Topband: KL7/ Prudhoe Bay

[NL7Z]

Back in the late 80's/ early 90's, when Dan - KL7Y was working up at Endicott Island - the difference between him and Anchorage was at times >30dB to EU. This has also been observed when KL7XX and AL7R operated from Prudhoe Bay ( just south of Endicott Isl.), and I have also noticed the same now with KL7HBK. Assuming roughly 6dB/ s-unit, I did hear 'HBK work a DL last night, totally inaudible here, but he gave him 559>579.
Alaska is a big place, the distance from say Anchorage to the north slope is the same distance between Stockholm to Prague, or Rome to Frankfurt. So it is easy to see that there is more than one mechanism at play. The first, and perhaps the most important is being inside the auroral oval, and the second is just distance. Even without aurora, working and extra 1100km /~650 miles on a 160 opening is not always possible. Prudhoe Bay is a great location to work EU, and I suspect AF, but to work deep Asia, and the pacific/s. America regions will be a detriment up there that is not noticed in southern KL7. I am glad to see that many EU are getting Zone 1, as we all know - 160 is not predictable - and they may have a very long wait for zone 1 otherwise.
The openings from this late weekend were reminiscent of 1992/1993 - huge signals from EU, it was great!
I'm looking forward to a decent season, and hope to get at least a few new ones for the count.
73' es cu on "the band"





Kevin Forster - NL7Z
POB 877326
Wasilla, AK
99687
http://www.mtaonline.net/~nl7z