Voluntary call spoofing and cheating on 50 Mhz

We have 2 types of call spoofing. 
One - the most common one - is that another guy is using your call to make contacts.  You do not know it, you receive qsl cards for contacts that you didn't make, you appear on the cluster while being absent.

The second type - the real cheating version - is that you use another station equipment and let others belief that you use your own station, with the approval of the other station.

What's going on :

There are 2 stations, A and B, and I'm perfectly located between both of them. 
station A in JO10:   xx
me in JO10:              x
station B in JO20 : xxxx

Station A has (since a few weeks) a remote access to station B and uses it to call CQ with B's name and equipent.  Since then, he desactivated his pskreporter tool to not be detected.

During the same time period A calls CQ with his own call and own equipment. 
So only spoofing type one, but B is informed about it. 

Sounds bizar ?  No because...

...  sometimes, when there is a sporadic E opening and B is not at home, A uses both his own station and the B station to call CQ with his own call.

He calls on one frequency (with a specific time delay) and a strength of +13dB to the Carribean area.
He calls on another frequency (with another specific time delay) and a strength of +30dB to the Carribean area.  2x same call (of station A), 2 different locations, time delays and frequencies.

What is going on at this moment with station A:

the +13dB is the signal coming from the backside of his own station in JO10 arriving on front of my antenna.
the +30dB is the signal coming from the station B array's frontside in JO20 arriving on the back of my antenna.

Station A lets us belief that he is calling from JO10 while his is calling from JO20.

Two cheatings: he's is not calling /A, indicating he's not at his home station, and he's calling from a location 50km away while using his home locator. 
This can be very important on 6 meter where propagation is sometimes very local.  And most awards and contests indicate that you can only use 1 locator.

Now, why is station B allowing this way of working. 

Station A has more time to be at home to call CQ with both callsigns, so B can make new QSO's while being at work.
Why is this needed for ?  Station B wants to be on top of all DX lists, so the more activity, the more possibilities to be on top.

And station A can make contacts that were impossible before for him, because he has now access to better antennas and a second location.  Winwin for both guys.

I've no problems with the technical side of this case.
I have some remarks on the legal side of it.

But I can not tolerate the sanctimonious behaviour of the two guys.  They are the first to give negative comments to others...

Crazy Magic Band

Two weeks after the installation of the new 6m band yagi,  76 countries worked / 57 Lotw confirmed.

This means that 6 meter is already giving more countries than my 160m results.  Next goal for the winter...

Yesterday afternoon, evening and night, there was a massive multi-hop sporadic E opening to the Carribean and NA region.

This morning, same thing direction Middle-East.
Added into my log last 24hrs  : A6, A7, A9, 9K, VP9, XE, J6, 6W, HI, YV, PY, FG, KP4

This is going fast, very fast. 
I made a contact with K1JT, founder of the FT8 protocol both in FT8 and FT4.

Even a positive remark of the XYL : this antenna is much smaller, I like it...
No idea if a second stacked yagi 5 meter above this one will give the same remark.

It's indeed surprising that with such a small yagi these results are possible... but you must be there when the air is hot.

One thing to regret : Japan

JH4MGU copied my CQ, came back with a report, but didn't copy my return.  Needed just 15 seconds of extra propagation...

new 6 meter yagi installed

Here it is. 
A brand new 6 element LFA yagi with bended reflector (for beter F/B ratio and swr).
Ordered at Innovantennas in the UK.   Price/ goal was this time better than Optibeam in my case. 
The antenna will disappear during winter times, so no heavy duty stuff needed...

Just above the naked Steppir yagi antenna.   The fiber elements must be (re)painted because of solar light influences.  After all that years, the power of the sun has become very clear on the fibers.

Back to six meter : VUCC award achieved (with the Steppir). 
But I had troubles with real DX and I couldn't wipe out neighbour stations (the Steppir had poor front to back ratio on 6 meters). 

This yagi is a first step in improving my 50Mhz station. 
I will evaluate if it is worth placing a second stacked yagi.

Just worked 6W, Senegal.   It seems that DXCC on 6 meters is possible without EME.
But you really need to be there during small openings.  It's another way of playing with the waves.

First real DX on 50 Mhz

Trinidad & Tobago is my first real DX contact on 50 Mhz.  Thanks to 9Y4D.

From scratch he appeared with a signal of only -20 dB with a CQ.   I never expected to receive an answer but he came back with -18dB.

7300 km, with 200 W and 4 element yagi.  Happy with it because the steppir is a compromise antenna on 6 meter. 
A new 6 element will arrive soon to start a new carreer on 50 Mhz. 

Only problem with this band :  openings arrive suddenly, so you need to be there.

Other remarkable thing : there is a 50 Mhz policeman on the band who thinks he owns the complete spectrum and gives comment to all others in the neighbourhood. 
The same guy injected my own call on my FT8 CQ in order to try to start a software loop in WSJT.  Not !  I am not a robot, so my instant intervention could avoid it.
His signal strength has given away his identity :-)

Statistics after a couple of weeks on 50 Mhz :

36 countries worked of which 26 confirmed.
66 confirmed grids

To be continued...

To Triple Play or not to Triple Play

Triple play :  have all US States in Logbook of the World confirmed in Phone, CW and digital modes.

This is the LOTW output.   

So if it sounds like a duck, walks like a duck and smells like a duck...

NOT  !

North Dakota in Phone was made before 2009.  So no count for TP.

Sometimes an award isn't fun nor fair.  And 82 US$ for the plaque... this time I create my own award.

First Meteor scatter QSOs

Today,  a new step in my ham radio career.

Not yet EME, but almost nearby.  In stead of the big moon, it are smaller (but more) stones.


My first  meteor scater QSO's on 50 Mhz.

First MSK144 QSO ever : LA4CIA

followed by SM7CAD, LA3QAA, LA2D, IK5YJY and GM4VVX.

Next : increase confirmed 6 meter DXCC-countries and obtain VUCC award

next-next : install an Optibeam 6m antenna on top of the currently used Steppir.

VP8PJ in the log !

Conditions :

- Antenna at only 10m due to the continuous ongoing winter storms.
 
- Only one at home during the expedition to work the guys @ South Orkney Islands.

So happy with this result.  3 QSOs on 3 bands in just one hour.   CW stays the best mode for DXpeditions.  I love my amplifier.


DXCC 312 : check !.

Nice result first world wide digi contest

Very happy with a 4th place world !