Tom,
I have been w atching the spotting networks lately. I think much of the
problem is that many stations now use directional antennas what with all the
Flag, Pennant and K9AY antennas now being used for receive. If we turn these in
directions that promote local contacts instead of DX contacts because we think
the conditions (or in my case noise) are poor we may miss contacts from DX
locations. I know I have heard stations from EU being called from east coast
stations and the EU station never called back. Finally when one of the big
guns got involved with their high power stations and directoinal antennas
contact was made but the EU stations only worked a small fraction of those
calling. I am sure this also works in reverse.. As my mentor WA3BGT (SK) once
told me ya gotta hear' em to work'em... but if we are not listening for them we
will never hear them.
I listen every night for at least a little while and sure there are nights when
nothing comes in, but there are just as many when EU stations are heard.
Bottom line Listen first transmit second.
Jim WA3MEJ
Message: 7
Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:28:20 -0000
From: "Tom Boucher" < tom@telemetry.demon.co.uk >
Subject: Topband: 160 Conditions
To: < topband@contesting.com >
Message-ID: <0B83CA5B7DE0424C95C26B5F16FCA967@Tom>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Who says top-band conditions are in the doldrums? 160 was really singing this
morning and signals from the mid-west and west were like I've never heard them.
In under an hour at 0500Z, 30 US stations and 17 states worked. Jim N7JW (UT)
was knocking the calibrated S meter of my K3 up to 20 over and Randy W6OAR (CA)
was over the 9 when we worked.
The evening of 6th December was also something else with 26 JAs worked and many
more heard in the pile up.
Let's hope these conditions continue!
73 & HNY
Tom G3OLB
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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