On Aug 8, 2004, at 2:34 AM, Jeffrey D Clarke wrote:
>> First contest with Top Ten DX Doubler I bought in Dayton. Only
>> problem is
> I
>> couldn't get it to work with NA in the automatic mode... Poor Condx
>> except
> for
>> short opening on 10/15 meters to East Coast , TX and CA in first
>> couple
> hours.
I didn't find conditions to be that poor. I observed that the bands
generally stayed open. These openings weren't strong, but the bands
were quiet. 40m, especially, was unusually quiet. 80m, too.
Several times I scanned through 10 & 15m, to find one or two stations
propagation was usually short enough to imply a solid opening -- there
just weren't any people up there.
I think the nearing of the sunspot minimum is affecting people's
operating. At the first indication of a slow down, people are heading
to lower bands. West coast stations stayed up on 20m until well after
0200z, so conditions couldn't have been too bad. Conditions may
actually be good, but everyone seems to be expecting the worst, and
they behave accordingly.
>> Also around 0200z 20 meters went real short and the rate really
>> jumped up.
I missed this opening. I had a great run on 40m at this time.
>> Activity seemed low on 80 and 160... but I didn't have a real ant up
>> for
> top
>> band this time.
Neither do I. I heard activity on 160m as early as 0300z. I think some
of the stations jumped to 160m way too early, bypassing 80m, or perhaps
they were on 80m when I was on 40m.
Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL Mail: aa4lr@arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
-- Wilbur Wright, 1901
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