I had hopes of hitting #2000 before the year ended, and that goal was accomplished yesterday afternoon when a faint 1490 KLGR was heard. I don’t count call letter changes and all logs between 530-1710 kHz have been from my same suburban West Michigan location.
I started my logbook in 2009 with a “barefoot” DX-440 that was good for a few hundred medium wave stations, but I wanted more! Enter the DX Tools Quantum Loop, which worked wonderfully with the DX-440, and netted me a few hundred more stations including my first ever Trans-Atlantic station (1134 Croatia) and several more TAs to follow, most of which are now history. Still wanting more, but reaching the limit of the Quantum Loop, I knew it was time to go bigger. I bought a 500 FT spool of wire and laid it on the ground in a straight line in the back yard, connected it to the DX-440, and started logging a whole new mix of more distant stations. I learned more about BOGs and discovered how Neil Kazaross was phasing two of them and soon went back to DX Tools and purchased a Quantum Phaser to try it for myself.
It didn’t take long to hit #1000 with this setup. At this point I’m pushing the DX-440 to its limit, so I decided to try SDR and eventually opted for the Perseus which I still use today. A reversible D-KAZ loop was also added to the mix a few years ago.
Some obligatory stats since starting this adventure in 2009: 47 states heard with AK, HI & DE still needed (keep dreaming). Most distant catch: 702 2BL Sydney @ 9,345 miles/15,039 km. Nearest unheard: WBCH @ just 59 miles! 169 graveyarders and 37 countries heard on MW. Recordings of some of my more interesting catches are posted to YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/user/k
Happy New Year & Good DX!