Topband: RE: skewed paths

[Tom Rauch]

> I was always under the impression that the skewed paths were actually
> a backscatter situation.  What appears to be skewing is just a skip
> point out at sea, etc., along a path of good propagation.  What you
> hear is actually backscatter from that point, which appears SE, etc.

Not at all. Skewed paths are clearly just like any other path. They 
are stable, they often have slow fading, they are common when the 
direct path is difficult, they appear independent of solar conditions, 
they do not have to be over water, and sometimes they are the 
ONLY way to work certain DX.
 
> The proof would be if it is a bi-directional path.  The odds that you
> can induce backscatter backwards has got to be about nil.  I think Tom
> is using beverages to report reception direction.  Tom, have you got a
> 4 square as well to check the reverse path?

It is very easy to check, and yes the paths are reciprocal. When I 
worked LA3XI with many skew path QSO's during summer, Svein 
reports many S unit's better signal from me when I beam into the 
path instead of NE. He also reported the verticals much better than 
dipoles at any height (even 300 feet), so it is obviously a lower 
angle path.

I often observe the path for JA's move from southwest up to 
northwest. Many times both paths are open at the same time, with 
different fading. Every time when the southwest path is the only 
path, I also have to transmit that way.
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com