Topband: 160M 9V1 & DX Contest at W3LPL

[Richard Zwirko]

N1BUG <paul at n1bug.net> wrote:

> Subject: Topband: 9V1GO & first Beverage tests
> 
> Many thanks to Bob, 9V1GO for the QSO last evening.  Country 
> # 110 for this season and my first ever southeast Asia on 
> top band! 

= = =
Paul,
  Congrats on working 9V1GO on the Topband. Quite an accomplishment!
One of the things I miss by moving from New England to MD are the
propagation advantages of being a little bit closer to the northeast.
It's amazing what differences a few hundred miles can make. 

I operated my first DX contest at Frank's, W3LPL, since the summer high
diving act off my lower roof which resulted in fractured hip & heel bones.
I listened on various LPL Beverages before the contest trying to hear any
trace of 9V1GO but with no luck.

Propagation in the ARRL CW DX Contest was pretty good to Europe and
South America.  67 countries were worked on the Top Band at W3LPL,
but not a single QSO from the African continent. KH7X running low power
was the only Pacific station worked. Heard VK3ZL complaining about his
very high QRN levels as he worked Tom, W8JI. I didn't hear Bob worked any
other stations. Sunday morning produced good signals and another mult
from KL7WV. We did work David, 4X4WN, the only Asian that made it into
the W3LPL log.  Four JA's were heard starting about 10 minutes after
Sunday morning sunrise but couldn't manage to work any of them, although 
a station in Pennsylvania was heard working one. QRN levels were very low
both nights. Hope we have the same in a few weeks for the ARRL Phone DX
Contest.

73 de Rich - K1HTV