Topband: XZ0A

[Iowaguy]

Was tuning around this morning going between 160, 80, and 40 looking for
XZ0A.  At abt 1245z I heard K7CA giving his call on 1826.5  I was across the
room at the moment and dashed over to the radio.  I heard nothing from the
other end.  I kept listening.  Pretty soon (abt 1255z) I started hearing
XZ0A.  They were extremely weak but continued to build slowly as sunrise
approached.  They peaked here in Iowa about 1320z or so. . . just before
sunrise.

I did hear them work a few stations. . . it appeared they worked N6SS
although it took some time for them to get his call correct.  On two
occasions I thought I heard them sending my call ( not sure).  I replied
with reports but there was no clear, clean exchange. . . I don't believe I'm
in the log.

After listening to them now for several days on 80 and today on 160, they
are clearly having some trouble hearing.  However, once they get part of a
call they stick with it until they get it worked.  Also, today they showed
up on 40 cw and ran mostly JA all the way through the east coast and midwest
sunrise.  10 minutes after my sunrise (abt 1330z) they finally started
listening for "NA."  I did manage to get them worked at that point.  They
were never strong on 40 this morning. . . S2 or S3 at best.

BTW, on 160 this morning they were best copy on the SW beverage and they
stayed that way right up until sunrise.  Topband ant is a quarter wave
elevated vertical with 580' 2-wire beverages running NE/SW and NW/SE.

73 and good luck. . . Dave
W0FLS




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