Best days of the week were Saturday and Sunday. Certainly seems that the DARC contest helped.

Best DX EW1I (Belarus), ZC4UW (Cyprus), 3D2DJ (Fiji), OY1OF DZ, CT (all Faroe Is) rare birds indeed. Check out OY1OF’s QRZ web page. Incredible.

In the fall of 2017 OY1CT’s old quad was replaced with this OptiBeam OB9-5 9 element 5 band antenna. Wow!

Patrick, ON4ARJ , worked LZ2CM/-15dB and YO8RAA/-9dB on Saturday and on Sunday SQ4FXT +01dB, UT1XX +09dB, UR5KHZ -02dB, UT0RM +02dB, EU1DX +06dB, EV1R -04dB, EW6X -03dB, SP5BBG -04dB, YL3CL -14dB, IW4BNN +05dB, IK4LZH +09dB, SQ8JLF -15dB, OY1DZ -04dB using FT8 and a vertical antenna. Sunday was a good day.

Most popular DX (three or more contacts, any mode)

Monday DX: EW1I, OH6RM, S57TW, R4CF, LZ4TX, EA6ET, IK4OMO, ES3BM, US7VF, OE6VHF, EU4U, ES1KK, DF2RG, SM6MUY, R6LCF, PG7M, OY1CT, LA5TEN/B, LA1KUA, EA3TI, YO3FRI, YL2MU, YL2AG, US8UX, US8UA, UR6HE, UA2FF, SK7GH/B, OE3WMA, LZ2HM, LB2TB, LA7EIA, IZ4GWE, EU7FBB, EA7AH, EA5DFV, DM0AAB/B, DK7LX, DB0UM/B, SP2JMR, SP1YGL, SB7W, R5WW, MU0FAL, M0BEW, LA3QAA, IZ8RVA/B, IZ3PWF, I5KAP, HB9FAR, HA5KN, G6AD, F2YT, EV1P, ES4IN, EG4CWO, DL8OBF, 4U1A, 3Z9KP. Spotters: IK4OMO, OH2LOA, F4CXO, YT3GTI, OE6GBG, G0LFF, F1BBI, OH7TE, EA3GJO, DL4MY, F5LRL, OE6VHF, DL4MFF, DG5TF, R7YY, K7OOS, EA3TI, AA0CW, 9A5O, WA3GWK, MM0ULL, IU1BPR, EW2R, OE3WMA, DL1REM, SP9BCV, PG7M, OZ1JRL, K6YYL, GM4ATA, EC3CHI, EA7JXZ, DK9JC, 9A5CW, VK2FSAV, VE3FGU, SWL1GW, OE1HHB, MM0TFU, IV3HAX, DM5JL, DL1DV .

Tuesday DX: ZC4UW, LA5TEN/B, W2DLL, SR5TDM/B, OA4DKJ, DB0UM/B. Spotters: MM0TFU, F4CXO, VK4CZ, WA3GWK, VE3FGU .

 Wednesday DX: M0HKB, OZ5DM, IU3BTY, IK4VFD, VO1FOG, MM0KMK/M, IU5JHK, GI0CWV, F5OHM, DP70DARC, DB0UM/B, MM0ZBH, F5TVG, EI6GCB, EA7JXZ, DL3LJ, DL2RMM, DL0IGI/B, CN8AM, W0CES, OY6BEC/B, OE3XAC/B, N8II, KB8O, K5TLL/B, K0WKT/B, K0COM, G4ELJ, EA3TI, DO5OT, DL2JRM, DK4WD.
Spotters: G4CJC, F4CXO, EA3TI, KC4HQS, G0OPI, F1BBI, G1EZF, DO5NU, WA3GWK, SP5GEO, PU2RJO, KN4UQM, KG5RJ, W4KRN, ZL2RX, W8MIL, SP9BCV, MM0TFU, KC4AAW, GM8LFB, G7BXU, S57AC, G0JEI, F4TXU, F1DHX, EI7HBB, DL7ALM, DL3BXX, SP6KEP, SP4JEM, ON5WO, OK7PK, OE5CSP, M0IQD, KA8TBW, IZ1WYO, IU2CKS, IK5IFH, F4ILV, F4HLB, EA3AQR, DL4LE, AA9HQ, 9A5BKR .

