Topband: 160 to NA

[RK]

I arrived at my remote site Thursday to prepare and rest for the 30 hour slug- 
fest. By fate I could not operate Thursday night with such outstanding 
conditions. Friday and Saturday offered the best conditions for any Low Band 
contest I've ever been in over 40 years.

Wolfe, made some outstanding comments about densities and random noise of 
highly populated areas. Throw in limited frequency allocations and heated 
competition, man made noise levels increase and receivers begin to melt. It is 
a fact of life.

I don't expect everyone to hear me on the first or second call. Old men and 
treachery may sometimes beat youth and skill. Friday and Saturday about half 
the DX stations responded to my call. I can deal with that number. No  "QRZ" 
response in 3-4 calls and I move on. If it's a good catch I'll save the 
frequency in memory, jot a note and come back later.

As like EU everyone here tries to secure their spot inside the JA window. (15 
kHz)  After all it is a DX contest. There is a lot of pushing in pulling going 
on for those previously determined "best frequencies". In 2008 I started 
recording the station operation during the contest period for various reasons. 
I have the 2009 CQ 160 "Good bad and Ugly" now sitting on my desk, all 30 
hours worth. Isn't digital wonderful! 

Is it my imagination or has the JA activity and enthusiasm significantly 
dropped  over the years for our better known contests? When living in JA 
heaven "Washington state in the 70's and 80's it was not uncommon to work 
upwards of a hundred different calls in a major event operating split. This 
morning a long-time 160 JA7 Op called CQ 200 Hz above my frequency ignoring my 
call. He generated a  nice pileup and that was the end of my 100W reign on 
1.824.1......

On the other hand I was still stunned by having two sunrise EU stations call 
and work me while I was beaming to and working JA!  Who says they don't have 
ears!

It was an outstanding contest and results and records will be talked about for 
years. It was truely a once in a life time event.

73
-- 

Bob Kile, W7RH
DM35OS
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