[SEDXC] VU4 stations working EU and Japan

[David Thompson]

Dave KB4ET and others have complained about some of the VU4's working Europe
or even Japan whuile the band is open to North America.  I saw several posts
to this effect.

SE Asia is about the hardest area to work from the South East USA.  We have
an hour or so opening on good days where as Europe has a dozen and even more
for Japan.  VU4 is solidly in SE Asia as it's much closer to HS than VU.
VU/4S7 short path over the pole and Long path in the early morning on 20 and
17 is fairly easy but HS/XU et al are very difficult.  To work these areas
on 160, 80 and even 40 require sunrise sunset to align where we have at
least a half hour of greyline.  I remember W1 to W3 working XZ on 160 or 80
and not a peep here.  One W3 said there were 579 at 2130Z which is still
broad daylight even in Mid Winter.  One of the XZ operators, Milt N5IA said
in his two trips to XZ that its funny that there is a gap from North
Carolina to West Texas in the 160 log.  NC slid in on sunset and West Texas
made it on sunrise.  Only station in the gap that made it thru was (who
else) K5UR.

And who says W1 has it rough.  The only USA contact made by the A52 in the
CQ 160 CW several years ago was Joe, W1JR.   And remember when the second
BS7H operation was on (the one that counted)?   Not a peep on 20 from GA but
over 40 W1's made it thru.  Today the VU4 on 14260 was ESP here but a number
of W1's were calling.  I heard K1VR work him and say he was an honest S7 in
New England.

73 Dave K4JRB