{"id":18113,"date":"2016-04-07T08:01:18","date_gmt":"2016-04-07T12:01:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=18113"},"modified":"2016-04-07T08:01:18","modified_gmt":"2016-04-07T12:01:18","slug":"heard-vk0ek-on-the-radio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/04\/heard-vk0ek-on-the-radio\/","title":{"rendered":"Heard VK0EK on the radio"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Heard<\/a>

Heard Island (Image: VK0EK)<\/p><\/div>\n

Regular SWLing Post<\/em> readers know that I’m a ham radio operator (call sign K4SWL). Being a shortwave radio enthusiast, of course, I spend most of my time on the air in the HF portion of the amateur radio spectrum. Contacting distant stations and connecting with other ham radio operators around our little planet gives me immense joy.<\/p>\n

Most of you also probably know that I’m a fan of all things Antarctic<\/a>, so it should come\u00a0as\u00a0no surprise that I really<\/em>\u00a0wanted to work VK0EK: the Heard Island DXpedition<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Thing is, my life has been so hectic lately, I’ve barely been home during the Heard Island DXpedition (March 29th \u2013 April 11th). And the days I have been home, VK0EK’s signals have been incredibly weak.<\/p>\n

In short: timing and propagation were all working against me. \u00a0And VK0EK was soon to pack up and come back home. I was becoming desperate…and beginning to lose hope that I’d make any contact with this unique and rare entity in the isolated stretch of ocean between Madagascar and Antartica.<\/p>\n

\""Antennas<\/a>

“Antennas with a clearing” on Heard Island (Photo by Bill, AE0EE)<\/p><\/div>\n

My hope was waning. \u00a0Then, Tusday\u00a0evening, I gave a presentation about shortwave radio at the Blue Ridge Amateur Radio Club.<\/a>\u00a0On the hour-long\u00a0drive home, I stopped by my good friend\u00a0Vlado’s (N3CZ) to confess my troubles to the radio doc.<\/p>\n

Now it just happens that Vlado has a much better antenna set-up to work DX than I do, and what’s more, (close your ears, fellow QRPers<\/em>) he\u00a0has an amplifier.<\/p>\n

Most importantly, though, Vlado is a keen<\/em> DXer. \u00a0He’s got 330 countries under his belt, and ever up for a challenge, routinely pushes himself to accomplish more with less. In January, with members of the local club, he entered a QRP challenge; he had 100 countries worked by the following month, all in his spare time.\u00a0And a few years ago, Vlado actually built a radio of his own design and worked 100 countries within two months (you can read about that here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

So, of course, he was game to help me make a contact…even if it was a long shot. \u00a0A very long shot.<\/p>\n

Juan de Nova<\/strong><\/p>\n

When I arrived at Vlado’s QTH around 21:00 local, VK0EK was impossibly weak, so we focused our efforts on 30 meters and\u00a0FT4JA: the\u00a0Juan de Nova Island DXpedition<\/a> (another all-time new one for me).<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A portion of the FT4JA antenna farm. (Image: FT4JA)<\/p><\/div>\n

After more than an hour of calling, FT4JA\u00a0finally heard my call and (woo hoo!) I was confirmed in their log.<\/p>\n

But what about Heard Island?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"penguin-chow-line4_6-1600px\"<\/a><\/p>\n

After working FT4JA, we moved down to 40 meters where VK0EK was slightly<\/em> louder than before. Well, maybe\u00a0it’s\u00a0not impossible<\/em>, I thought hopefully. Just next to it<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Between QSB (fading) and tuner-uppers, my ears were bleeding trying to hear Heard’s minuscule CW signal–so faint, so distant were they.<\/p>\n

After only about ten minutes of steady calling, Vlado made a sign to get my attention, and we strained to listen, very carefully.<\/p>\n

VK0EK came back very<\/em> faintly with just one letter incorrect in my call–it was enough that I didn’t catch it at first. But Vlado heard it, and after sending the call back a couple of times, then the report, VK0EK confirmed my call with a signal report, and I reciprocated.<\/p>\n

Vlad and I leapt to our feet, yelling, “WOO HOO!” (and hopefully didn’t wake up any of Vlad’s neighbors).<\/p>\n

Heard Island is actually running an online log that is updated live. We immediately looked there to confirm I was in their log, and was greeted with this great circle map and a line from Heard Island to my call sign in the States. Vlado made this screen capture as a momento:<\/p>\n

