Well, now wait a minute...we finally get a decent opening to North America and
you guys go and switch around calls on me the day before? NO FAIR.......
just kidding.
Spent most of the night on top band.
18:00 came up for VK east coast...worked about 24 EUs and nada VK/ZL.
20:00 back for VK6s....more EUs....Mike heard the pileup but not me....bummer.
noise was 10 db over nine. Beverage worked better versus the night before
becuase it reduced the noise. Stayed on for 2 hours and listened for JAs but
they could also hear the EUs but not me. No 9M8 tonite as the night before.
Went for a quick 2 hour nap and got up at 00:00 and cq'd for a while. Heard
some very weak EUs so read my email and figured...worse nite yet. Hi noise
weak
EU, why oh why did I get up?
Now about 00:20 and cq'd one more time...also nothing. Well do I quit? I
figure what the hell, I am up. I work a few middle eastern types and some UA9s
but they are way down in the noise. Now 00:56 and no EUs yet. One more CQ and
off to bed. Got meetings all morning. HA1CW comes back but his sig is a
little
louder than most EUs have been tonite. In fact, from the time he calls me to
the time he goes TU his signal has jumped from in the noise to above the S9 +
10db mark. First time the S meter has moved in two nites. Maybe something is
happening here. The ears perk up, the eyes open from little slits....
Then the magic happens that keeps us all in love with this band. W1OO, W4ZV,
K1NA, N4SU, W1JZ, W1CL, W1JR, N4WI, W1FJ, N4OJ, N4VZ, K1FJS (busted call?),
N0XX, N4RJ, W2OKM, K2CL, W4DR, W3KG, K1YX, in the next hour (also some EUs who
came in when I could not hear USA). WOW, joy, rapture! This is better than a
trip to Saeed's harem...well maybe I'm getting carried away...no, it's not that
good.
If my noise had not been 10db over 9 and a certain European (I won't embarrass
DJ7AA by giving his call) had not spent half the NA opening just calling (I
don't think he was calling me just practicing sending his call) I would have
doubled my output. I answered about 5 more stations that did not come back
with
a signal rpt. My scrap sheet has about 100 partial calls. I think I know
about
half of the busted calls but since I did not get response...not in log.
The calls above are not necessarily in the order worked as to prevent someone
from saying it was really them without a time.
One more comment:
I saw someone post something about EU pileup behavior recently on the top band
reflector. I must say, in the 20+ hours or so I spent this week even with the
biggest pileups, I have been impressed how well they have been listening and
the
noise usually dies when I answer someone. Last night was particularly vicious,
but I never felt the discipline left the group calling me. Shows how it is
still the gentleman's band if you work split and keep in charge.
See you again tonite. I worked all day again and really need some sleep.
Thank
god I have a plane ride Friday nite to catch up on my beauty rest (I need all I
can get). Tonight is the last try. The antennas stay here all cut so it is
not
your last hope. I usually come back every year. Maybe next year I can delay
my
trip to the month the prop is best on top band. I will take a survey next week
with when A71CW was worked the most...please don't send me this info yet. I
have to download my email by dialing my ISP in the states. Can't wait to see
my
ATT credit card bill next month....
Well, CU tonite. Let's hope the bands stay the same or improve.
Don
A61AD/N1DG
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