Thursday DX: EA3TI, EA3AQR, ZS6WAB/B, OH1TP, LA5WJA, SK7GH/B, OH6RM, I6CXD.
Spotters: KC4AAW, W1GQQ, EA3TI, MM0TFU, VK2SOL, PA/NL8992, WA3GWK, G0TSM, VK3VM, VE3FGU, F4CXO, VK2FSAV, GM8LFB .

Friday DX: 3D2DJ, RK0UT, PY5QW, PW8GTS, PU5LHF, CA4PSH, 3D2DJ/P.
Spotters: VK4CZ, PU5LHF, WA7NB/7, VE3PV, VE3FGU, SP9BGS, PU2NBI, KN4UQM, KC4AAW, W0WOW, PU2RJO, PP5HA, N5BMD, F4CXO .

Saturday DX: LZ4TX, DM5TI, LW5DR, G0FWX, ZS6NL, S51DD, PU5BOY, I5KAP, I2BRT, GW4SKA, TA2LG, PU2UAF, OM3CM, F5OUX/M, 9A5O, 3B8CW, YO9FQT, WA4FC/B, W2VW, RA2FL, OE8TED, MW6HNN, M5JON, LZ1VDR, LZ1JZ, K3FX/B, IZ5DWE, IK4VFD, HE2JOJ, F5OUX, DL5YM, DL0IGI/B, DC8YZ, CM2XN.
Spotters: F1BBI, DO4DXA, WA3GWK, IZ8NVV, PA/NL8992, G4UCJ, ON6GO, R7AZ, F4CXO, EA3TI, VK4CZ, OE6VHF, OE3KLU, G1EZF, DJ7YP, VE3FGU, KC3OL, HS0ZIV, G0JEI, F5PCV, F1DSZ, EB5EEO, US1VV, SP5GEO, RU3GF, GM8LFB, G6AD, DO4RC, SP7VTQ, PU5LHF, PP5HA, OZ1MFP, MM0TFU, KF4WE, IU2MCW, IU1HGO, F8TMQ, EI7HBB, DL1DAW, DK0OG, DC5SWL, AH6FC .