\"k4swl<\/a><\/p>\n

Here’s to good friends and mentors<\/strong><\/p>\n

In one incredible evening, I snagged two all-time new ones–and I owe it all to my good buddy, Vlado. Most importantly, I’ve been learning so much from him as he patiently coaches me through some weak\u00a0DX with serious pileups. Plus it’s just always fun hanging around Vlado, the best broken radio doctor I know<\/a>, to whom “challenge” is…well, a piece of cake.<\/p>\n

Thanks Vlado, for your enthusiasm and patience–I’m lucky to have a friend like you!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Regular SWLing Post readers know that I’m a ham radio operator (call sign K4SWL). Being a shortwave radio enthusiast, of course, I spend most of my time on the air in the HF portion of the amateur radio spectrum. Contacting distant stations and connecting with other ham radio operators around our little planet gives me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[8,545,3],"tags":[389,4098,4934,4102,4882,4933,4072,4881,4073],"class_list":["post-18113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","category-ham-radio","category-news","tag-amateur-radio","tag-dxpeditions","tag-ft4ja","tag-ham-radio","tag-heard-island","tag-juan-de-nova","tag-n3cz","tag-vk0ek","tag-vlado"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-4I9","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":17889,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/03\/heard-island-dxpedition-vk0ek-live-via-wbcq-tonight\/","url_meta":{"origin":18113,"position":0},"title":"Heard Island DXpedition (VK0EK) live via WBCQ tonight","author":"Thomas","date":"March 22, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: ARRL) [...]At 0000 UTC on March 23 (the evening of Tuesday, March 22, in US time zones), Tom Medlin, W5KUB, host of the weekly \u201cAmateur Radio Roundtable\u201d video webcast and radio program, hopes to make ham radio media history by interviewing the DXpedition team live on his webcast. Audio\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "DXpeditions"","block_context":{"text":"DXpeditions","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/dxpeditions\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"heard-live-with-text","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/heard-live-with-text.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":38588,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/07\/apollo-11-ham-radio-special-event-stations\/","url_meta":{"origin":18113,"position":1},"title":"Apollo 11 ham radio special event stations","author":"Thomas","date":"July 21, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Randy (KS4L), who writes: Don't know if you're aware, but there are a number of Special Event Stations on the air this weekend commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon. This includes W4A at the US Space and Rocket\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/W4A-QSL-Card-e1563706390102.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/W4A-QSL-Card-e1563706390102.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/W4A-QSL-Card-e1563706390102.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/W4A-QSL-Card-e1563706390102.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28588,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/amateur-radio-playing-key-role-in-puerto-rico\/","url_meta":{"origin":18113,"position":2},"title":"Amateur radio: “Playing Key Role in Puerto Rico”","author":"Thomas","date":"September 29, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 (Source: NBC News) When things went dark and quiet in Puerto Rico, a cadre of amateur radio operators became a lifeline on the island. About two dozen amateur radio operators on the island helped police and first responders communicate when their radio networks failed completely. Some of the radio\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Icom-IC-7300-Front.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Icom-IC-7300-Front.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Icom-IC-7300-Front.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Icom-IC-7300-Front.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20126,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/07\/an-update-on-amateur-radio-activity-in-turkey\/","url_meta":{"origin":18113,"position":3},"title":"Alive and Well: Post-Coup Amateur Radio in Turkey","author":"Thomas","date":"July 24, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to a number of Post readers who shared\u00a0a link to this news item which claims that the\u00a0government of Turkey revoked 3213 ham radio licenses after the recent coup attempt. I was reluctant to post this story because I couldn't find any other news source substantiating the claim. Turns\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Turkey","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Turkey.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Turkey.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Turkey.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Turkey.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16752,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/maritime-emergency-ham-radio-recording\/","url_meta":{"origin":18113,"position":4},"title":"Maritime emergency ham radio recording","author":"Thomas","date":"January 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"An SWLing Post reader recently sent me the following YouTube video--a recording\u00a0Hanz (W1JSB) made on the 20 meter ham band several years ago.\u00a0Here's his description from YouTube: Several years ago I was tuning around the 20 meter amateur radio band and heard this lively, engaging, and impressive exchange on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"maritime-exchange","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/maritime-exchange.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/maritime-exchange.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/maritime-exchange.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13845,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/06\/its-field-day-weekend-find-a-local-event-have-fun-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":18113,"position":5},"title":"It’s Field Day weekend: find a local event, have fun","author":"Thomas","date":"June 27, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"If you live in North America and have an interest in becoming a ham radio operator, this is the weekend to check out what amateur radio is all about, and meet local radio enthusiasts. \u00a0It's\u00a0Field Day. What is Field Day? \u00a0I'll quote from the ARRL, who sponsors the event: \"ARRL\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"FieldDay2015","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/FieldDay2015.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18113"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18113\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}