Topband: Skew paths

[Tom Rauch]

We got into unusual paths from Europe and Japan the past few
days. While AA1K was hearing JA's from SW, I was hearing
them best NW.

A few minutes later I was getting two distinct paths from
JA, one SW and one NW with less QSB and very slightly
stronger signals.

AA1K reported similar shifting and dual paths, not always at
the same time as I was heraing them but sometimes they were
at the same time.

I've been watching this on 160, and there really isn't
doesn't seem to be a requirement or set media dictating skew
path direction. I very often during summer hear skewed
signals looking straight into the middle of darkness here,
on an east or ESE path. Not near the auroa oval, not even
close to greyline either. I hear JA's during the summer
(even at or near Summer Solstice) on SW path, west path, or
NW path. VK6's shift around, and at times I have heard ZL
(normally SW) as far skewed as NW. JT1CO is almost always SW
in the (direct is NW) but occasionally is NW or west.

I really can't say that I observe any solid repeatable
relationship to signals following along the aurora oval or
greyline. many times they are straight from the middle of
darkness and nowhere near either pole.

73 Tom