Here's the KL7Y scenario for the ARRL 160: South America - nil; Caribbean
and Central America - virtually nil; Oceania - they must be all ogling
bikinis instead of working the radios; Asia- JA's down from the last few
years and two potential Asian new ones (XV7SW and HL5CL) are loud, but
unworkable; Africa - not a chance. With this grim report, one might suspect
a sad report from the keepers of the aurora. Au contraire, fellow 160
freaks: undoubtedly this was the best propagation we have ever had on 160
to stateside and Europe.
Let me put it in perspective. The most Q's ever from Alaska in a contest on
160 was around 460 from the '95 NL7G multi-multi in CQ WW. The best of the
160 meter tests was around 400. This weekend, KL7Y (with N7DF) made 733
QSOs. We had over 330 QSOs the first night. It took me years to get 160
WAS from Alaska, now it's been done in one weekend. We had a tremendous
stateside opening the second night, working about one layer deeper than ever
before. 75 of 78 sections, missing VE2, KP4 and KP2. Never heard a KP2,
but sure called KP3W a lot and heard several VE2's. Conditions were just
fantastic.
Excuse my exuberance, but it gets better. Sunday morning we got the best
European opening I have heard from South Central Alaska. Working EU from
the Arctic is no big deal, but it's a tough path for us in Alaska's "Banana
Belt". I think the best I ever did before was about a dozen in one night,
and that was on a super night. Then came Sunday morning and I found myself
with a huge pile and I was RUNNING Europeans. The West coasters already
understand this, I'm sure, but if you live on the East Coast, imagine
RUNNING JAs on 160. It's about the same feeling. Unfortunately, the contest
ended at 1600Z - the pile was still there so I kept working them even though
they weren't going into the contest log anymore. I'll remember this opening
for a long time. Now if we can get the ARRL to extend the contest until
1800Z in the years to come and get those long callers to send their call
only once....
What a great time this was.
Still Stoked,
Dan KL7Y
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