[Mldxcc] FT5ZM

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

Late this afternoon on 17m I worked at VK3 who was beaming LP.  He was 
audible on SP and LP, but stronger on LP.  I suspect that was at least
as much due to his beaming LP as it was to the path being better.
Anyway, I realized I was beaming 90 degrees, going right over
FT5ZM.  Could FT5ZM be a possibility?  About an hour later I
heard them weakly but solidly on 18130 and worked them fairly
easily (I already had them on 17 CW).  Around 0300Z, I saw spots
for FT5ZM on 10 CW.  At first I heard nothing, but eventually
I figured out that they were coming in over JA on a skew path
that was a modified short path.  They were running JA's but I
called them anyway for a long time.  Thankfully, they announced
they were listening up 5, so I knew I was calling where they
were listening.  Eventually, the JA's thinned out and they started
CQ'ing.  Despite many calls, they never heard me and continued
to CQ in my face.  They were right at my noise level, and my
beam was in a very quiet direction.  So this was a rare case where
I was actually hearing better than them.  With 1.5 kW to
4 elements at 110 feet, I think I gave it my best shot.  But
I am in the flat lands.  This might require being on a hilltop.
After giving up on 10 meters, I figured 15m should be open, but
there were no spots.  I listened on 21023 and there they were.
Don't depend on spots, especially when only the west coast is
in play.  They were running JA's but I called anyway and got
through within a few minutes.  Don't give up just because the DX is
running JA's.

Rick N6RK