New Loggings | Week of 19-Jan to 26-Jan

 Before any MW DX season, I spend some time looking through my logbook analysis, trying to identify gaps.

I am looking for anything that I need to "clean up" or focus my energy and attention on in an effort to try to flush out my logbook with more stations.

So, for instance, I had a goal this MW DX season of trying to get 5 or more stations logged on every frequency - outside of the expanded band and 530 kHz).  When I started the season, there were 25 frequencies left (31 counting the expanded band).

As of today, I am down to my last 2 frequencies (870 and 1280 - where I have powerful local stations) that I need to get to 5 or more.  I have 3 logs on each, so need 2 more per frequency to hit the goal.

Another goal I had was to reach 150 new logged stations this DX season.  That would put me just under 900 logged stations total from Mandeville.  I was hopeful I would hear more, but the higher you go in your totals, getting new ones becomes harder and harder.  So, I thought 150 new ones for the season since the previous season I logged 169 new ones.  I run my seasons September 1st through August 31st, for consistency.

Some personal matters this summer led to a delay in getting my DX season started.  I am still using Sept. 1 as my starting point for the season, I just didn't personally get started until November with any sort of real DX.

At first, logs were coming in at a trickle....much like I thought they might.  But then, things started picking up.  December and January have been my two most productive months of AM DX in Mandeville (and indeed, ever) outside of the first month I was here (when everything was new).

So, while this week I didn't get much AM DX in the logbook, it was enough to complete my goal of 150 new logs for the season.  I am now on my new goal of reaching 900 by the end of this DX season.

However this week was not about the AM DX, it was the FM!  Several Sporadic Es openings happened on the 22nd and 25th.  It all started with a very brief opening on the 21st when I had an RDS autologger log of Arizona at the same time DXers to my North in Arkansas were hearing to their West and into Mexico.  This was a very brief opening but did net me a new state!

Then on the afternoon of Monday, the 22nd, things really got interesting.  First, an opening into Mexico that netted me a new Mexican State (Sin).  Then, the opening shifted and I was hearing near the 4-corners area of NW NM and Southern CO.  Centered on a bearing of around 300°. 

Finally, on Thursday the 25th, we once again had an opening into Mexican, this one a bit closer to due West from here.  Netted two new Mexican states (Coah and Chih) and a handful of new stations.

Anytime you can get FM DX in January, it is an absolute blessing!