Topband: FT5XO path shifting

[Jon Zaimes AA1K]

Finally I had a night off from work so I could be QRV for FT5XO last night.

I started hearing them right at my sunset (2318z). QRN was high and copy rough but good enough to call a few times with no luck. The signal direction shifted fairly quickly -- at times peaking on the 45, 75 or 105 degree phased Beverages. This path shifting continued as I listened for the next hour and a half -- most of the time the signal was too weak to call but occassionally they would peak up enough. Occassionally the path would shift to the 162-degree Beverage. 

Finally at 0050 the signal came up out of the noise and stayed up, though QRN persisted. The path was now steady on the 105-degree phased Beverage pair (broadside, spaced 400 ft) -- my closest RX antenna to their true 120-degree heading. Got them in the log at 0104z (no. 286), signal 559 at that point. This stayed the best antenna as they built up to 589 15 minutes later -- I had them on the speaker and could hear as I walked around the house. Also good copy now on the vertical array aimed SE.

73/Jon AA1K