedition was on 30M and had quite a good signal, but was only asking for NA for hours on end. The dx station picked up a suffix of a european calling, but refused to work the station when they got the full call from EU. Why bother with EU when you can work strong NA-stations most of the day…

Enough ranting… The 80M inv-v continues to amaze me. I have worked more dx than I had expected with such a low hanging antenna. The center is about 8m over ground and the ends are sloping down to maybe 1m over ground. I have worked several new ones, and I have heard XR0YY, HK, FR, Z8, A9 and KL7 so far.

Soundclips:

• K9W 40M CW
• T33A 30M CW
• 5J0R 40M SSB
• JW8HGA 80M
• JW8HGA 20M
• KH8/WD5COV 20M CW
• Z81X 80M CW

This was one I was sure I would not work from home due to me only having a vertical antenna and those active from Marion Island only having 100W and simple antennas.

During CQWW SSB I know several LA-stations managed to work ZS8 on 10M SSB. I didn't hear anything at that time. And I have not heard ZS8 since.

Yesterday I noticed ZS8C was on 10M and several LA-stations got him. I found out about this a few hours later, so I thought it was too late for me. Suddenly the signal started to come up. I just had to give it a shot and after a few minutes, he was suddenly asking for an LA8-station. ZS8C was finally in my log for #334. Only 9 left to work. Last time I got a new one was back in 2011, so they are very rare. Listen to the signal and qso below. Thank you very much for being active Carson!

Soundclip:

• ZS8C 10M SSB

I have worked a few new islands since last time, but it has slowed down a lot the last month. Anyway, here's my report since last time.

On October 17th, I worked VK5CE/4 on 15M and 20M SSB from OC-255. Craig was on yet another iota-trip and gave me a new iota. Thanks a lot! Listen to his signal on the bottom of the post. TN2MS was worked on 17M CW for a new bandcountry.

On October 19th, I worked TN2MS on 12M CW for a new one on 12. W4/SP5APW was worked on 20M SSB from NA-138 for a new iota.

On October 20th, I worked TN2MS on 10M and 15M SSB. Both were new bandcountries. TJ3AY was worked on 12M SSB for a new one on 12. C82DX was worked on 12M CW.

On October 21st, I worked C82DX on 10M CW. B9/BY9GA was worked on 15M CW from zone 23. W4/SP5APW was again on 20M SSB, this time from NA-076. Which was a new iota for me.

On October 22nd, I worked YB9Y on 17M CW from OC-276 for a new iota. HS0ZKG was worked on 30M CW from AS-101 for a new iota. ZD8JR was worked on 12M CW. C82DX was worked on 17M and 20M CW. Both were new bandcountries.

On October 23rd, I worked HL4CYP on 10M CW for a new one on 10. BG2AUE and VR2UW was also worked on 10M CW.

On October 24th, I worked TI3/N3KS on 15M and 12M CW. YB9Y was worked on 30M CW.

On October 25th, I worked T6T on 12M CW for a new one on 12.

During CQWW SSB (October 26th/27th) I worked around 100 qsoes. I chased a few new states here and there to fill up a few missing slots in the triple-play award (worked all states on cw, ssb and digital mode). XE3/K5ENS was worked on 10M SSB from NA-045. That was a new iota, and a new country and zone on 10M.

Soundclips:

• VK5CE/4 15M SSB
• TN2MS 17M CW

This was one confirmation that I have been waiting for. I have worked several TI-stations, but not one of them has uploaded our qso to LoTW. During CQWW I managed to work TI5W in Costa Rica on 15M and 40M SSB. The log was uploaded some time during the past week. That was confirmation #317 on LoTW. Thank you very much to the manager N3YIM and also thank you for the contacts.