Hi Matt,
Of course there needs to be a Part 3 in this story , hi.
It’s not SOTA, but most of you will know about the QCX Challenge , where we try to contact other QCX users, in a kind of mini-contest. It happens each LAST Monday of the month. See:
Since WARC bands are not allowed for contesting, we will now also have a QCX WARC Party , where no points count, only the fun of having a QSO with your QCX (Mini or Classic or Plus), and being able to brag about it in the QRP Labs newsgroup.
Find all info here:
If you don’t have a QCX for one of the WARC bands, no problem. If you have followed along in Part 2 of this thread, you will know that you can use a QCX on it’s “one lower” band.
Get your rigs and antennnas ready, the first QCX WARC Party is next Monday !
If “organized” were the criterion, we would have to forbid WARC bands for DX-peditions, Special Event stations, or any Award scheme like SOTA, etc … since these all require some “organizing”. Let’s not fill this thread with a useless discussion, it has all been discussed before, see:
A QSO Party is clearly not a contest.
Times slots : I understand, but whatever timeslot we take, someone will say it doesn’t suit them. You can of course call CQ and enjoy a nice QSO any time of day …
BTW (since this thread is about the QCX Mini)… congrats on taking your QCX Mini on an activation and working ZL2IFB from W4G/NG-006 , great job !
(And I know how great it feels, I worked ZL on one of my last activations with a QCX Mini, see my post in Part 2).
This is the advice I posted in the QRP Labs newsgroup:
One advice : calling CQ QCX or CQ QWP or anything like that will often put off possible QSO candidates. Many times, I get a ?? as a reply, and when I repeat CQ QCX … people move on. So increase your chances by just calling CQ. And of course, please join the sked page, it makes it much easier to find fellow QCX’ers.
You can follow my advice or not … it may not matter too much.
Now there is some BAD NEWS … I just checked that sked page to copy a link here, but it seems there is a problem that wil not be resolved soon.
I suppose we’re back to the QRP Labs Chat to exchange info and make skeds if needed.
73,
Luc, ON7DQ
Rather embarrassingly, I managed to blow the input whilst troubleshooting my QCX Mini . Luckily, it was only a resistor, mixer and a couple of diodes that needed swapping. Note to self: always connect signal generator last. I use the Sark 110 to tune my Fuchskreis; I don’t trust one LED. Expect the QCX Mini back on air very shortly!
73 de OE6FEG
Matt
I’ve got my QCX-mini 20m (assembled) on Monday.
Today I was able to test it in CWT short contest at 13z.
I can only say: WOW!
Worked 22 QSO’s (13 x DX).
My antenna is 2el yagi (MY5T 10el 5-Band Yagi E73M-Design)
Well, I can’t wait for the next SOTA activation
73, Mario DJ2MX
I am taking about the kit. Sorry for not reading your message,
Okay then 10 weeks might be normal and maybe another 2-4 for shipping? Anyone having experience?
. Luckily, it was only a resistor, mixer and a couple of diodes that needed swapping. Note to self: always connect signal generator last. I use the Sark 110 to tune my Fuchskreis; I don’t trust one LED. Expect the QCX Mini back on air very shortly!
