Sunday 23rd November 2025
As I write this November HF report I’m sorry to say conditions are pretty poor at the moment this was the state of play this morning:
Next weekend sees the CQ world wide CW contest good luck to G5O and anyone else who may be entering, I don’t operate CW so I won’t be involved let’s hope the bands play ball for this the biggest CW contest of the year.
There have been some interesting Dexpeditions about recently the Gambia, Sierra Leone and a pretty rare one Burundi which ranks no 60 on club logs most wanted list, sadly these have now ended.
For those unfamiliar with Dexpeditions they are run by groups of amateurs from various countries who travel to remote locations often rarely heard and operate throughout the HF bands sometimes on all modes for a set period of time.
If you hear a Dexpedition be prepared for a considerable pile up as lots of stations try to get these rare countries in their logs
DXpeditions often work split where they listen on one frequency and transmit on another often they will say the call sign and listening 5 or 10 up so you will need to set your radio for split operation eg listen on 14200mhz and transmit on 14210 which is 10 up.
Sometimes they will say listening 5-10 or even 5-15 up a good tip is to listen to where the bulk of the pileup are transmitting and try to get in on that frequency or try 5 up for a while then 10 up then 15up listen first and don’t transmit on the frequency your hearing them on or you will get stations shouting at you to move up for your transmission.
Some hams avoid DXpeditions because of the pileups thinking I’ll never get them you’d be surprised how many Foundation licence holders I hear working DXpeditions just the luck of the draw one things for sure if you don’t try you won’t work them.
If you would like more info or help in operating split get in touch with me or ask at the club and I or others will be happy to help you.
Perhaps a talk at the club on split operation is warranted if enough members think this would be helpful I would be happy to put one together please let me know.
Moving on some of the more interesting DX I have worked since the last report are as follows:
Liechtenstein on 17m 2/11 (no great distance but rarely heard)
Indonesia on 15m 4/11
Andorra on 20m 4/11 (no great distance but fairly rare)
Sierra Leone 15m 4/11 (DXpedition)
Burundi 12m 8/11 (DXpedition)
United Arab Emirates 12m 8/11
Luxembourg 20m 9/11 (no great distance but not heard often)
Sierra Leone 10m 9/11 (DXpedition)
Burundi 15m 14/11 (DXpedition)
Tunisia 15m 17m (not heard often in North Africa)
All my contacts are made on SSB using an Icom ic7610 with 100-400 watts of power into a spiderbeam aerial 51 commercially bought off centre fed multi band wire dipole up between 30 and 50ft on fibreglass telescopic poles.
This antenna is available in two types
Lightweight up to 200w power handling
Heavy duty up to 600w power handling
Details of this antenna can be found on the spider beam website
The top 3 clublog HF ladder positions in the 3 modes as a of Sun 23/11 as follows:
Phone mode:
CW mode:
Data mode:
If you are not on the HF ladder and would like to join to check your standing against other members of the club then why not join it’s easy see the SRS website for details or ask at a club meeting.
Well that’s about it for this month until next month 73 and good DX
Thursday 29th October 2025
Good afternoon all the CQ worldwide contest last weekend proved very popular with lots of stations round the world taking part,
I had a go making 342 QSOs not brilliant in the great scheme of things but worked lots of Stateside Caribbean South American Asia and of course many into Europe.
10m was particularly good this year.
I believe G5O did well unfortunately I couldn’t join them at CBF due to health issues but many congratulations to them and anyone else who took part.
Unfortunately band conditions have dipped a bit since weekend today’s SFI is:
Some of the better DX I have worked since the last report are as follows:
- Martinique on 10m 9/10
- Malawi on 10m 9/10
- Montenegro on 15m 13/10
- Guernsey on 40m 17/10 (not far but not heard often)
- Iraq on 10m 20/10
- Japan on 17m 20/10
- Angola on 12m 20/10
- Greenland on 12m 20/10
- Saba and St. Eustatius on 17 12 and 15m 21 and 22/10
- Australia on 15m 23/10
- Bonaire on 15m 23/10
- Rodriguez Island on 10 and 12m 24/10
- Curaçao on 10m 24/10
- Kazakhstan on 15m 25/10
- China on 10m 25/10
- Suriname on 10m 25/10
- St. Barthelemy on 15m 25/10
- Krygyzstan on 20m 25/10
- Kaliningrad on 40m 25/10
- Liechtenstein on 40m 25/10
- Cape Verde on 10m 26/10
- Antigua and Barbuda on 15m 26/10
- Turks and Caicos Islands on 15m 26/10
- The Gambia on 15m on 28/10
- And many more into Europe, United States and Canada.
The latest Clublog top 3 HF ladder positions as follows :
Phone Mode
CW Mode:
Data Mode:
If your not on clublog or the HF ladder why not join it’s easy and check your standing against other members of the club see the website for details or ask one of us at a club meeting.
Well that’s it for the latest HF report until next time good DX and best 73
Keith MØJYP (29/10/2025)
Thanks for your report Keith.
l worked a bit of HF in October l was on holiday in Wales the weekend of the contests my log
- 3V8LL Tunisia on 10m.
- GP0STH Guernsey Island on 40m
- OX3LX Greenland on12m.
- TI8/N7ZG Costs Rica on 12m.
- PJ6Y Saba and Eustatius on 20m 15m and 10m.
- D2A Angola on12m.
- VK9DX Norfolk Island off the east coast of Australia on 15m. New county for me.
- TA4A Turkey on 15m
- ….plus lots of USA Canada and if course Europe.
Best RD and 73’s