4 Reported contacts just for Sunday.

Sunday DX: OY1OF, OY1DZ, EW1I, OY1CT, LY2PX, UT5XS, LX75V, YL2LW, UA2FHZ, OK1JB, DF70DARC, 5P1KZX, MM3NRX, LZ4TX, LZ1VDR, HA9AL, FR4OO, VP8LP, SQ7NNM, PE4BAS, LB8MG, LB6KC, EM10CWO, EA6VQ, DO4DXA, DL5CW, DL2ARD, DL1KSB, DC4A, US0KW, TT8SN, SK0CT/B, RF9C, OM3CM, OE6GBG, M0SLY, LA9LMA, GS5DX, F5LOW, EU1KY, DR9Z, DR1D, DO5DKW, DL7ON, DL2CC, DC8YZ, DC5PAD, 9H3YY, ZS6NL, UR5XMM, UA9CGL, UA7K, UA4S, TK4LS, SP9MKG, SP1B, SM3SJN, S59AA, R2DWD, R1MA, PA4O, PA3FQA, OZ1DCZ, OY6BEC, OK1DOL, OH8JUB, OH3RF, OH2HAN, M0BEW, IK4VFD, F8DBF, F6GPT, F6BHK, F5NBX, EI9IB, EA6SX, EA5LD, DP70DARC, DL5M, DL0TP, DL0ET, DK4DJ, DK2YL, DK1CO, DG8NEL, DF0WN, DF0G.
Spotters: OE3FVU, HA9AL, OH2LOA, DL6RAI, F1BBI, R2ANX, OZ1MFP, DD0NM, UT5XS, DL2SAX, OK1HZ, OE6GBG, DE7RXA, TA2IB, G4CJC, F1TZE, DL6KVA, DL3WB, DJ5AN, G1EZF, DK9LO, DK4ZZ, DF1LX, VK2SOL, F4CXO, RK3TD, DM2CYN, DL8OBF, DL1SO, DK1RS, RT1Q, F1TXI, DL3GD, DL1JKK, DK8ZZ, DK3DM, UR5FLN, IZ8NVV, G0HVQ, DL4CH, DL1DV, WA3GWK, RA3LC, R9XM, PH0TV, OZ1JRL, MM0KMK, EI7HBB, DK7BY, DK6BA, DC2VE, DC1NNN, IU0APV, F5SIH, F5PCV, F4AZF, EA3AQR, DO5NU, DK2A, DH0GHU, DG5TF, UW5ZO, SM0BRF, SB5X, PY6GOE, PE4BAS, IU1BPR, IK4OMO, IK3BNO, F8TMQ, F8CRS, F4VPL, EA3HXN, DL8ZT, DL8UD, DL8LAQ, DL7UZO, DL6RDE, DL4MFF, DL2NOM, DH4AAD, 9K2HS .

 

Contests: Information from WA7BMN

 

+ PRO Digi Contest	0000Z-1159Z, Jan 18
+ Hungarian DX Contest	1200Z, Jan 18 to 1159Z, Jan 19
+ North American QSO Party, SSB	1800Z, Jan 18 to 0559Z, Jan 19
+ NA Collegiate Championship, SSB	1800Z, Jan 18 to 0559Z, Jan 19
+ Feld Hell Sprint	2000Z, Jan 18 to 0559Z, Jan 19
+ Run for the Bacon QRP Contest	0200Z-0400Z, Jan 20
+ SKCC Sprint	0000Z-0200Z, Jan 22
+ CWops Mini-CWT Test	1300Z-1400Z, Jan 22 and   1900Z-2000Z, Jan 22 and   0300Z-0400Z, Jan 23

 

Upcoming activity (though not guaranteed to be on 10m). Information from NG3K, DXwatch.com and 425DXnews

