Topband: Where are the JA stations?

[Niko Cimbur]

Bob,

I can't comment on the Stew Perry as I did not operate from a good location, and did not even look for any JA contacts.   

I had similar thoughts before the 2010 January CQ160.  I set up a second vertical antenna close to the cliff, on the water's edge just to improve my signal into Asia hoping to work more JA's. (Here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiNBYvA4hjs , about 4:00 mark.) I usually work somewehere between 80 and 120 Ja's in the CQ test. The most JA's I ever worked was 134. I believe it was in the 2006 CQ 160 from the Saltwater Pier, 111 in 2009, 101 in 2010.   I am sure I always miss a few because of reception problems, as there is usually a storm in the Pacific during this time of year.   I try to run 1500W, but if I need to use the heater I will reduce that to around 1100 or so, as I have been tripping circuit breakers.  I just got the latest ON4UN book recently, and looking at the pictures of the Top Band operators one of the reasons I can think of is that people are getting older, and they have already done it many times.  The same impression I get
 from going to Visalia, where most of the attendees are 60+.  I see more relatively younger operators in EU.

Niko - AC6DD