VK9XX QSO At Last!

Having chased the German VK9XX expedition on Chrismas Island way down in the Indian Ocean several times earlier this week on 40 metres CW with no success using my relatively low windom antenna at the home QTH, I was finally successful last night (25th Nov.) at the CARC Club station at my first opportunity of using the potent set-up with the new StepIR antenna with its 40m folded dipole on the Versatower working the DX station through the pile-up after only the third call. It is always difficult to decide where to park your call within the chasing pack which covers several khz. This time I was lucky and got a reply almost immediately despite not being able to turn the antenna for optimum signal due to a problem with the clamping of the beam to the stub mast thus leaving the antenna pointing approximately eastwards!

73, de Derek G3GRO