Topband: Most wanted

[Bill Tippett]

N6MZ wrote:
>Can anyone point me to a list of the most-wanted DXCC countries on 160?

        Mike this does not exist and if it did it would not be very
meaningful.  Why?  Because propagation is so regionally dependent on
your location.  Europe's most-wanted countries would be mostly Pacific.
Japan's would be mostly Caribbean and the northern part of South America.  
North America's would be mostly Asia (Central and Southeast for East Coast 
and Central Asia and Eastern Europe/Middle East) for the West Coast.

        As a general rule, look at a Great Circle Map for the area of
the world you are interested in.  For Northern Hemisphere stations
all countries between the bearings of approximately 30 degrees true to 
330 degrees true will be the most difficult from that area.  Why? 
Because short path signals must go through the Northern Auroral Oval
which is virually impossible at the peak of the solar cycle.  During
solar minima it becomes more likely but still difficult.  Fortunately
we also have long path which is the more common way to work stations
in that area at solar cycle peaks (now).

        Some areas are propagationally easy but have had little 
activity...VP8 South Sandwich is one that comes to mind!  The only 
accurate worldwide answer to your question would be ARRL's database
of needed countries by band which could generated based on their
total 160 DXCC datbase.  To my knowledge they have not yet done this
yet but it might not be terribly meaningful anyway for the reasons
above.

                                                73,  Bill  W4ZV

P.S.  Thank goodness for long path...received my XU7ACB QSL from N6FF
today!