Topband: ty aftermath

[W7lr at aol.com]

It is frustrating to think about ty on 160m.  There was only one west  coast 
night - all other nights they qrt before our sunset.That one  night signals 
were fair but the spotlight of propagation was on AZ and CA,  and not on OR or 
MT.  You can say it was poor luck, poor operating, poor  station, or whatever. 
Tree, N6TR/7 and I are not big guns (like N7UA N7JW W5UN  W6RJ - but I admire 
them and would do the same thing if I could) but given a  chance we do pretty 
well.  This season I have worked TZ TR 9G5 all s7 to  s9; and FT5XO A45 3V8 
HB0 in the s6 range, with legal power, usually a single  vertical, and a few 
small rx antennas.  The frustration comes from two  points of view - one, not 
having much chance (whine) and the other is to read  about the glorious contacts 
with s9+ signals, using qrp or wet noodles, etc -  but all in favorable 
spotlight areas.  On the chance thing, one night out  of two weeks doesn't seem like 
much of an interest in 160. For example, the  TZ crew was on almost every 
night, all night.  I shouldn't judge as I don't  know their circumstances.  I 
know their QRN was bad.  But if they can  work west coast one night, it could be 
on other nights too.  Or get up  early before sunrise - often the band is dead 
to Europe or Africa all evening  but comes alive at their sunrise. They 
are/were very good operators, and I  appreciate all their efforts.  Just a 
disappointed 160er. I hope other  dxpeditioners read this. 
73 Bob W7LR