Hi Roger,
We did QSO a couple of days ago but that
doesn't change your question. It's a good
question and there's been some important
answers thus far.
I can say that I haven't had as many
people in your direction coming back to me
as I did a few years ago. That might be
because I need to replace some connections
at the radial plate though they do seem
good visually. I probably should replace
coax between the coax box to the
individual wire antennas (though I do want
to migrate them all to one feed-point and
bypass the remote switch). Or, the band
might not be ready to give it up, yet.
I do see a lot of FT8 here, done some on
160 myself but I rarely have seen any DX
on 160, scarcer than hen's teeth for me
anyway. Looking at my log, the only FT8 DX
I have worked on 160 is VE, I'm guessing
most others have the same results so I
doubt it's FT8 that is the problem.
I don't hear well at this QTH till later
on in the season because of the RFI from
arcing on train electrical lines next to
me. When the band is quieter from the QRN,
my directional antennas I have here really
help pick out DX from the noise.
I'm still a CW guy for DX, always will be,
I suspect the 160 DXers will mostly be the
same so keep listening for NA on CW.
73,
Gary
KA1J
>
> I know you guys in North America have a lot of Lightning & Static
> problems in the summer . . . but surely that's all gone now?
>
> If so, why is there so little activity on CW from NA on Top Band?
>
> Every night there's usually a load of us Europeans on from your Sunset
> time, calling CQ DX.
>
> The band is clearly open, from the RBN signal reports . . . but I'll
> often come on for at least an hour, and lucky if I have 3 or 4 QSOs !
> And even then, it tends to be none of the big signals.
>
> What makes it even more frustrating is that there's usually LOADS of
> people posting FT8 contacts on the 160m DX Cluster . . . but very few
> proper CW Stations !
>
> Roger G3YRO
>
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