TopBand: Top-Band(ung) Report

[Joerg Puchstein, YB1AQS]

Dear fellow Top-banders,

just a short report from the left end of the Pacific.
After a 'boring' week wasting too much time at the radio
without any significant openings the band has started to
come alive again.

Last night has brought 85 QSO's, 58 of them with JA before
and at there sunrise (they are 'only' 4000 miles away).
It started with a bang - after UA9XJV at 1654Z - 1823Z
NL7Z called in for country no. 25 and zone no.19 this
season. Later several UA0's (ru0li,ua0ls,fbq,fz,ra0fa)
went in for zone 19 as the 20th this season at there sunrise.
Unfortunately still no KH6 heard, seems nobody is there at
sunrise. Or it's the propagation: I have the feeling that
paths along the equator are very difficult, much more than
the N/S paths. Zone 31 is beside zone 20 the only 'easy' one
still missing from here this year.

Europe seems to end at the border between OH and SM,
got 14x OH, 1x SM, 1x LA (LA9IAA unbelievable loud 1853Z)
and thanks Wil DJ7AA, 1x DL as the only middle European
last night. Northern Europe has had a very strong peak 
already between 1830 .. 1900Z.

I thought I was hearing Jeff, K1ZM for a short moment
at 22:35Z - just at my sunrise. Unfortunately OF3KCB was
struggling coming thru at this time...
Hope the condx will last for a while so the skeds with Jeff
in Cape Cod will finally be a success.

I try to be on THE band most of the time in the next two
weeks, currently 'allocated' frequency is 1828.7. Any 
suggestions regarding a clear frequency are welcome. Focus
will mainly be the early morning into Europe/JA (from 1800z
onward) and longpath U.S. at sunrise, but if my job allows
I'll also be there between 12..15Z for U.S.A. 'short' path
(have unfortunately no vacation during the holidays).

QSL's (once again) should be sent to DK7YY:

 DK7YY
 Falk Weinhold
 Postfach 0343
 D-10323 Berlin
 Germany

 (DARC bureau is ok too)

Seasons greetings to everybody,

vy73, 

de Joerg YB1AQS in Bandung, West Java (Loc: OI33)

dl8wpx@indo.net.id


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