DXpedition

Again, at our sunset today, I was called by a weak DX on 40m. It was PZ5AA operated by a JA ham, JH1ROJ. He and his company seemed to have just started DXpedition there for 5 days. Even though we could hardly converse enough, I knew how much he was excited to hear JA from PZ. I wished him good luck and much fun. This QSO has reminded me of our trip to Cambodia in 1991. I went there with JH0FBH and  JH1OJU, who are not on the radio any longer.

I have written about that trip to XU somewhere. After a hectic night at the transit lobby of Bangkok International airport, a small propellar plane has brought us to Phnom Phen. It was already October but was still burning hot. I remember the heat reflecting from the asphalt on us when we landed there. Sokun, the operator of XU8DX, and some personnel were welcoming us at the small lobby. Our one week stay has started that way. At that time, it was just after the civil war had ended. There was curfew imposed at night. Having operated XU0JA until late at night, we were scared to hurry to the hotel from the PTT where the station was located. No one on the street. Still muggy and quiet. Since XU was not so common as right now, we have had huge pile ups especially from Western Europe and East Coast. A fun to handle the pile ups. For me, that fun won't last longer than an hour. I always got bored. Maybe, I was born to be a ragchewer but not a DXpeditioner.

I was sure Isao JH1ROJ was feeling the same way as we were those days. Though I won't experience that heat and mess again, I could understand what he had felt there.

My DXing days have already gone.

Cooked pumpkin

We have cropped several pumpkins in the garden farm this year. They taste pretty good. They are cooked for boiled vegetables or this cooked pumpkin. The latter is a simple dish of pumpkin simmered with small amount of soy sauce, sake, sweetened sake and sugar.  Pumpkin could taste good or not very good being dependent on the kind, the environmental factors such as fertilizer or sunshine or the timing of harvest. This one was a hit. It tastes sweet and, how should I say, full bodies taste like chestnut. Both of us would take all the pumpkins harvested for the coming week or two.

 

The main dish was yellowtail and radish which I had already uploaded in the past. This was another success. My wife was uttering in spite of herself as "This is delicious!" while eating it.  

 

 

 

The path to UK is fully open

Getting up early in the morning today, I started watching 20m. It has given a great opening to both Eu and NA at the same time. The East Eu which is always a wall for us to go over seemed to be skipping. No worry for their endless calls in breach from those in the East Eu. Longer distance was really good. After talking to an old friend of mine, Al W1FJ and a couple of Eus, I have had a nice QSOs with 3 G guys in a row. One of them was old Ron G3KTZ. He might be around 79 years of age. He has had a steady and proficient fist handling the paddle. 

At first, he compared his antennas, a dipole and an end fed wire. No change with either antenna. His set up is a kind of standard in UK, which makes us thrilled to listen to. Fortunately, since the condition was really stable with less noise than usual, it was easy for me to read him.

As the other UK guys told me, he was anxious about the poll they would make in Scottland tomorrow. He told me it would make a mess if they choose the way of independence. The United Kingdom has already had a history since early 17th century. No wonder there could be complex and strong binding between England and Scotland. They question how to separate the social security or the debt of the UK government etc. Ron was not very serious but was rather curious what would go on there.

He was also chasing Nigel G3TXF oerqating as ZD9XF from Tristan de Cunha. It is amazing he was still active in the DX race with his simple set up.

In the end, he wished the nuclear power plant accident would be controlled very soon. I told him it is far from control. Our prime minister has made a big lie. Anyway, I thanked him for his wishes for us.

New England in the US and the north western Eu are difficult places to reach on the radio from here. I am always feeling thrilled to hear signals from either area. G guys always have modest set up as I told. It is always attractive for me to chat with anyone in UK. Fall has fully arrived on the air for now. I would get up early and look for old friends of mine in those areas.    

Rice cooked with chestnut

Fruit such as perssimon or chestnut is not in a good harvest this year. Each fruit is smaller than usual. It may be due to the long lasted rain in this summer.

It is still the time of harvest. We have a pretty big chestnut tree, which was again planted by my father almost 30 years ago. The main trunk is about 30cm in diameter. It bears so many chestnuts that it is hard for us to do with them every fall. I found many chestnuts fallen on the ground today.

 

I have collected basketfull chestnuts this afternoon. Despite of the small size, each fruit seems well ripened.

 

What shall I do with them? There won't be any other recipe than rice cooked with chestnut, Rice was cooked with soy sauce, sake, sweetened sake and salt. The rest of chestnuts was stored in refrigerator.

 

 

The 3.5th anniversary of the big earth quake and the nuclear power plant accident in Tohoku

There have been over 130K people evacuated from Fukushima due to the nuclear power plant accident . They have planned house construction there. In 3.5 years, only 11% of the planned houses have built. In the other prefectures, ths situation is almost the same. Too slow. The evacuees have socially killed with their houses, jobs, communities and even family members lost. It was 3.5th anniversary of the big earthquake in Tohokuand the TEPCO Fukushima nuclear power plant accident yesterday.

We should never forget them.

The day of the harvest moon

It is the day of the harvest moon here in Japan. We celebrate the arrival of harvest season with bean jam bun on this day.

Without any relationship with it, I have made a dish of chicken with root vegetable and carrot seasoned with balsamic vinegar. Having toasted the day with a glass of beer, I am waiting for my wife coming home.

Beef stewed in red wine seasoned with rosemary

It was a special dinner for our daughter's coming home and my wife's birthday. The latter is a week ahead. Anyway, the reason to cook this one is not important. I could get a bulk of beef.  There was a bottle of red wine which we scarcely take. These are reasons enough to start with this recipe.

Pretty good. Though my wife has praised the cooked potato before mentioning of the beef! Anyway, the beef was so tender that once it was in our mouth, it went melted quickly. Red wine has brought something flavorful in the background.

I wonder if I should replace it to simple steak next time when I could get such bulky beef.