Upgrading HRD from v6.80.372 to v6.9.0.17086

I was excited to read the recent announcements about the newly released enhanced Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD) v6.9. I am particularly grateful to the HRD team for replacing the database since the legacy MS-Access database had been a source of occasional trouble and performance issues.

The folks at HRD made the upgrade super easy. The only challenge encountered was with Windows blocking HRD Wizard.

HRD Upgrade Steps

1. Download HRD software v6.9.0.17086 (27-Oct. 2025)

2. Run the downloaded HRD software

3. Run the HRD Setup Wizard

4. Read and accept the license agreement

5. Select the destination location

6. Prepare to Install - close the old version of HRD which was running

7. Complete the HRD Setup Wizard 

8. Convert the old MS-Access based HRD logbook

9. Allow HRD Wizard process folder access after it was blocked by Windows protection blocked folder access.

10. Run the logbook migration

11. Finish the Migration Wizard

12. Run HRD and verify the logbook was converted

I am looking forward to diving into HRD and exploring the new features. 

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL card from Carlos, EA1TE for a 3/7/2009 20m PSK31 contact.

Thank you, Carlos, EA1TE, for the digital QSL card for our 3/7/2009 20m PSK31 contact.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL card from Michael, VE7AT for a 11/2/2020 FT8 contact

Thank you, Michael, VE7AT, for the digital QSL card for our 11/2/2020 20m FT8 contact.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL card from John, VE7PEY for 4/1/2021 80m FT8 contact

Thank you, John, VE7PEY, for the digital QSL card for our 4/1/2021 80m FT8 contact.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL card from Dale, KJ7RGW 12/28/2021 80m FT8 contact

Thank you, Dale, KJ7RGW, for the digital QSL card for our 80m FT8 contact.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL Card from YV1GIY for a July 17, 2022 30m FT8 contact

Thank you, Carlos (YV1GIY) for the digital QSL card for our July 17, 2022 30m FT8 contact.

YV1GIY Digital QSL Card

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL Card from BV7RR for a May 22, 2022 20m FT8 contact

Thank you Fingsen (BV7RR), for our 20m FT8 contact on May 22, 2022 and your digital QSL card.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Tuvalu (T2C) contacts confirmed on LoTW from October 2023

I was delighted to see five of my contacts with Tuvalu (T2C) confirmed this morning on the Logbook of the World (LoTW).  The contacts covered a distance of 8,011 km (4,978 miles). These five DX contacts were made in October of 2023.  I now have Tuvalu confirmed on 10M, 15M, 17M, 20M, and 30M.  These move me closer to earning the DXCC Challenge award by bringing my total to 860 confirmed contacts.

Flag of Tuvalu

Tuvalu (formerly known as the Ellice Islands) is an island country in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean, between Hawaii and Australia. It lies east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands, northeast of Vanuatu, southeast of Nauru, south of Kiribati, west of Tokelau, northwest of Samoa and Wallis and Futuna, and north of Fiji.

Tuvalu is composed of three reef islands and six atolls.  Tuvalu had a population of 10,645 in 2017, making it the second-least populous country in the world, behind Vatican City. Its total land area is 26 square kilometers (10 sq mi).

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Completed 12m ARRL DXCC Award

A big THANK YOU to Bobby (VP8WA) in the Falkland Islands for being my 100th DXCC contact confirmed on LoTW on 12 meters.  

Flag of the Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf with 3,662 inhabitants in 2021. At the time of this writing, a QRZ.com query returned a total of 225 call signs issued by the Falkland Islands.  The number of active hams will be less than this figure.  

The principal islands are about 300 mi (480 km) east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about 752 mi (1,210 km) from Cape Dubouzet at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, at a latitude of about 52°S. The archipelago, with an area of 4,700 sq mi (12,000 km2), comprises East Falkland, West Falkland, and 776 smaller islands. As a British overseas territory, the Falklands have internal self-governance, but the United Kingdom takes responsibility for defense and foreign affairs.

I am delighted to have earned the ARRL 12 meters DXCC award. It took many years to earn this award.  All contacts were made with 100 watts or less and using simple wire antennas.

As I write this, I have now completed DXCC on 10 Meters, 12 Meters, 15 Meters, 17 Meters, 20 Meters, 30 Meters, and 40 Meters. At this moment, I will be working on achieving DXCC on just one more band.

• 6 Meters - No gain antenna
• 80 Meters - 48 qualifying contact confirmed on LoTW
• 160 Meters - No antenna

I am also pursuing the DXCC Challenge Award which requires confirming at least 1,000 DXCC band-points on any Amateur bands, 160 through 6 meters (except 60 meters). I presently have 850 contacts confirmed on LoTW toward the DXCC Challenge Award.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL Card from KH2GM for a February 10, 2024 12m FT8 contact

Thank you Jesus (KH2GM), for our 12m FT8 contact on February 2, 2024 and your digital QSL card.  The photo is most impressive.

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Digital QSL card from N4NQ February 10, 2024 12m FT8 contact

Thank you, Sid (N4NQ), for the wonderful digital QSL card for our February 10, 2024 12m FT8 contact.  I really love the Georgia Queen river boat in the photo.  I look forward to our next contact further on down the log.

N4NQ Digital QSL Card

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Vermont QSO Party 2024

It is time for the Vermont QSO Party 2024!  Check out all the rules on Vermont QSO Party (ranv.org).

Event: 0000Z, Feb 3 to 2400Z, Feb 4, 2024

Good DX and 73, NJ2X

Meet the students using radio waves to contact the ISS

This is an excellent NBC's Today Show news program with Harry Smith reporting about students using amateur radio to contact the International Space Station.

http://tinyurl.com/5a2jzrt5

International Space Station

Good DX and 73, NJ2X