HS WORKING 100 COUNTRIES

Is your HamSphere GOAL to work 100 Countries

Setting such a goal is not out of reach for any HAMSPHERE USER. The database has over 200 countries registered. Goals such as Working 100 countries or more are for HamSphere users self satisfaction and achievement. (there are no official Local / Global Awards issued for this achievement via Internet Voip Virtual Radio Operation).

What is DXING ??
A DX Station is a distant station usually far away from your location. Generally this is another station in a different country from the one you’re transmitting from!

Proper protocol and good communication skills are required to effectively make these DX Contacts………Some homework is required to become familiar and learn to identify these DX Countries by the Prefixes / Callsign as you see & hear them. There are various lists that can be helpful and these are available on the HamSphere Forum as TOOLS to help you identify these countries.
[www.hamsphere.com]

Other lists can also be viewed on many different WebPages as you search the Internet for “11 meter prefixes “ - have the same information, regarding 345 different countries.

Remembering / Recognizing these prefixes related to countries immediately is very important. Making identification quickly is a great asset towards making the desired QSO, when you see and hear a Callsign of interest.

Being in the right place at the right time is the key to succeeding towards your GOAL !!!

Now that you have identified & located a DX Station you wish to work, Listen Listen Listen to how he/ she operates & understand their technique. When the frequency is clear, call using the DX callsign with your own callsign. Then listen again!! Another technique is the DX station calls CQ CQ for anyone. Then when frequency is clear … make your call using your callsign and listen again for a reply ………and so on!!!

Once contact is made …………speak slowly and use words that the DX station will understand………. Not all or very few speak “English” as their mother language. English will usually be their 2nd, 3rd language, so be calm, speak slowly, speak very distinctly and keep transmissions short. Make the exchanges of NAME / QTH / Signal report etc. Let the DX station determine the length of the qso connection.

Other HamSphere Users can be waiting in line (a pile up) for these DX STATIONS. If this is the case, generally you should get in and get out quickly……… But here on HAMSPHERE generally the QSO’s can be a little longer than you would normally hear on real HF HAM RADIO……….Also be courteous to the other HamSphere users wishing to make contact. It is their right to working DX Stations and log them in their logbooks as well…everyone is equal and one should remember this is to be fun!
Also be courteous to the DX operator as well, some may have very limited experience on radio communication and it may not be comfortable for them to talk using a microphone, so be soft spoken / encouraging / and polite, keeping in mind that they may have a hard time understanding English / other country accents/dialects and phrases…KEEP IT SIMPLE!!


Using HAMSPHERE effectively can seem to be hard work:

To spot DX Stations as they come on-line, HamSphere Forum has other tools, which can be very helpful.
1) Last Users logged on within last HOUR
2) The “ Live Cluster “can also be a very useful tool.
3) The “DX CLUSTER” on the HamSphere Radio is another tool with useful information.
Now the challenge is to make the connection and exchange information using the proper protocol & procedures which are important in working the DX station. Be kind and courteous, if you miss today there may be another chance tomorrow or the next day!!!

These are some guidelines to be used in working DX Stations. An interesting fact about Dxing is that you are also a DX Station to others so this can add to the exciting times using the software HamSphere.

My logbook dated 2011 from January to end of March …I have 119 countries worked in 3 months.

Dxing = Fun !! Fun !! Fun !! ………….. Enjoy collecting NEW COUNTRIES

Vic
VE3JAR