17m band opens to US east coast

In these days 17m band opens to US east coast. Contacted states are Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

My antenna of 17m band is poor, about 13m long wire and ATU. This antenna is using for 80m, 160m and 12m bands too.

Often 10m band opens to North and South America, contacted USA, Paraguay and Brazil.

Now solar activity seem to low, but at behind of Stereo satellite observatory, next sunspots will be come here side. Then activity will rise again.

Thank You Very Much anxiety for earth quake and tsunami

In the QSOs I caught many anxieties for Japanese earth quake and tsunami, thank you very much from my hart deeply.

At my QTH quaked level 4 (Japanese scale 1 - 7), no damages. But Tohoku (north east area of Japan) attacked severe very much, over 10,000 people maybe dead. Outer structure of Atomic power station was broken by hydrogen explosion, from lost control of reactor cooling.

North part of our Nagano prefecture, other earth quake occurred M6 class next morning. Maximum quake level was 6+. Some people injured and houses broke and rail way was damaged. At my QTH was level 3, no damages.

At now sometimes I feel quakes little yet.

X1.6 Big Solar flare -- HF shut down !!

It happens big X1.6 solar flare 2246UT, 9th march. HF condition is blackout for about 40 minutes.

In this time I contacting North and South America stations at 15m band CW, suddenly all signals fade out.

Then I look web page of solar activities, it reports big solar flare data in just real time.

Now solar activities rises, sunspot number is over 100 in these days. Are Cycle 24 conditions ups ?

My Equipment Collection (6) -- HEATHKIT VTVM

I have a Vacuum Tube Voltmeter (VTVM). I assembled this HEATHKIT IM-18 kit on 1970 era. Even now this meter works well.

Now I have this IM-18 assembly manual and HEATHKIT catalog of January 1974 edition.

SP200BCA Chopin Year 2010 Card Arrived

Chopin was born 1810, so 2010 was 200th Memorial year. This is card of Memorial station SP200BCA.

I also contacted another Memorial station SO0CHOPIN, but this card not arrived yet.

HB0/DJ2IA Liechtenstein Card has come

HB0/DJ2IA Principality of Liechtenstein, we contacted 02/July of 2010 at 30m band CW. This card came via bureau. This is my first confirmation of Liechtenstein.

Tiny countries in Europe, not contact yet are Andorra and Vatican, confirmed are San Marino, Monaco, Malta, Luxembourg and this Liechtenstein.