For sure in every log there are QSOs with easy DXCC entities which are hard to confirm. In my case I had some easy European entities worked on 17 meters but after some years I had not QSLs. So finally I sent directs and they were quickly confirmed: 9H4CM, OM7CM, Z68BB – all of the as new ones on 17 meters (of course I have many confirmed QSOs on other bands).

In the meantime I also received LoTW confirmation from Z68B as a new one on 30 meters.

Not bad…

My other hobby (besides HAM Radio) is climbing. I started climbing when I was 45 so too late to achieve high levels. But in spite of it I try to train and to improve my skills and power.

I have made a mini-campus which I use at home. It is permanently placed on the wall, above one of the doors. When I started climbing I bought a composite hangboard, then a set of composite and wooden grips. Finally I ordered a wooden hangboard. Yesterday I fastened it to my mini-campus and it is ready for my training sessions.

Our apartment is high so to reach the hangboard it is necesssary to use a chair. For the same reason it is impossible to do too crazy excercises. Anyway I am very glad to have this new tool in my mini-campus. The wooden hangboard was ordered from Climbero.pl.

At the begining of December I checked my log for old QSOs which are not confirmed but which are needed for new band or mode slots. Finally I sent some directs via mail of via PayPal request (unfortunately surface post services are more and more expensive).

Right before Chrstmas I received QSL of LU6FFL (QSL via EA5GL) – the QSO from June 2003 on 80 meters. I worked LU on 80 meters many times in the meantime but… always during contesting, from contest stations. So I noticed I need LU on 80m. Now it is confirmed.

The next QSL is from Fedor UK9AA. I believe he is the most active station from Uzbekistan now. I worked him many times in the past and I already have QSL cards for previous QSOs. I needed new band confirmations on 160m and 60m. I also noticed I need SSB on 10m (no wonder – I have never been DXing on SSB for real).

The next thing is that I worked Suddan on 80 (ST2A) and 40 (ST0RM) meters but QSOs are not confirmed. PayPal requests were sent to QSL Manager – E73Y. SO now I am happy to have Sundan confirmed on 80 and 40. QSOs were made under my contest call SN5M (I used it some years ago).

Finally… I found in my log that I need QSLs from HK on 12 meters and A7 on 17 meters (hard to believe).I found HK7AAG and A71BO in my log, both confirming via EA5GL. I have sent PayPal request for the mentioned QSOs as well as for 4K6MAR as I needed this DXCC as a new one on 17m on digital modes. Now all that QSOs are confirmed – thanks to Pedro EA5GL for his perfect QSL service.

Yesterday after a morning coffee I checked the 80 meters for the last minutes of propagation to NA. Right after 7 o’clock (UTC) TG9ANF was logged on FT4, next KE8M from Ohio and some EU stations.
Next I was observing 20 meters and I managed to log some DX from UA9/UA0. Then I was playing on 30 meters and finally I checked 17 meters. The band was open. I was lucky to log NP3V, TR8CA and TT8SN on FT8. In the meantime I was also on 12 meters to work EA6VQ and I was called by FR4OO.

In the late afternoon I was back on 80 meters and then on the top band where I logged 9K2HN. At the end of the day I also worked J69DS on 60 meters. Besides the mentioned calls also many stations form EU, NA and some from SA… All on FT8 or FT4. What a day! And all QSOs made just between home and QRL duties.

In the evening some of the QSOs were already confirmed on the LoTW. TG9ANF was a new confirmed DXCC on 80m. TT8SN was a new one on 17m. The next morning 9K2HN confrimed at LoTW as a new one on the top band (somehow I misssed 9K earlier) and also TR8CA as a new one on digital modes on 17m.