[SEDXC] TZ6RD blackout in SE USA

[David L. Thompson]

The TZ6RD operation has been running for awhile and a fellow in North
Carolina says they were not making it to his QTH (He has stacked beams on 10
15, and 20).  I laughed as normally TZ6 is an easy shot from Atlanta.  Well,
the past two days the SF was high and 12 was open and I need TZ6 for #316 on
12.  DX Summit listed him on 12 SSB and I listened on Saturday for two hours
and all I hear was a weak voice and occasional report.  He was working W1-3
and W8
and a W4 in South Florida said he was 5/9 there.  I could hear all of Europe
calling him but just whispers here.  He was on 17 later and again the same
thing.  A ham East of Atlanta with a big beam said he was ESP there too.  He
seemed to have all of W1.2.3 and W8 calling as well as W7 and VE7.  He was
reported as 4/4 in WA.  I just put it down to unusually conditions.

Sunday he was back up on 12 and this time there was not even a whisper.  A
w4 in South Carolina reported the same and NF4A in NW Florida said he was
ESP there.  K4SUS from Miami reported him 5/9 and AD1C said he was very
readable in MA plus a N8 said he was 5/7 in MI.

I reported all of this to their pilot in Italy but he has not responded.
The only thing I can think of is that SE USA must be blocked by a mountain
or building.  As most of you know we are blocked by a mountain from working
3A2 directly so most HF contacts are via Long Path or when I worked the
3A2/HA5 he was coming multiple paths on 17 and 12.  This is the most logical
reason or maybe 12 is acting like 6 meters with selectable openings but I
doubt 17 or 15  (and the NC W4 reported the same problem on 15 today too)
would have this type of selectable and repeatable openings.

73 Dave K4JRB