Topband: LP North America opening from VK6

[Steve Ireland]

There were very interesting conditions on 22/1/2000 at around Perth sunrise
time.

At 2118Z, 15 minutes or so before my sunrise, Jack VE1ZZ replied to a CQ DX
call with an amazing 599 plus signal - actually sounding as strong as Mike
VK6HD can be at this QTH and the strongest I have ever heard Jack.  I then
called 'QRZ NA', but was only called by Europeans.

In rapid succession I worked RZ1AWT and GW3TMP, until I was called by Joe
VO1NA at 2124Z, who was peaking RST 569.  After working Joe, there were
apparently no more signals from North America, so I worked UA4HEJ, UA9CR
and G3SED in quick succession.  A CQ DX NA call right on my sunrise at 2132
finally brought an RST 559 reply from the USA - W1OO in - for my first LP
USA QSO in the last two seasons.

After that, QSOs were made with OM2XW and (almost) with HB9BLQ, until I was
driven from 1.8303 by an EA3 station who called CQ DX on top of me.  I then
listened around the band and heard RZ1AWT as late as 20 minutes after
sunrise, although I could not raise him at this time.

During the opening, the band was very quiet, with signals displaying a
slight echo and some very strong signals coming from the Asiatic regions of
the former USSR.  The signals/band conditions  were typical in quality of
those when there is an opening over the north pole/from the north polar
direction into Western Australia, during low sunspot years.

I have operated on the 40m band for all the years I have been in Western
Australia, some years with a rotatable quad antenna, and the sound of the
160m signals were identical to those I have heard on 40m coming over the
North Pole.

I hope it happens again tomorrow.  I will be on 1.8303 listening especially
for North America from 2115Z.

Vy 73,

Steve, VK6VZ
   



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