Topband: Contest

[Joe Wilkowski]

Holy Cow !  Holy Cow! and Holy Cow!

What a treat it was to be on topband this morning.  Having been a former resident of Western NY where propagation on 160 was pretty good for us, I moved to southern Colorado three years ago, put up massive quantities of beverage wire (phased pennants too) and have been mostly under whelmed with topband results. 

 So, with out much anticipation, I entered the contest as I have for many years.  Conditions for me (and others in my local I presume) were not so good on Friday evening.  Deep QSB was rampant all night, and patience was the key to working the weak ones.  Thanks to all who hung in there in the QSB.  Europe was virtually un-heard in this location on both evenings (not unusual) and only a scattering of  6 North American southern stations for the most part.  Saturday morning produced no JA's here.

This morning at 5:45 local (1245Z) I was called by JA0QNJ to give me my 90th multiplier.  At 5:51 the best thing that has ever happened to me in all the years on topband occurred.  JT1CO called me.  The signal was good into my west beverage but suffered a bit from QSB. Ch hung in there and we made a qso.  Absolutely the pinnacle DX of my career on this band.  Shortly after this contact  a small run of JA's ensued plus an added treat, VK6ABL (tnx Phil) for my 92nd mult.

Sorry for the clutter on the reflector, but I just had to tell someone.

/joe k8fc


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Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?
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