[CQ-Contest] The Magic of Contesting from a SaltWater Location.....
k1zm--- via CQ-Contest
cq-contest at contesting.com
Sat Feb 28 01:54:06 EST 2015
For years, it has been ably demonstrated by our friends who frequent the Caribbean to operate during one of the majors, that salt water is truly magical. A salt water (beach) takeoff can be a real asset as was noted during the 6Y2A dxpedition championed by N2KW and others. Vertical radiators placed near the ocean magically open the band and have also proven to be exceptional performers at VP6DX and over at VU7RG several years ago from the Laccadives.
Imagine what it can be like to experience this on a daily basis....
where:
1) European stations are workable on 80m and 160m nearly 24 hours a day in November/December/January during sunspot minima years from North America.
2) Signals like UA9MA, JT1CO and EY8MM on 160m sound like locals around the corner at their sunrise
3) JA signals on 160M are workable on 160m just after their respective sunsets until NA sunrise ( eg: 0730 in Northern JA to almost 1150z on a good day)
4) Then starting at 2020z on 160M, many of those same JA stations can be worked again via the longpath opening which lasts until sunrise occurs in JA6. And, some of them are S9+ during the opening!
5) Single Op UNASSISTED multiplier counts on on 160m rival those of K3LR and W3LPL who have the advantages of multi-multi passing, packet spots and skimmer
6) It is possible to work 9V1 and VK6 on 160m SSB on a really good day during the sunspot minima
7) It is even possible to work a 31 station run to JA on 6M CW on a good day in late June or July
Unless you have experienced this yourself, it is hard to believe what a direct Atlantic Ocean takeoff over 200 degrees of the horizon can do - it's like being on Dxpedition somewhere near salt water - BUT actually living there! It's home and you can do this all the time....
For 15 years, I have had the good fortune to experience this from VY2ZM on Prince Edward Island in Maritime Canada and on some days I just couldn't believe these capabilities actually exist.
73 JEFF VY2ZM
Email: K1ZM at aol.com
PS: And now I should add that it is FOR SALE! If anyone out there or perhaps a contest consortium would like to own a place like this, I would love to hear from you.
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