My First DX Certificate

Many of you are aware, Groupo Alfa Tango ran a worldwide DX contest open to non-members during August to celebrate their 42nd anniversary, there was a possible 43 stations around the world to contact. I didn't manage to get my first AT/42Y QSO until 8 days after the contest opened, starting with Paulo 205AT/42Y in the Islands of Cape Verde.

Being such a slow start, I didn't really put too much effort in chasing down more,  thinking I was way too far behind to catch up with other operators. By the time the last 24 hours had come around, I had only contacted 8 stations, propagation hadn't been too great, but suddenly Europe opened up to 8 more 42Y stations with a few others I just couldn't get back to due to pile ups. I was quite pleased with my day and I submitted my QSO's to the AT groups website. 

A couple of months later, I had an email from the AT group with 16 gold eQSL's attached, I was quite pleased with my efforts, I then thought that was the end of it until, I was looking through another operators website, when I spotted a list of entrants to the contest, so I scrolled down to the only person to make 16 QSO's and there was a link... to my first ever DX certificate. Chuffed!

New QSL card

I have to thank 26TE007 Chris for his help in designing this amazing QSL card for me, from a rough sketch, earlier this year. I had EuroQSL in Spain do the printing, which the quality is absolutely stunning, I'll definitely be returning to them for future projects and the price with tracked postage was cheaper than I could find locally. 

I sent a few repeat cards out to some really good radio friends around the world, who had sent me some really good QSL packages over the last six months.

Front of my card with a view of Tower Bridge, early one morning and the rear of my card, with a early morning shot of the longest pleasure pier in the World, located on the River Thames, Southend on Sea, Essex.