ONFF-0005 De Fonteintjes

Call: ON6KZ/p
QSO': 109
Date : 08/13-07-2018
Operators: Peter
Location : Zeebrugge

Every year during the month of July I go to the Belgian coast for a week. I stay in a hotel that is located next to a nature reserve. This nature reserve is called 'the Fonteintjes' (translated: the fountains) and is a range of dunes. It is a valuable wildlife area consisting of shoreline dunes, thicket-covered underwood, ponds and depressions. The area is a natural sea wall and prevents the hinterland polders from being flooded. At the highest point one has a nice view on the North Sea. The lower part is densely overgrown and offers shelter during strong winds.
The ON fauna and flora reference code is ONFF-0005.
During 6 days I have been active from different positions in the nature reserve. My radio is the Youkits HB1B (internal batteries only) which offers 4 watt output power. The antenna is the Alexloop, a small and lightweight portable Loop Antenna for 7 to 30MHz. It has great portability and easy setup. It takes only 3 minutes to get on the air. The AlexLoop is very well made and tunes smoothly with a knob at the bottom of the tuning box. Tuning is just a matter of seconds.
Propagation was rather poor (average solar flux 70 and no sunspot numbers).
I made 110 CW qso's:
40 meter: 18 qso's
30 meter: 12 qso's
20 meter: 76 qso's
15 meter: 4 qso's
Worked 23 countries: OE, EU, ON, EA9, 9A, OK, ES, OH, F, DL, HA, EI, I, LY, SP, YO, RA, IS, GM, YU, EA, SM, UR.

The 20 meter band was by far the best band to operate. My best DX on the band was Asiatic Russia. A QSO with R9RT. Distance 4120 km.
The Reverse Beacon Network received my signal in North America: WZ7I, 3dB.
On 15 meter I had an opening to north-Africa and worked EA9CD in Ceuta.
It was nice to see that I was able to make QSO's with other QRP- and FF-stations.
Conclusion: Going portable with low power and a low profile antenna was fun. Propagation was not in our favour. Thanks to everyone who worked me.