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DX  This section is devoted to what many consider to be the most fascinating aspect of ham radio - communicating with amateurs in foreign countries. Click here to see one QSL from each of the 200 countries (entities) I have confirmed using minimal QRP. Yes, you CAN work DX with a very simple station like mine. The card above is from one of my best DX contacts, working Perth, Australia via long path before sunset at my QTH on 40 meters. There are different aspects of DXing. Some like to see how many different countries they can contact with their station. This becomes an absolute obsession with some people. They will go to any length to contact that country they haven't worked yet. Just listen to the bands when someone travels to a country that has not had any amateur activity for a while and puts that country back on the air again. This is called a DXpedition. The pileups are awesome. Several kHz of a ham band will be occupied by thousands of amateurs all trying to contact that one station. For others, it is a pleasure to rag chew with an amateur in a foreign country to learn more about that country and its culture. Many lifelong friendships are made this way. Still others enjoy working a particular country or part of the World. Perhaps it is where their ancestors came from, or maybe they are just fascinated with a certain area from reading about it. Amateur organizations in many countries offer awards for contacting amateurs in their country. Most countries are split into divisions (states in the USA, oblasts in Russia, counties in Great Britain, etc.) There are awards for working these divisions. In fact the list of awards that can be earned for working certain collections of DX stations is almost endless. When you consider all these factors, it is no wonder DXing is so popular. Currently we are in a prolonged sunspot minimum when DX is harder to work, especially on the higher HF bands - 17 through 10 meters. But rest assured, conditions will improve in a few years and it will become easier and easier to work the DX all the way through the next sunspot maximum. I am trying to provide tips and information in this section to help you succeed in DXing, whether you are a newcomer to DX or a DXing veteran. Study them and you will be ready for the time when the DX magically reappears all over the ham bands. Of course you can also work DX now, but it is a little more difficult than it will be 2, 3, 4 years from now. |