TopBand: Heard but not worked!

[Mike Sloan]

Have added another quarter wave to my sloper with half-wave counterpoise
and turned it into a loop.

Worked UA9 on 40 watts with good reports exchanged and most EU reports
have been 599 with relatively low power.  However.....

This morning heard both AL7R and AE6C between 0300-0400z with reception
of 539.  Called both stations but the frequency was literally blocked
out by the number of stations who joined in.  Presumably some stations
calling could not hear others calling and there was little chance of
anybody hearing a reply from the DX for some considerable periods of
time.

Gave up and withdrew with some dignity still intact.  Hi!  

Also heard what I think was an FM (Martinique not Freq. Mod.....)
station in deep QSB with me.

Suspect that my loop, with only about 200 feet of it in an inverted 'V'
configuration at a maximum height of 50 feet and the rest at a minimum
of 3 feet, is better on RX for DX than TX but seems outstanding around
EU and as far out as UA9.  VSWR of about 2.2:1 against the Sloper of
1.5:1. Some of you will, of course, already have the answer to this.
Like to share it?

Garden is pure white sand and the present water table is down about 10
to 12 feet as opposed to the more normal 5 feet.  No radials of any sort
but the Atlantic is so close I could run a counterpoise into the
sea....!

About 0640z heard VE3PN quite clearly, 549, with a GW having difficulty
copying him.  It was my 'Off to school' time so could not reply.

Will restore the old Ae configuration after I have given the loop some
more air time.

I wonder if I have any support for staying within a tight frequency
range, perhaps a little removed from the more active part of the band
and maybe a couple of Kc/s wide? Perhaps I could also keep clear of
long-standing nets or groups or DXpedition frequencies. Any suggestions
for discussion and evaluation would be most welcome. 

Brain still freezes from time to time. Hi!

Best 73 from Guernsey

Mike  GU3WHN



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