Topband: DX window

[K9AY]

from K9DX  > ... I do not know why is so
> hard for Stateside and Canada not to call CQ in the 30-35 window. It is
> great to have one place on the band where the DX is not under a CQ'er.

I agree 100% with John.  5 kHz of protected spectrum has proven to work
reasonably well.  It probably needs to be moved (maybe 1820-25?) to let the
JAs participate.  I also agree with KV4FZ that the current practice of
"DX-to-US" is preferable to the actual "intercontinental QSO" language that
is in some contest rules.

> Over the week-end there were numerous times a DX station was calling
> CQ on or close to a US CQ'er and when I would call the DX, the CQ'er
> would go crazy with QRL.

John and I are both in the alleged "Black Hole" and we can still hear (and
work) DX under the stateside guys -- I don't have much of an RX antenna farm
at this QTH, but it is semi-rural and usually quiet.  The real Black Hole on
160 is urban and suburban QTHs with high local noise levels.  Unfortunately,
that situation (which I had for 12 years in suburban Denver) sometimes has
no solution other than moving or guest-operating elsewhere.

73, Gary
K9AY