The First 100 Years Are The Hardest

I've been practicing my CW sending skills using the Elecraft KX3 keyer and text decoder as its pretty unforgiving.  Someone told me that if you can get the KX3 to decode you're probably sending clean CW correctly. Setup :  Put the KX3 in CW mode. Make sure VOX is off and the KX3 will generate a sidetone without transmitting. Hold the DLY button for 1/2 second to toggle VOX on or off . A VOX indicator will show in the display when it is on and a brief message will say "VOX=OFF" if you hit the paddle when VOX is off. The red TX LED should not light. Learn Morse Code has this this handy chart to learn which direction to push the paddle when you're sending CW.   Push the paddle to the left to send a DAH, to the right for a DIT.   Also is handy memory map when you're listening to CW and copying in your head.  Did I just hear an F (DIT DIT DAH DIT) or was that a U (DIT DIT DAH)?   Maybe both.... :)  

HD8R was active from October 26th to November 7th.  Glad I decided to hunt them on the last two days of their DXpedition !   Worked and confirmed 40M CW on Saturday 11/6, and 15M SSB on Sunday 11/7.    The CW contact was made at my Dallas QTH (EM12ou), using my FlexRadio 6400 and the 40M Delta Loop to send and CW-SKIMMER for receive assistance (I was able to head copy when they sent my call sign).  SSB was at the lakehouse (EM12ub) using my FTdx3000 and Wolf River Coil vertical tuned to 15M at 1.45 SWR.   I did not try FT8 but lots of members of the Richardson Wireless Klub did via WSJT-X Fox and Hound mode. The Galápagos Islands are about 2327 miles from Dallas TX!  Pictures and video below.    PS:  A DXpedition is an expedition to what is considered an exotic place (Island or Country) by amateur radio operators because there are very few radio amateurs active from that place. 73 Chris de WX7V