It's hard to be Boring when the band is like it was last night.
Started off with a bang after seeing W2VJN spot UA3TCJ at 0247z.
George has a wire 4 square on 160 and can often do magic that my single
vertical can't reproduce - but I listen anyway. I worked RK3PA once
back in 1996, so it can be done...
Well, there is UA3TCJ popping up on a QSX peak - and he is easy to
copy and work. Holy skip!! This was followed by a slug of contacts
with a 3 in them: LY3UM, RK3PA, RW3XX and RA3DOX. All of these
stations were coming in for about an hour. RA3DOX was peaking up
several s-units above the noise.
OH9RJ appeared near the top of the band (1838) and was very easy
during QSB peaks (and very inaudiable during QSB valleys). SP2FAX
and DJ0MDR showed up, but none of the HA's worked during the past
week were heard. This is very strange - were they all watching the
world series or something?
VP5/CT1ILT had a big packet pileup (you know - the one that keeps
going without signing his call, and when he finally does, someone
doubles with him so you miss the last letter). Then, RU2FO shows
up and causes a stir. Typical QSB with him, and it takes several
overs to get the RST (I could hear him send our calls just fine
several times, but he would dive before sending the RST).
PA0CLN, IZ7YY, G4BYG, DF2PY and ON4ATW show up later in the evening
as the sun rises in eastern Europe. F5IN is called several times,
he does hear W2VJN, but not me. I spend a little time listening
to 1845 to see if I can hear EA9IE - but no luck.
THEN, I hear something on 1833.8 "4YOX" and he is working a station
in Washington. QSB is giving them problems, but they finally finish
the QSO and I have a clear shot to GU4YOX. The QSO is made - his
signal stays up very well for the whole QSO (and the subsequent one
he makes with W7AT). A new country!! It has been several years
since I have scored a new one (#183). Thanks Bob! Afterwards,
KH6AT calls him and I believe they made it as well. Bob was like
the only signal left on the band (except FP/VE7SV) as I started
to fall asleep. He was coming in from 0624 to at least 0647z.
So - this was one of those evenings that the west coast was in the
spotlight. Many of the European signals were stronger than the
east coast stations. If I called a station on their QSB peak, they
almost always came back.
Whew! Tune in tomorrow to see what the propagation Gods have served
up! Can this possibly last for the contest?
Tree N6TR/7 in Boring, OR
tree@kkn.net
WARNING!! Continued exposure to 160 meter radiation can be harmful to your
health. Please read the warnings at http://n6tr.jzap.com/tbdisease.html
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