Topband: Conditions on 160m last night

[Bill Tippett]

N5IA wrote:
>Sincerely, and with all due respect to Bill and Jeff, but the ill conceived
>band plan is NOT the best plan for the western 2/3rds of the continent.

        Things must have really changed since I left Colorado in 1993
Milt.  Back then there was no way I could have ever heard any DX from EU 
in the 160 SSB contest unless it was in the 30-35 window...which was most 
likely filled with USA pileups calling XE, V47, KP2, VP5 and other 
"intercontinental DX".  :-)

        Quite frankly, you stand a MUCH better chance of hearing truly
intercontinental SSB DX below 1843 now, rather than continuous CQ's from 
those exotic places NE of you like Texas, Illinois, Colorado, etc.  If 
anything, the bandplan may hurt the East Coast more than you.  Why?
Because we don't have to listen through Texas, Illinois and Colorado to 
hear EU.  Previously, we could monopolize 1829.9, CQ to our heart's content 
and use good RX antennas to reject you "guys in the western 2/3rd of the
continent" when EU replied.  I'm surprised that you don't realize this.

        With all due respect, having successfully done a lot of 160 
contesting and DX-ing from Colorado from 1984-93 including consistent
top 10 and 3 different #5 USA finishes, I disagree with you.  I think 
the bandplan is good for everyone and I would have LOVED to have had it 
in effect when I was in Colorado.  Yes, EU and others need to learn
to listen for us...but eventually the more successful EU ops will show 
the rest how to do it and I believe more DX will be worked by ALL of us.

                                                73,  Bill  W4ZV