Topband: Delaware report

[Jon Zaimes AA1K]

Conditions were good Saturday night -- low QRN following passage of a storm that dumped 2 inches of rain on us. 5Z4, S9, V51, 4x4, and  R1ANN also coming through.

This morning I set the alarm for 0930z, and first heard VK3ZL coming through though not too strong around 0945z. A few minutes later DU9/N0NM popped through, CQ'ing on 1817.5 for a change and QSX up 3. Jon was not as strong as the day before but band conditions were very quiet. I could copy him continuously for about an hour -- till a few minutes past my sunrise at 1044z. Peak signal was just after his sunset, 0950-1000z. As the day before, I was hearing him direct path on my pair of phased 320-degree Beverages (935-feet, spaced 175 feet). I could also hear him on the second receiver, but not quite as good, on a single-wire 880-ft Beverage at 342 degrees. Nil on the shorter (465-ft) stagger-phased Bevs. at 342 degrees.

But still no QSO with Jon! Still lots of time -- I have copied him as late as April 29 in previous years. Tomorrow he plans to use 1828.3 kHz again, QSX up 2, as was his previous habit since he has some noise lower in the band.

73/Jon AA1K