Topband: More on K3J

[Garry Shapiro]

As Ray, K6VX said, K3J was louder on the West Coast at 1130Z than later.
At 13Z--45 minutes before sunrise here---he was quite poor copy, but we
got the bump at sunrise. Nonetheless, despite the enhancement, and the
presence of quite a few callers, QSO's went into the log very slowly.
K3J is clearly not hearing well at all. Despite being barefoot,
according to K6VX, he was copied by quite a few DXers.

The operator is Bob, W7TSQ. He is using a big Titanex vertical, one of
those used at 3B9R two years ago. I don't know how many radials he has
out, but he brought a half-mile of aluminum electric fence wire. I am
told the initial operation, the night before, was on 1820; this was not
a good choice. Last night, on 75, someone asked him to use 1825, but I
told him that frequency had a driftnet buoy and suggested 1827, split.
He came up on 1827, but simplex. When he went back to 75, I asked him
why he had been simplex, and he said he heard no callers! I assured him
dozens were calling. When he returned to 160, he listened up, but still
was having a hard time, except with bigger signals, e.g. N7UA, AA0RS.
Earlier he had worked several midwestern stations, including W0GJ.

Bob returned to 160 at 13Z, but was pretty weak, and not doing much
better. It sounds like Earl, K6SE breezed to a Q, but that was the
exception. I was logged at my sunrise, but I attribute that to pure call
recognition---he knew I was in there. Shortly thereafter, while sunrise
was still occurring on the West Coast,  bob began listening 3 to 5 down
for JA, but did not do much better, and left the band before 14Z. The
OH2AQ had no postings, JA or otherwise, after that.

One might normally expect KH3---not that far from KH6---to be a chip
shot, especially from the West Coast. So far, there may only be a few
dozen QSO's in the log on topband. Let us hope condx improve. Otherwise,
with only four men on the team, they may elect to utilize their
resources differently.

73,
Garry, NI6T

--
160 meters-not a band but an obsession