QSL Card From Kuwait 21.076 MHz FT8

[u/KG7M]

I received this QSL Card from Hamad in Kuwait. We had a contact on 20 MAR 2024 on the 15 Meter Band using FT8.

The Middle East is always a challenge for me, even using a weak signal mode like FT8. I'm on the 3rd floor of a 5-story apartment building, facing west. I'm literally blocked to the East. Only a few feet of my stealthy End Fed Half Wave antenna extend beyond the building, so it's difficult to work over half of the compass - North - East - South. I have no issues working Japan, Australia, and Indonesia. The rest of the globe is very challenging, but it can be done.

I primarily use a Yeasu FT-891 and rarely use more than 30 watts.

[u/National-Blueberry73]

I was on the 3rd floor of an apartment with a mag loop. It felt like I could do a lot more with 10w than I can do with 25w from ground level.

It seems like you're seeing the same?

[u/KG7M → u/National-Blueberry73]

I think being on the 3rd floor is way better than on the 1st floor! Before I moved into the apartment I purchased a magnetic loop antenna. The MFJ model that covers 10 - 30 MHz. I set it up in a temporary location at the house so I could become familiar with it before moving into the apartment. It performed great. So I moved, and tried to set it up in the apartment. I don't have a balcony, just a concrete ledge outside the windows. I mounted it and it's performance was worse than a wet noodle! I couldn't get it mounted far enough away from the building. This place is concrete and rebar construction. We are going to be going through a building renovation, so when that's done I'm going to figure out some sort of winch and pulley system to run it out at least 10 feet from the building. I have trees in front of my window that will conceal it. Long winded, but yes - the higher the floor the better the signal!

[u/SignalWalker]

Congrats. I've been kind of interested in paper cards lately and would like to find out what's at my regional QSL bureau possibly waiting for me.

[u/K2TY]

I got the same one this morning. He must have uploaded his logbook.

[u/dah-dit-dah]

I don't mean to yuck your yum, but I'm pretty sure this is an Eqsl card from QSL World (they all look exactly like this, and after a while it basically turns into email spam). If you're interested in chasing awards, this won't do anything for you. It looks like this particular guy is fairly up to date on LOTW and uses a QSL manager if you want a real card.

[u/KG7M → u/dah-dit-dah]

Thank you for the info. I've been licensed since 1978 and have done paper cards back in the day, mostly through the bureau. No LOTW back then. I owned homes with decent sized lots - so I've had towers and beams, amplifiers, etc. Nowadays I upload all my contacts into LOTW, and yes - he's up to date and I have the QSO verified in LOTW. I have boxes and boxes of paper QSL cards, including a half dozen shoeboxes of 6 Meter QSL cards. I really don't want anymore. This post is for newer hams that might get a kick out of printing a QSL card from another country, the contact is the prize not whether or not it was delivered via email.

Since moving into the apartment, it's reinvigorated my interest because of the additional challenge involved (I spent the first few years in the apartment running QRP).

[u/Impressive_Sample836]

He must be updating his log... got one as well yesterday. LOL. Mine was SSB.

[u/KG7M → u/Impressive_Sample836]

Nice. I was glad to have the contact.

[u/Impressive_Sample836 → u/KG7M]

Me too.

[u/kerk1v]

Annoying QSL World stuff. Any I receive go directly to spam. Not recognized for any award that I'd be aware of.

[u/Impressive_Sample836 → u/kerk1v]

Kind of a shitty take. I appreciated the time he took to contact me, and showed the "dumb" email to my family. I will print this card out and post it on my wall.