Currently active callsigns are in bold face 2020 January Jan 1-17, 2020 DXCC: Gambia Callsign: C5SP QSL: LoTW Source: DXW.Net (Dec 21, 2019) Info: By SP3PS; HF, mainly 20m; SSB FT8 FT4; QSL also OK via SP3PS and eQSL Jan 1-15, 2020 DXCC: Fiji Callsign: 3D2DJ QSL: VK4MAP Source: TDDX (Jan 1, 2020) Info: By VK4MAP fm Vitu Levi I (IOTA OC-016); 80 40 20 15 10m; SSB; 100w; 4 ele Moxon + G5RV Jan 3-23, 2020 DXCC: Maldives Callsign: 8Q7MA QSL: RX3AMY Source: OPDX (Dec 23, 2019) Info: By RX3AMY fm Mahibadhoo and Maafushi Is (IOTA AS-013); mainly 40 20m; SSB, perhaps CW; dipoles; holiday style operation Jan 6-24, 2020 DXCC: India Callsign: VU2RBQ  QSL: DJ9RB Source: TDDX (Jan 10, 2020) Info: By DJ9RB; 80-20m; CW Jan 6-Feb 29, 2020 DXCC: Belize Callsign: V3  QSL: LoTW Source: TDDX (Jan 10, 2020) Info: By DJ4KW as V31YN and DK9GG as V31GW; 160-10m; CW FT8 SSB; see Web for full QSL and operational details Jan 9-15, 2020 DXCC: Montserrat Callsign: VP2MDT QSL: WV2B Source: WV2B (Sep 17, 2019) Info: By WV2B; SSB CW; holiday style operation Jan 9-Feb 5, 2020 DXCC: Somalia Callsign: 6O1OO  QSL: 6O1OO Source: TDDX (Jan 13, 2020) Info: By EP3CQ fm Mogadishu; 160-6m; SSB CW FT8; 100w; vertical; QSL details @qrz.com Jan 11-19, 2020 DXCC: Cayman Is Callsign: ZF2PG QSL: LoTW Source: TDDX (Oct 1, 2019) Info: By K8PGJ; @ZF1A; 160-40m outside NAQP; SSB; 100w; QRV for NAQP SSB; QSL also OK via ZF2PG Jan 12-31, 2020 DXCC: Norfolk I Callsign: VK9NK QSL: SP9FIH Source: SP9FIH (Jun 26, 2019) Info: By SP9FIH; 160-10m; CW SSB RTTY; operation to continue until Apr 12 Jan 14-Feb 4, 2020 DXCC: Costa Rica Callsign: TI5  QSL: W4GKR Source: TDDX (Jan 10, 2020) Info: By W4GKR; 160-6m; mainly digital, perhaps slow CW; holiday style operation Jan 15-19, 2020 DXCC: Nauru Callsign: C21NH  QSL: LoTW Source: 4L5A (Jan 15, 2020) Info: By JA0JHQ fm IOTA OC-031; HF; CW FT8; QSL also OK via JA0JHQ direct: Nobuaki Hosokawa, 1458-25 Okagami Asao-ku Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 215-0027, Japan Jan 15-23, 2020 DXCC: Palau Callsign: T8 QSL: Home Call Source: DXW.Net (Dec 3, 2019) Info: By JI3DNN as T88CZ, JH3LSS as T88DK, JA3HJI as T88DN, JA3IVU as T88ED, JA3ARJ as T88EF, JA3AVO as T88MB; 160-10m; all modes Jan 17-Feb 29, 2020 DXCC: Aruba Callsign: P4  QSL: LoTW Source: TDDX (Jan 13, 2020) Info: By K3DMG as P4/K3DMG; 160-12m; CW + digital; no paper QSLs Jan 18-Feb 2, 2020 DXCC: Honduras Callsign: HR9  QSL: WA4DT Direct Source: 425DXN (Jan 10, 2020) Info: By WA4DT as HR9/WA4DT fm Roatan I (IOTA NA-057); 40 30m; CW FT8 Jan 20-Feb 9, 2020 DXCC: Cocos I Callsign: TI9 QSL: LoTW Source: TDDX (Sep 17, 2019) Info: By XE1B HK5OKY fm IOTA NA-012; 160-6m; SSB; 2 stations; 700w; QSL also OK via Club Log OQRS; no Buro cards

G1RAF is the callsign used by the amateur Radio station at RAF Halton near to Tring in Buckinghamshire. I have, along with Dave, G0KUC, been implementing the DXBase series of programs for logging QSOs. It has to be said that Dave and the other Tony, G8VVZ, have worked literally hundreds of stations using FT8 and FT4. I haven’t quite ironed out all the bugs in the implementation yet. Look up the G1RAF web page on QRZ.com. Several of the Club members have now become real WSJT-X digital enthusiasts.

 

Sun: No sunspots, again! But, a new comet was discovered on Monday, and it's already history. "The first comet discovery of the decade goes to... SOHO!" reports Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab in Washington DC. During the early hours of Jan. 13th, coronagraphs onboard SOHO (the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) spotted the tiny comet plunging into the sun, where it rapidly evaporated (spaceweather.com)

 

Stoke drew 0 – 0 against Millwall. We had chances. This was at Stoke, it was the same result earlier in the season at Millwall. Next match against West Brom at West Brom a local needle match. It’s on Sky TV next Monday evening.