TopBand: Receive Beacons/Golden Ears

[Bill Hohnstein]

  It's nice reading N6TR's notes on west coast conditions.  It's good to
put Nebraska's European conditions in perspective with those on the
west coast.  It's also nice to hear of the stations that I'm only
currently dreaming of (3W, XU, etc.).  Then, I wonder what the east coast
conditions are really like--I haven't seem similar reports from there.
  It's also nice to get the world conditions in better perspective with
similar reports from 9X4WW, 9A2TW, VK6HD.  Then I think, "It would be
nice to get a better view of 160 conditions with daily reports
from around the globe..."  A light bulb goes off!!!  How about a daily
"Receive Beacon" (Golden Ears?) reports from select locations throughout
the world (similar to those in the 14.100, etc. beacon network) fed via
the Reflector?  Daily reports would indicate those stations heard on
160 at a few specific sites.  While locations should be bent to fit
160 meter characteristics (something between the east and west coast USA
is definitely needed) they are a good goal (3 South America regulars
might be as tough to get as a BY and 4S7).
  I'll let someone other than myself (W4ZV?) suggest who these "Golden
Ear" people should be, but they need to be normally active and have
better than average equipment.  It becomes questionable how complete
this list should be.  Should G3PQA, etc. be listed every day?  Listing
John's strength daily may be of value, but the list could get long...
  I'll start the ball rolling by giving a report on what I HEARD
yesterday.  I didn't plan on making a report yesterday, so some of the
heard times are guesses and I'm sure that I failed to write down some
of the strong regulars that I actually heard.  Some RST reports are based
on my memory.  ALL of these calls were either written in my log or on
my scratch paper.

                      03 February 1997

CALL       TIME     RST     FREQ      COMMENTS

SUNSET     2346 (02Feb)    1800       Little heard
SM6CVX     0320     569    1835.5
OM5XX      0322     559    1833.5
ZS5LB      0325     599    1832.9     Strong!
RA6AX      0330     569    1831.4     A good week for Russians worked
DK8ZB      0334     569    1832.1
UA4AZJ?    0336     449    1834.7     Could have been UA4CJJ
OZ7C       0346     569    1826.1
YO3APJ     0350     589    1828.0     Good signal!
UA4CJJ     0354     449    1836.7
OK1FKM     0408     559    1830.5
SM4CAN     0412     569    1823.9
DK8ZB      0418     589    1831.7     Stronger now, new freq
OM3PC      0427     449    1830.5
DK7SU      0435     579    1833.5
RK3PA      0437     449    1835.3     Conditions going down
DL1RWN     0455     569    1822.0
OE5KE      0515     569    1820.5
ON4UN      0539     589    1833.7
I4EAT      0544     569    1836.6     CQ W7
HB9ARF     0556     569    1827.3
PA0LEG     0559     559    1826.0
G3RPB      0605     579    1828?
DF2PY      0607     579    1832?
EA6NB      0612     569    1834.0
I2ZFD      0619     569    1835.0     (Getting up at 1220z--SK)

  Again, had I been preparing this list last night rather than today
it would have included more calls--too much?  I'm sure that our east
coast Golden Ears would have even more.
  Switch the light bulb off or turn it on again?

73,  Bill     K0HA


      


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