Topband: Re: [160m] Spot Light Effects...

[Ford Peterson]

Pete wrote:


...snip...

> I find this interesting, since I live in South Florida
> (Hollywood) and have data that would disprove your premise.
> I don't have any trouble working MN on 160.  My Contest logs
> will show that.   

...snip...

Pete,

I have no trouble working SFL from MN either.  But the signals appear, I work a bunch of you guys, and then they are gone.  MN is a big place.  And you having propagation to one of the 60 or so that operate topband from here (many HP stations) is virtually assured.  I run almost exclusively LP.  I'm not looking for an argument, only making an observation using SFL as an example.  SC and VA are more commonly the direction of my spotlight propagation (speculation of course).

I agree with you.  I have never failed to work SFL in a contest.  But I do NOT work SFL throughout the evening.  I have long been a believer that the entire continent is open to me at some point of the evening for each evening of regular or better propagation.  I can also make the same statement about CA stations.  I do NOT work CA throughout the evening hours.  When the path opens, I work them, so they too are in my log.  Now Alaska?  That's a different story...

Ford-N0FP
ford at cmgate.com