How to Work DX and DXpeditions Tips and Tricks you need to work the DX By Dave Anderson, K4SV ©K4SV 2014.

How to Work DX and DXpeditions

Tips and Tricks you need to work the DX

By Dave Anderson, K4SV©K4SV 2014

Who is the DX?

• DX is – Stations living in other DXCC entities– Stations visiting DXCC entities

• Individuals or Groups of Operators visiting a DXCC entity is called a DX Expedition or “DXpedition”

DXpedition Locations

• Operations can occur from…– In and around a Hotel– Rental property– Rural areas– Uninhabited Islands– On Sand, Rocks or Ice– No facilities, AC power or Water/Food

Baker Island, K1B

• Operations can occur from…– In and around a Hotel– Rental property– Rural areas– Uninhabited Islands– On Sand, Rocks or Ice– No facilities, AC power or Water/Food

Why be the DX?

• The Operator likes…– To Travel to other countries/DXCC’s– Enjoys the challenge of working hundreds of

stations at a time– Less than ideal operating conditions– Long hours with little sleep– Gratification that he provided an all time new

DXCC to someone

This is Why OP’s like to DXpedition, the Pileup

The DXpeditioneer Likes

• Clean Fast QSO’s

• An OP that listens to instructions

• Courteous OP’s

• Calls Sent Once

• Whole or Full Calls

• Working many QSOs per hour

The DXpeditioneer Dislikes

• When a station is called with a partial call other OP’s call

• Tailgating

• Buttiners

• OP’s that do not listen

• OP’s who can not copy their own calls

Basic steps for working DX

• Listen carefully to the DX station

• Determine where he is listening for callers

• Listen for special instructions

• Adjust your rig to transmit where he is listening

• Make your call

Listening to the DX

• Tune the bands looking for DX, not all DX is spotted.

• Once the DX is heard try different antennas for the best signal.

• Adjust your radio for best signal to noise using the AF and RF gain.

Listen How the DX is working others

• Listen to see if the DX is operating Simplex or Split and where he is listening

• If the DX is split, determine by stations being worked where is he tuning

• Listen to the stations being worked learn how the DX changes his listening frequency

DX Special Instructions

• Listen to what the DX is saying or not saying

• Special instructions like UP 5 to 10 EU only

• Working by the numbers

• Special Special instructions

Setting your Radio for Split

• Learn how your radio works

• Learn how your radio goes into Split

• Listen to your Transmit frequency using XFC, REV or Second Receiver

• Left Ear DX, Right Ear TX

• Confirm your in Split

Making your Call

• Phone– Place your signal where you think its best– Say your call Once in a commanding voice– Use standard Phonetics– Clean modulation is best– Use the properly adjusted Speech processor– Delay your call by one second if weak

Making your Call

• CW– Place your call where you think its best– Send your call Once– Use a short transmit delay or QSK to hear the

response– Send at same speed or 1 to 2 wpm FASTER– Wait 1 second to send your call if weak

Making your Call

• RTTY, PSK– Always call in the Clear when split– Send your call only, no more than three times

per transmission– Only send your call – Call in the Clear– Overlapping signals = NO Decode

Listening for your Call

• After each transmission listen carefully for your call to be acknowledged

• Resend your call ONLY if the partial call has elements of your call

• All calls look alike but they are not

• After hearing your COMPLETE call send the signal report!

Call Recognition QUIZ

• K4SV should respond If the DX sends the following partial call ….

• 4SV Yes or No?

• KC4 Yes or No?

• K9SV Yes or No?

• SV Yes or No?

• K4S Yes or No?

Testing your DX Knowledge

• When the DX station says…– UP– EU only– 7’s only– Spread Out– All time new ones only– 5 and Up– Outside of North America only

Calling Rule of Thumb

ALWAYS ALWAYS ASSUME

SPLIT

Best Way to work a Phone DXpedition

• The DX usually tunes up through the pileup working stations as he tunes between his high and low limit– You use your XFC, REV or dual receive and

listen for a clear frequency between his limits and call when the current QSO is complete.

• As he tunes he will come across your signal in the clear

Best Way to work a CW DXpedition

• The DX usually tunes up through the pileup working stations as he tunes– You use your XFC, REV or dual receive and

listen to who he is working and set your transmitter just ahead of where he is tuning and call when the current QSO is complete.

• He tunes up to a self set limit then tunes down or starts at his bottom limit usually 1 Khz up.

Best Way to work a RTTY/PSK DXpedition

• The DX usually tunes up through the pileup working stations as he tunes between his high and low limit– You use your XFC, REV or dual receive and

ALWAYS listen for a clear frequency between his limits and call when the current QSO is complete. Send your call 3 times.

• As he tunes he will come across your signal in the clear

DXpeditioneer Observation

• Most callers pick a frequency and just keep calling

• Most OP’s do not realize that unless they are using a super station their signal is possibly covered by all the other callers

• Some OP’s call even though they can not hear the DX well hopping they will get a Ghost QSO.

Pileup Practice

Simplex Pileup

Practice

Do Not Give a Report!

• If your unsure still after the DXpedition has sent your call correctly DO Not give a report. Instead again send your call Twice. The DX operator should send your call and report again giving you another chance to verify it is correct. If correct, then give your report.

Get a Second Opinion

• If the DXpedition is weak and QRN and QRM exist, use a application like Audacity to record the QSO for later playback. After your QSO, listen to the recording to see if the QSO was good. If not, go work them again. Do not rely on the QSL manager to make corrections.

Audacity Audio Recorder

• Download this free application here…

• http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/windows

• Download LAME MP3 Plugin

• If you like it, Donate

Some DO’s

• Always be professional no matter what

• Learn how your radio works into a dummy load. With all the knobs this helps.

• Learn to use your DSP between your Ears

• Put up the best antenna you can.

• Be courteous to others, always.

• Listen and Listen more

Some Don’t’s• Never acknowledge QRM’ers and

Jammers, Ignore them completely.

• Tuning or Testing on frequency

• Give your call more than once except on RTTY 3 times is good

• Use a poor antenna. The worms

don’t like it.

• Being discourteous to anyone

Dave’s Rule #1

• If you are chasing an All Time New DXCC DXpedition be sure to work like crazy to get two good clean QSOs as soon as you can.

• It has happened where the DXpedition is forced off the air and you may loose that DXCC if you wait.

Need Some Help Spotting?

• If you know an All Time New DXCC is coming on the air and want to be alerted as soon as it becomes QRV.

• Online services like DXWatch.com can generate an email when specific DX spots are monitored. It will send and email to your Phone converted to TEXT.

DXWatch.com

DXing Antennas

• Best Antennas for DXing that have a Low Angle of Radiation…– 6 Element mono bander at 150’– ¼ wave Vertical with 50+ Buried or 4 elevated

radials– Inverted V at 50’+– Dipole at 50’+

Low Angel Radiation is Best

How to DX Recap

• Hunt the DX using learned skills

• Improve your antennas for Dxing

• Be Professional and Courteous Always

• Learn Propagation and how it can help

• Tune the bands looking for DX

• Use Spotting networks

• Know your radio and how to operate it

How to DX Recap

Questions?

How to DX Recap

Questions Later?

[email protected]

Thanks ! 73