Topband: Strange Band

[Doug Waller]

Dan, your observations seem at least partially, to be similar to mine.  I
live in central Florida and every night I notice that New England starts
spotting different EU stns.  Later the 8 call area, then Virginia, North
Carolina, and mebbe Georgia start reporting EU stns.  Most nights, the
propogation stops north of me and I never hear EU.

When EU stations finally do make it down here, I will notice that of all the
EU contries spotted, I will hear only one, and work say, a couple of
Germanys.  If I keep waiting and tuning around, the German stns will fade
out and mebbe a previously spotted Sweden station will come up.

Another observation of this "strange" band is that many times good propo
will be one way only.  When I call CQ, I can usually hear one to 3 vy weak
stns answer, but unable to dig out their callsigns.  At other times I am
blasted by an EU stn calling CQ, but he never hears me.  Then someone in
Georgia, to the north of me, will call him and get an instant reply.

I have decided that on Topband, the propogation angels are in the heavens,
constantly shining the spotlights of propo first one place, then another.
If you are there at the right time, sometimes only a minute or so, you will
make the contact.  This is the only reason I haven't given up trying to work
Alaska to complete my 160 WAZ, hi.

Referring to another post about loud AC humming noise on 160, last night I
had it here on 80m, completely blocking out my reception of CE0ZY.  After
midnight the same raspy noise came up on 160.  I have no idea what it could
have been, mebbe a new type of particle storm from sun?

73/160dx, Doug / Nx4d



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