September has wrapped up here at the Home QTH, and it’s been another fantastic month of filling up the logbook with digital modes. Operating strictly on FT8 and FT4, the bands provided some excellent propagation windows that kept the rig warm and the antenna working hard. Over the course of the month, I managed to log 147 total QSOs, connecting with 143 unique callsigns across 50 different countries. Averaging just under five contacts a day, it was a steady, rewarding month of radio.
The undeniable star of September was the 30-meter band, which accounted for a huge chunk of my activity with 63 QSOs. It proved to be an absolute goldmine for working existing countries on new bands. I had the thrill of logging six new band-countries on 30m, pulling in some fantastic FT8 signals from Trinidad & Tobago (9Y4DG), Honduras (K6VHF/HR9), and Grenada (J38DX). Adding the Falkland Islands (VP8ON), South Africa (ZS6NL), and Belize (V31MA) to the 30m column made the monitoring sessions completely worthwhile.
Not to be outdone, 17 meters also delivered some incredible DX opportunities, contributing 22 QSOs to the log. The band conditions allowed me to secure three new band-countries there, including an exciting contact with Franz Josef Land (RI1FJL). Rounding out the 17m highlights were solid connections into Colombia (HK3C) and Montserrat (VP2MAA). While 60m and 20m also saw decent action with 26 and 17 QSOs respectively, 30m and 17m were definitely where the magic happened this time around.
Grid chasing is always a priority from JO01, and September didn’t disappoint. I successfully confirmed five brand new all-time HF gridsquares. Bagging EK66, FK92, JI61, KG44, and NO25 has added some very satisfying new pins to the map. As expected for my setup, FT8 dominated the operation with 125 contacts, while FT4 provided a punchy, fast-paced alternative for the remaining 22 QSOs.
It’s months like these that remind me why digital DXing is so deeply addictive. There is nothing quite like watching that rare callsign decode on the waterfall and knowing your signal made the trip. The bands are shifting as we move deeper into autumn, and I’m already looking forward to seeing what October brings to the receiver. 73 and good DX to everyone!