On 25 Jan 2014, at 00:14, Merv Schweigert <k9fd@flex.com> wrote:
> Today was no different, path over the pole at sunrise was not open,
> I was sitting on 1823 working on email, sunrise is 1708Z and
> suddenly I could hear a signal starting to come out of the noise.
> ???BM 8???BM then clear as a bell 8Q7BM calling cq. One
> call and I had a new one in the log at 1710Z, he then faded
> back down into the noise, I could hear traces of him for another
> 20 mins after sunrise, not enough to copy but knew he was
> there.
>
> Just one of those top band times when being at the right place at
> the right time when the band sounds dead.
> Makes up for all the ones I have missed this season.
Hi Merv,
Happy to enlighten your day! I had just got my short top and bottom loaded
vertical up and was testing a few calls before dinner. Was quite surprised to
get a call from you. Guess I had no idea what to expect as it was my first very
first listen to the band in 8Q. Since our contact I have replaced the eight
radials on ground with a single elevated radial as it improved RX a lot with
less QRN from the resort.
The CQ160 contest has been very challenging from here. Using a simple antenna
and 100 watt won’t get you far when it comes to cut through the contest QRM in
EU. I was hoping the 8Q prefix would compensate a little, but it was impossible
to get a run going. I had hard to cut through to any station below S9. Unless
they was expecting me to be in the contest most ops where confused by the
complicated call I guess, because many that heard me reasked several time
before getting it right,
Anyway I was happy to log you as my first contact from here. I have attached an
image of the antenna that probably will be stripped from the by the reflector,
but should reach you in private. QSL via Tim M0URX and LoTW after I arrive home.
73 de Björn,
SM0MDG
8Q7BM
SE0X
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