Topband: Re:Notes on early JA to East Coast QSO's (W9UCW)

[W9UCW at aol.com]

<Does anyone else have interesting info to share on this subject?

<73, John W1FV

 Hi John, 
Although it wasn't as tough as the East Coast had it, I remember  how hard it 
was to work the JA's in the early 70's from Northern Illinois. It seemed 
impossible at first. 
The big shock for me came when we moved down to the Lower Rio Grande Valley, 
14 years ago, as far as JA QSO's. We're right in the middle of the US, at the 
same latitude as Ft. Lauderdale. Yet, I can usually work JA's every month of 
the year. So far, I've logged 136 different JA calls from here, many of them 20 
times. I just use 500 watts and a horizontal full wave loop. Guess getting 
away from that dreaded auroral oval has a real benefit.

73's, Barry