TopBand: UN5J from West Coast!

[shapirog@icst.com]

     Yesterday, Trey and Tree reported hearing and calling UN5J on 1830 
     from Tree's station in Oregon, right at their sunrise. I found that 
     absolutely amazing and very exciting! I had yet to bestir myself from 
     summer sloth, staying up late almost daily and sleeping in as late as 
     possible--with no time for morning QRV-- commensurate with again 
     working for a living, and being a nightowl by temperament. 
     
     But this news from my cousin up north was literally a wake-up call.
     
     I have been preparing two RTTY boxes for the Willis Island DXpedition, 
     and hit the sack at 0240 local time--hardly an optimum way to approach 
     a sunrise QRV. However, I took my daily vitamins with a BIG glass of 
     water. Naturally, I was up early--too early--and listened to N7UA 
     ragchewing with VK6, then K6VX doing the same. Pre-equinox, those guys 
     have an earlier sunrise, and I heard little from the DX, so I took 
     another nap, arising--with the topbander's infallible internal 
     clock--15 minutes before local sunrise.
     
     At first, I heard nothing of interest, but did note that the band was 
     not as noisy as one might expect in August, and that the usual BC 
     harmonic was present on 1830. Then, right at sunrise (1335), I was 
     jolted right into full attention--a long CQ from UN5J, Q5 and clear as 
     a bell, 100% copy. I was almost inert with surprise, but managed to 
     fumble a call to him. He came back "?6T? AGN BK" and I obliged him. 
     This time it went like a script, 559 both ways, 73's, tnx new one, 
     DSV. He resumed CQing, still amazingly Q5.
     
     I reached for the phone and woke up Ted, KA6W. Ted, alas, had nothing 
     connected. I jammed the earphone against the phone. "Nice signal," he 
     said, only partly awake. "How can you copy New York in daylight?" "Not 
     THE UN, Ted," I yelled. "Kazakhstan!"
     
     I called AJ6T, but failed to penetrate the SWB (Sleeping Wife 
     Barrier). No matter--Walt got this guy in January, when I was lolling 
     on a beach in the Yucatan. I had taken it for granted that I would 
     have to wait until the end of the year to correct that misfortune. 
     Then the shack was full of daylight and UN5J was gone.
     
     That I got through today and Tree did not yesterday is likely due to 
     my more southerly QTH and the resultant shallower penetration of the 
     auroral zone--right, Bob? Tree had said he could not be QRV today--bad 
     luck for him, but I will bet serious money UN5J will be there on the 
     morrow. In any case, I want to publicly thank Tree for the posting, 
     without which I would have blissfully snored through the opportunity-- 
     and my first zone 17 on top. 
     
     This band rarely fails to frustrate, thrill, disappoint, and/or 
     enrapture its adherents. Just when you think you have it figgered 
     out...
     
     I guess autumn is here!!!
     
     Garry  NI6T



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