Topband: "Still life in the band"

[W9UCW at aol.com]

Hi Paul and Raoul,
 
I agree, although listening to the east from  here in the evening has been 
particularly punishing this spring/summer. The  racket seems worse than usual, 
but maybe it's me. Reminds me of the adage about  getting old and finding that 
there are fewer and fewer things I'm willing to  stand in line for. Guess that 
applies to QRN, too. 
 
On the other hand, I listen most mornings from  about 1000Z to my sunrise 
around 1140Z. Remi, FK8CP comes thru well most  mornings from about 1045Z to 
1120Z. He calls long CQs on 1835 most of the time,  listening up 5. 
 
The digital signals from New Zealand on about  1818.6 give a good indication 
of that path being open, and it is the majority of  the time. Stalwarts like 
Bob, VK3ZL and others like Phil, VK6ABL and Ron VK3IO  are often there for a 
contact through the waning noise of nighttime  thunderstoms. Some mornings the 
JA's are strong, too. 
 
Louis, HP3XUG is usually lurking about, and a  few mornings ago, about 1030Z, 
Pedro, CX5BW was BOOMING in calling CQ for a long  time and mostly lonely. 
The PY's are there lots of mornings, but I have to get  up a little earlier for 
them. E51QMA was getting thru up til the first of June,  but haven't heard 
anything out that way for a while. 
 
I think there's more life in the band than in  many of us operators at this 
time of the year. 73 and best DX,  Barry



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