TopBand: 3B7RF on 160m

[Steve Ireland]

Like a lot of the 160m gang, I was listening to 3B7RF on 40m from 2200Z,
hoping for that magical 'QSY NW to 1826.5.'  Time went on and the QSY
finally came - unfortunately at 2308Z, over ten minutes after my sunrise.

I made a quick QSY and could hear the 3B7 tuning up - a solid S7!  But,
drat, by the time he started calling CQ (and listening 5 up), a few more
vital minutes had passed and signals had dropped to S4 to S5...

I started to call as the signal dropped towards the noise.  Frustrated, I
left the radio on and went to collect my baby son, Sam.  Then, a couple
minutes later, the signal was back again at around S4.  I started calling again.

This rise and fall of signals went on until around 1 hour and fifteen
minutes after my sunrise!!!  There was deep long QSB and every three minutes
or so, the 3B7 would rise to around S4 and sink slowly down again.  At
0008Z, I copied him working 9K2MU.  I could still copy 3B7RF at 0010Z
calling CQ.

Now I have heard this kind of situation on 40m before, but never on 160m.
On 40m, we in VK6 can sometimes hear stations to the west to us for up to 2
hours after sunrise, but usually cannot raise them - as I could not in the
case of 3B7RF on 160m.

3B7 (St Brandon) is located about 5899km wnw of the VK6VZ QTH.  My sunrise
was around 2257Z.

It was fascinating to experience the aforesaid propagation, but I would have
swapped it all for a QSO with 3B7RF.  If anyone gets a chance, please ask
3B7RF to come onto 160m at 2230Z to give stations around the eastern Indian
Ocean rim a chance of a QSO!!!!!!

Vy 73,

Steve, VK6VZ  


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