I made 180 QSOs on 50 MHz in 2026. In 2025, I made 269 QSOs. That’s a significant difference that I’m only now noticing as I’m tallying up the year’s results. I made my first two QSOs of the 6-meter season on April 19. Both were with stations from DL. I made my last QSOs of 2026 on August 19. After that, even though I continued to monitor the 6-meter band, I didn’t hear any more stations.

As you can see from the QSO map, I made most of my QSOs within Europe. Only a few were outside Europe—specifically to the Canary Islands, North Africa, and a few to Asia.

In total, I worked 45 DXCC countries on 50 MHz in 2026. The distribution of the countries can be seen on the QSO map.

In 2025, I had worked 47 DXCC countries.
Unfortunately, operating on 4 meters was not permitted in DL in 2026.

Here is the QSO map:

The map was created with https://qsomap.cqgma.org/ADIF_to_Karte.php and the text was translated with Deepl.

Here are my results:

Band  QSO

7            3
14          7
21         17
Total   27

Score : 1.026

As usual, here is the map showing the QSOs made:

As already mentioned, the conditions weren’t ideal, and that’s probably why only connections in the east-west direction were successful.

The map was created with https://qsomap.cqgma.org/ADIF_to_Karte.php and the text was translated with Deepl.

Here is my result:

Band 15 Meter. 44 QSO

Here is the QSO map:

The map was created with https://qsomap.cqgma.org/ADIF_to_Karte.php and the text was translated with Deepl.

IARU Contest

Made some QSO´s in the IARU Contest. Primarily to support the DARC headquarters station DA0HQ:

Band Mode QSOs
1,8       CW      1
1,8      LSB      1
3,5      CW      11
3,5      LSB      1
7         CW       3
7        LSB       1
14       CW     11
14       USB     6
21       CW     13
21      USB      7
28      CW      5
28     USB      5
Total Both   65

Score : 5.148

As usual, here is the map showing the QSOs:

WW VHF FT8 Contest

My first FT8 contest and the first contest on 50 MHz.

Helmut, DF7EE, had asked me to participate in this contest to earn a few points for the RRDXA.

I have only a QSO map avalable till now. Have to wait for the results fron the contest server.

Here is the map:

IOTA Contest

Also only few QSO´S:

Band QSOs
14         2
21       20
28       11
Total  33

Score : 6.336

As usual, here is the map showing the QSOs:

Something must have gone wrong when the map was created because I didn’t have any QSO to the Central Pacific.

WAE CW Contest

The most recent in a series of smaller contests held recently was the WAE Contest. Unfortunately, due to other commitments, I didn’t have time to participate on Saturday, and on Sunday the conditions were quite poor. As a result, I was only able to make a few contacts.

Band  QSOs
14       16
21         4
Total  20

Score : 520

QSO map:

The map was created with https://qsomap.cqgma.org/ADIF_to_Karte.php and the text was partly translated with Deepl. DeepL translates the text much better than I could, even though I like to think I have a pretty good skills in English.

Here are my results for the CW section in 2026:

Band QSOs Pts
14     29       29
21     39       39
28      2         4
Total 70      72

Score : 4.464

As usual, here is the map showing the QSOs.

The map was created with https://qsomap.cqgma.org/ADIF_to_Karte.php and the text was translated with Deepl. DeepL translates the text much better than I could, even though I like to think I have a pretty good skills in English.

Here are the QSO´s I’ve made:

Band QSOs Pts WPX
1,8          5      8      5
3,5          5      8      4
7              2     4       2
14          20   34     19
21          17   33      14
28         11    11       11

Total    60  98      55

Score : 5.390

I still have trouble to work on the 40 meter band.

Here as usual the map shoing the QSO

The map was created with https://qsomap.cqgma.org/ADIF_to_Karte.php and the text was translated with Deepl. DeepL translates the text much better than I could, even though I like to think I have a pretty good command of English.

Unlike the off-the-shelf PC I had used before, this time I decided to have a PC built to my specifications. I’m quite pleased with the result.

Here are a few key facts:.

PC:

Motherboard: MSI A520M Pro

AMD Ryzen 5 processor 3.6 GHz with 6 cores and 16 MB cache.

Memory: Crucial DDR4 with 8 GB Speed 3200MHz

HDD: WD Green SSD 500 GByte

Running Programs:

OS: Windows 11

Communication with my TRX using microham Microkeyer II driven with USB Device Router from Microham

Hamradio Programs:

N1MM+ Contest logger

Ham Radio Deluxe for logging outside the contests

WSJT-X for FT 4 and FT8 in combination with Gridtracker 2

ADIF Master to manage the ADIf communication between WSJT-x and Hamradio Deluxe

What is missing till now is a programm for SSTV. On the old computeri used MM SSTV but haven’t decided yet which program I’ll use on my new PC for receiving (and maybe Transmitting) SSTV.

I’m sure a few more programs will follow.

I arrived at the convention center just before 11 a.m.

Here are a few photos from the trade show:

At the entrance to the exhibition hall

Flea market area

A bus that the owner converted himself, equipped with a radio station.

Another bus with a homebrew radio station inside but highly professional. Owner Peter, DH1NGP

I had actually planned to attend the lecture by Martin Steyer, DK7ZB „Portabelantennen mit 5,6-m- und 2,5-m-Teleskopstrahlern“. I wanted to attend because I know his lectures are excellent. Unfortunately, the room was so crowded that I had no chance of getting a seat. At my age, however, I can’t stand for an hour, so with a heavy heart I had to skip this lecture.

I had the low-band antennas available again for this contest. However, I felt that the conditions weren’t the best. This was most evident in the fact that I managed to make only a single QSO with North America.

Here are my results:

Band QSOs Pts WPX Pt/Q
1,8       10      18     7     1,8
3,5       12      20    8     1,7
7           20     46   18    2,3
14         30     38   27    1,3
21         21      45    21    2,1
28        22      66   18    3,0
Total 115    233    99    2,0

Score : 23.067

Here is the map showing the QSOs made, as usual:

A nice bonus of this contest was that I managed to work a new ATNO with S09S across all modes. I hadn’t worked Western Sahara in all those years.

The map was created with https://qsomap.cqgma.org/ADIF_to_Karte.php and the text was translated with Deepl. DeepL translates the text much better than I could, even though I like to think I have a pretty good command of English.

CQ 160-meter CW contest.

In the meantime, I have put up a long-wire antenna for the lower bands again. However, I am not yet satisfied with the results of this antenna. Something still needs to be done.

Here is the result:

Band    QSOs    Pts    StP    DXCC
1,8        115      509     0       26

Score : 13.234

As usual, here is the map showing the distribution of QSOs. It is noticeable that there are almost no connections in the southwestern direction. I can only speculate as to why this is the case. I believe that the gap has arisen because the house is located in that direction.

CQ 160-meter SSB contest.

I also took part in the 160-meter SSB contest. I tried to optimize the antenna once again, but with only moderate success. I set up another small auxiliary mast and ran the antenna over it. Unfortunately, this did not yield as much as I had hoped.

Here is the result:

Band    QSOs    Pts    StP    DXCC
1,8           33        129     0       14

Score : 1806

Here again is the map showing the QSOs made. Just like in the CW section, there is a gap in the distribution of countries. It is in the same place as in the CW section.

The map was created with https://qsomap.cqgma.org/ADIF_to_Karte.php and the text was translated with Deepl.