TopBand: openers--night 2

[Don Barclay]

More band openers on Night #2, CQ 160 SSB, from Samoa as duly
recorded by KH8/N5OLS:

1.   K6HNZ	0457z	1.817
2.   N7DD	0500z 	1.830
3.   WB9Z	0527z 	1.845
4.   N5JA		0528z	1.838
5.   NX0I		0529z	1.848
6.   W0SD	0530z	1.876
7.   KB0WY	0531z	1.917
8.   W4WA	0535z	1.824
9.   W0JH	0541z	1.923
10.  N5IA		0543z	1.949
11.  NN5Z	0552z	1.812
12.  W0AIH	0556z	1.855

Signals were significantly degraded tonight compared to last night.
The band did open earlier, an apparent omen of good fortune for the
second night, but the SID or whatever it was that happened about
0620z completely blanked the band in KH8 until about 0720z.  The 
signals came back slowly, and never reached the strength of the
previous night.  The sunrise peaks that I usually see weren't very 
pronounced the first night, and were even less so tonight.  I didn't 
hear a single W1, after working 15 or 20 in a few minutes only a week
ago.  In fact, the only stations east of the Mississippi that I worked
VE3EJ, W2GD, and a KC4 in KY.

N5KO---I'm amazed that you can hear me when nobody else can, Trey

W2GD---Good signals from you guys, John, could copy you almost the
              entire first night, and for several hours tonight.  Sorry I cost
              you 4 minutes trying to work me!

N5IA-----Didn't hear you a lot, but you had a very loud signal, s9+5,
             when you worked KH6CC.  Tried to call, but you had QSYed.

N5JA----Could copy you the entire first night, Jon, and all but 1 hour
             the second night.  Probably the most consistent, though not
             always the loudest on the band.

WB9Z---Well Jerry, that was me you almost worked right before ZL2SQ
              the first night, and me again when you asked if I, H44, or P29
              was on frequency.  Your big sunrise peak didn't really happen
              this morning, sorry I missed you.  Signal was about as consis-  
              tent as N5JA, and often louder.

K6HNZ--Not as consistent as those mentioned above, but the loudest
              signal I copied from the U.S.

W4WA--Occasionally strong this morning, but didn't hear you at all the
              first night, Ronnie.  That was me that you thought was K7
              portable 4, just needed another 100 watts.

AA1AA--Heard somebody work you, Luigi, but never heard a sound 
             from your direction.  Maybe next time.

W4ZV---Could only make you hesitate, Bill, sorry I wasn't louder.  Very
             good signal for several hours the first night.

WE9V---Izzat u, Chad?  Couldn't slow you down, dude, but nice sigs
             Saturday night.

WR8C---Very loud most of the first night, and good signals for several
             hours last night.  Maybe I'm missing something, but is there
             some strategy that I don't comprehend in settling between
             the two strongest stations on the band, who were 3 kHz apart,
             and trying to clear a frequency?  I'd be interested to know, 
             and I'm sure so would N5JA and WB9Z.  I must admit that 
             you were successful, even if it did take 5 hours...

Glad to see those of you that I worked, and my apologies to those I
could not work.  Maybe next time I'll be operating from on top of the
mountain instead of behind it.

Best Regards,





Don Barclay, KH8/N5OLS
n5ols@samoatelco.com 

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/topband.html
Submissions:              topband@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  topband-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-topband@contesting.com
Sponsored by:             Akorn Access, Inc. & N4VJ / K4AAA