TopBand: Condx 10 Oct am.

[Jeffrey Maass]

On Fri, 10 Oct 1997, Peter Chadwick wrote:

> Got up a bit later this morning, 0545UTC. G0IVZ, EA6ACC,EI5HE, EA4KD,
> LA8LA all calling CQ at various times with no takers. I worked Sean,
> EI5HE - I still need EI confirmed. No joy when I called CQ either. By
> 0616, pretty well full daylight. The US net on 1850 LSB still coming

I fell asleep reading W2FMI's book on Baluns and Unun construction, and
didn't start listening until 0500Z. I heard a couple of the 'regulars'
from EU calling CQ, but didn't call anything until I heard/worked EA4KD at
0606Z. 

> Still nothing further down until K8ND appeared on 1828 at 0623 calling
> CQ - the only W station heard. Had to call twice: Jeff was a good solid
> 559 with me, and gave me 449. After we signed, he was called by GW3JXN,
> who was 300Hz HF, and only dropped his call in a couple of times, and
> Jeff apparently didn't hear him.

Drat: I need him! By the time you called (0623Z) your signal had dropped
considerably from what it had been earlier when I heard you calling CQ.  

I was 'fishing' for the JW5NM, who was reported on the PacketCluster
earlier (I couldn't hear him). My table says his sunrise is considerably
later than the UK this time of year, and thought I might find him by
calling CQ on 1.828.

No sign of the JW, but got called by Peter, and by KH6AT (I've got to get
an E/W Beverage up this weekend!).

I spent some time trying to figure out who the 'RB4' station was who was
calling me dead on frequency. The signal was pretty good, but he never
helped out by sending his call when requested. I finally figured out (at
0640Z) that it was 'RB41', one of the drift net beacons! This is the first
one I've heard, although Lance kindly sent me a copy of N6SS' article from
the Low Band Monitor.

RB41 seemed to be louder on my NE "Shorty" Beverage, but I don't have
enough receiving options to pin it down. Perhaps it will float into an old
(but still active) explosive mine left over from WWII, and leave us alone
on 1.828!

After a very brief evening sleep, I worked ZL4WA (1018Z: I REALLY need
that E/W Beverage!) and VP5/K8RF (1030Z). Where were the VK's this morning? 

I'm going to have to find some night to catch up on my sleep. This is too
exciting!

73,

Jeff Maass       (jmaass@freenet.columbus.oh.us)      Amateur Radio K8ND
      USPSA/IPSC # L-1192   NROI/CRO          NW of Columbus Ohio
      25000 Members in 2000!


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