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Topband: ARRL 160M Test Comments

To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: ARRL 160M Test Comments
From: K1ZM@aol.com
Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2011 16:50:06 -0500 (EST)
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Hi Gang

I have been reading comments about this past weekend's ARRL 160M test and I 
wish to address some comments that I have seen regarding EAST COAST 
participants.

Some of what I have read seems to suggest that we out here are not 
interested in beaming to and or working WEST COAST stations.

I am troubled by this kind of thought because it runs counter to what this 
contest is all about.

Basically, I will admit that working 5 point Europeans is very important 
out here - but in my case it has NEVER been at the expense of working stations 
out West.

I try to beam bidirectionally MOST of the time even when Europe is open out 
here and I try to put a significant footprint into the Pacific NW and 
Northern Cal area as much as I can.

For example - It was not long after the start of the contest on Friday 
night - perhaps even before 2300z on Friday night - when K7KU or K7KY I think 
it 
was called me from WYOMING - and he was so loud (before his SS) - that I 
had to ask him WY?? WY?? - because he was so loud out here.

As the evening wore on, as others have suggested, the West Coast stuff was 
well down here as compared to normal signal levels but I managed to work 
everything out that way EXCEPT SDG (which I never even heard), MS and SD - 
those latter two which came on Sat night.

I worked all the guys out that way I could copy and I do have the ability 
to hear well down into the noise with directive RX listening antennas aimed 
at W6/W7.

So guys, at least in MY CASE, I love to work you guys out there and I 
always beam at you even when I am trying to work Europe - so please do not 
think 
that this notion of not being interested in working USA stations out west 
applies here - as it does NOT.

A contact is a contact in ARRL 160M - and I work everything I can hear and 
then some (almost ESP sometimes).

For example, I just got an email from IV3AOL - Fulvio in Trieste - it helps 
soothe the soul I think.

Fulvio told me that he had called me ALL LAST YEAR in ARRL 160M 2010 with 
NO QSO resulting - and that he was delighted to make a qso **this year** 
after calling ALL Friday night and then two hours or more on SAT night.  You 
see, he was running 4w into an indoor antenna and yet when I managed to work 
him on a peak QSB fade, he was 559 or so around 0137z I think it was.

I wrote back to Fulvio and said his qsl was on the way - it was his FIRST 
North American qso ever on Topband and he was thrilled - and he is not the 
only station from whom I get emails just like that.

So the point here is that I think most guys out here are VERY INTERESTED in 
working anyone we can hear - especially from the WEST COAST - and I will 
always DIG and ask for repeats for as long as the calling station wishes to 
try.  Sometimes, it does take 5-6 overs to complete a qso - but that's part of 
the game isn't it?

I wish to thank especially all the W6 stations and W7 stations whom I was 
able to work on Friday night - yes, condx were AWFUL - yet I managed to work 
most of you on Friday night nonetheless and even more on Sat night when 
condx were better.

There was NO sunrise opening here to the West Coast on Sunday AM - the band 
all but closed by 0800z on Sat night - and I never did even hear San Diego 
- I guess it was on but I never managed to find one of those guys.  I also 
spend much of the second night TUNING for any new station I can hear - and I 
call anything that I have not worked as long as I can - until I determine 
they just cannot hear me calling - only then do I give up and move on....

Thanks for the calls and contacts and hope to CU again in CQ 160M CW in 
January.

73 and happy holidays and good Dx to all

JEFF   VY2ZM

K1ZM@aol.com</HTML>
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