TopBand: eu

[W7lr]

Working Europe during our evenings has been quite regular, from a few up to 16
in a session.  However I had never worked Europe in our mornings, but this
morning worked OH3ES and heard OH1XX well.  KE7X said it was greyline which I
dont underestand very well - just listen and try to work what I can hear.
Strange conditions however, as usually UA0 is easy but they couldn't hear me
today.
And about an hour before sunrise stations to the west and south were working
JA that I couldnt hear.  Just after our sunrise JA7OEM and JH1RES were s9 and
I worked one of them ok.(the other was working eu).  Different receiving
conditions too.  Usually I just rx on my 90' tx antenna, but do have a field
of rx antennas: K6STI square loop, a dual EWE for Eu, a dual EWE for Asia, and
a 300' center fed low dipole.  Usually the dipole picks up more noise than
signal but today gave the best s/n for JA (tho the tx ant was almost as good).
The UA0 were best received on the Asia EWE.  The two OH stations were heard
best on the EU EWE (short path).  The other morning when I heard and worked
YB1AQS for the first time the Asia EWE made the difference (finished building
it in about 1.5' of snow - regular Montana antenna wx).  
As others have said this reflector is sure great.  Lately I have had nice
email qsos with Vlad RV1CC following our topband qso - his first W7, and have
enjoyed learning more about him and his station.  He is helping me with a qsl
problem, and I have offerred to help him with USA qsls towards his WAS.  See
you in the Stew.
73 Bob W7LR  Montana.

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