Topband: skew path

[Dan Robbins]

Skew path on 160 is not real common here; the rarity makes it difficult
to examine.  On other bands the same skew paths seem much more common.
As an example, in last years's WW CW I worked dozens of stations on 40
beaming a skew heading of approximately 235 degrees.  The stations
ranged from UN (normal SP heading 330) to EA (26 degrees).  With a 3 el
beam, there was no doubt about the heading - it was just a tad north of
SW.  True Long Path is out of the question as all long paths would have
had to cross well into the sunlit South Polar region and none of the
LPs' bearings were close to 235.

This occurence provided some more information:

1.  Despite a 56 degree difference in normal heading, every station came
from 235 degrees.  There was no difference in heading despite the large
separations on the other end.

2.  The only station worked who was near the terminator at this time was
a lone ZS, all the others were at least a couple of hours into darkness.

3.  The path closed at my dawn.  Under normal conditions, the short path
would have remained open for at least a couple of more hours.

4.  JAs were coming in also, but on normal heading (270).  The area that
did the skewing was evidently farther away than the 2 hops to JA.

5.  Signals were weak and messy with some flutter or multipath.  They
sounded like they had gone a long way.

6.  An aurora was underway at the time and it blocked the over-the-pole
short path entirely.

7.  I hear this path often on 40, this time was unusual in that I could
easily work stations - normally it is tough on this path..

I realize this was on 40m, but the time and the type of signal seem to
exactly match those few rare morning skew paths I have heard on 160.
(Like A6, UN, VQ9.)   I suspect that the same mechanism is involved.
Somewhere out there is a big bender or big skewer!

                                                Dan KL7Y