Topband: Conditions

[EP Swynar]

It sure was nice to be able to actually copy --- and to WORK! --- all those European stations last night for a change...

Up until now, for the past week or more anyway, it seemed that only the fellows on the east coast, and a select few from the mid-west, were able to consistently work DX...it was like this part of the country was in some kind of a propagation "hole", or something! Even VK3ZL, who is normally a VERY comfortable copy here most mornings, has been just a faint whisper blended in with the band noise of late...

Update on the antenna system: I added four more 1/8-wave radials beneath each of the two existing phased inverted "L" antennas, for a total now of 16 per element...next up is the raising of the third "L". It'll be supported by an existing tower, suspended from a pulley/mast at the 50' level...

As all of my "...friends and associates"(!) have proven to be no-shows in the climbing department --- I fear (quite literally, actually) that the odious task of climbing the thing to string the support rope through the pulley shall fall (no pun intended) upon me. I am NOT looking forward to the task, but I am anxious to see how three elements might play on the band, set-up tri-angle style...that will surely serve as inspiration to get the deed done, more than anything else...

~73~ Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