Topband: Birthday present from HC8

[Steve Ireland]

It was my birthday on May 26 (no. 44) and I said I would bring fish and
chips home for my wife Deb and the kids and we would have this with a
birthday cake before the kids went to bed.  What with all this going on, I
had completely forgotten about my sked that night with HC8N...

Imagine my surprise when Mike VK6HD rang me up (just after we had started on
the cake) and played HC8N coming in around S7 on 160m over the telephone.  I
raced into the shack and could not believe it when Trey was hitting S5 here.
Lots of heavy QSB on the signal - plus heavy QRN - but just so amazing to
hear him so well.

A few minutes later, Trey was in the log.  His signals peaked to S6 (with
QSB down to S3) just after he worked Mike 6HD at 1144Z.

Afterwards Mike and I compared notes and we both heard HC8N at a roughly
similar strength on our horizontal antennas, with the same heavy QSB.
However, Trey was (at least) a couple of 'S' points stronger on Mike's
vertical antenna - and with a steady S7+ signal - than on his horizontal.

Usually, a horizontal antenna is better than a vertical on DX here, unless
the QSO is happening several hours after sunset.

I have been keeping skeds with Trey at HC8N for the last two seasons in the
hope of achieving the 'holy grail' from Western Australia - a contact with
the South American continent and my WAC.  Up till now, only two QSOs had
ever been made with South America on 160m from here - both by Mike, VK6HD,
who has CE0Y and HC8 in the log.

Thanks a million to both Trey and Mike.  It was one hell of a good birthday
present for a 160m DXer.

Vy 73,

Steve, VK6VZ



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