Topband: On the road in Delaware

[Jon Zaimes AA1K]

I usually get a pretty good indication of band conditions on my hour-long commute home from work, somewhere around 05-0700z. It's not unusual to hear Europeans, the West Coast, Caribbean and South America, sometimes KH6. Sometimes I can even work this DX.

Last night as I tuned across I thought for sure the band was dead, since all I could hear were a couple of very strong signals who must be USA stations.

But I was surprised to hear one of them was listening "up 1," so I lingered to get the call. To my surprise it was CT3/VE3DZ. And I was plesantly surprised a few minutes later when he pulled my call out for a QSO, with a 559 report at 0545z. No. 36 on Top Band from the mobile!

Tuning around, I found CT1ILT also extremely strong down the band a bit, working many stateside -- including Western stations -- transceive. No luck on this one though for me.

I heard stations out West and further South working other Europeans but had no copy on them.

This morning at sunrise from the home station, the band was still very quiet. We heard three JA stations, and worked one, from about 1145-1205z. Sunrise was 1207z, and about five minutes later I heard HL3IUA a solid 559 when he was working W8JI. First HL we have heard this season (and one I still need).

73/Jon AA1K
Felton, Delaware
Details on my mobile setup and also new info on my tx array: www.aa1k.us.
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