dxpeditions and Japan

The last few weeks have seen some improvements to the bands and conditions have improved.
It has been interesting from my qth with a vertical antenna. 

I spent some time listening for the CE9/PA3EXX dxpedition to SA-097 and never heard them, except for one evening.  When I did hear them I spent an hour or so calling them.  When the op came back to me he had the number in my call sign as 9 instead of 5.  I corrected him and then the band immediately packed up and moved away.  I never heard a peep from them after that contact.

The same thing happened with the VP8ORK dxpedition to the South Orkney Islands.  In between work and family life I only heard them once.  It was really interesting to hear the pileup and see it on the cluster.  People from all over were working them and I could never even hear them.  Keep in mind, I am not shy about calling for a station even when they are faint.  As long as I have a resonable copy I will call.  But, I never heard them.  Finally one night on 17 meters I heard them and managed to work them right before they did an operator change.  They were loud and clear and I was able to work them easily.  Thanks for the new one guys!

It is amazing at what a little propagation will do.

JO3AXC and I have been trying to resurrect our sked of attempting to make contact.  So far we have not been succesful in making contact, but as conditions continue to improve I am hopeful that it will work for us.

I need to call about my amplifier.  I hope to get it back on the desk soon.  It would have saved me some time in working the TJ9PF dxpedtion to Cameroon for an all time new one.  I spent an hour or so calling yesterday on 20 and 17 meters before I managed to work them on 20.  My 100 watts and vertical was not quite getting through the pile up.  But, I got lucky and managed.  Thanks guys for the dxpedition.  I hope to work them on other bands before they quit.

So, that is about all the news.
I hope that conditions continue to improve.
Until next time....
I hope to meet you on the air.
73 and good dx
Leslie, ad5wb
Galveston Island, Texas