K7TJR posted:
Finally after acres of radials and eleven receiving antenna positions, I
feel better about living on the west coast for 160.. You guys that can
work europe with your dipoles at 30 feet from the East coast have always
made me feel jealous.. I worked my first EU station a while back during
the very rare auroral cap low. For you on the East coast that are still
looking for your first Ja contact I feel bad. We at K7TJR (K7ZUM and
myself) made 117 JA contacts during the contest. We had no idea there were
that many JA stations on 160. With 8 elements in one unique design RX
antenna I can truly say it is ALL about phasing and or lack of for
performance on 160. Just when you think your antenna array may be phased
correctly, it may not be. Thanks to all for helping us to break 1000
contacts from the west coast.. Highlight was VR2BG sending and sending
until the light finally went on in my head to listen in the right
direction for his signal. Thanks Brett..
K7TJR was my first NA QSO, the first NA station heard & for most of
the time was the loudest NA signal on the band here at VR2BG on the
second night (I took a nap & slept through NA sunrise the first night).
I think working N6RO shortly afterwards was more difficult & then
things got better as I was able to get a bit of a run going.
For this contest, I switched to series feeding my roof tower. Thanks
to N6TR & WX7G for giving me some ideas that have resulted in my
best CQ 160 CW yet. I had bursts of runs of JAs the first night of
nearly 120/hour. I don't think I've ever had a 160m pile of JAs more
than two deep, so hopefully it was the improvements to the antenna
& not conditions.
This all changed going towards EU. I see at least one bloke who I
called for a long time as he was one of the loudest on the band &
therefore I thought I had a chance to be heard, but according to
3830 he was barefoot & just CQed in my face... Part of the fun &
frustration of working topband - whether or not the guy CQing can
even hear the folks replying... let alone me! ;^)
73 & HLNY, VR2BrettGraham
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