Topband: TX4T vs. TX3A (not TX5C as in previous post) from Far East coast

[VO1HP]

This past weekend after spending Friday night in the WPX RTTY contest I was about to QRT for rest at approx 0530 Satr.(0200 local)  --  I took a quick listen on 160M and was very surprised to hear TX4T fully Q5 on 1831.5 -  After a few mins he  vanished even though I could still hear stations calling him on the QSX freq 1826.5 - TX4T signal returned a few mins later and to peak on the SW loop of my K9AY ...actually it's oriented more to the south.  It was amazing to hear that signal on 160M.  My rx antenna setup is less then ideal with the K9AY only separated from my tower by 50ft.  The base of the fibreglass pole is about 9 ft below the street level at the front of my lot and it is completely surrounded by maple trees.  Leafless now of course.  And the loops are close to the power transmission line, serving our street ,  which runs along the rear  of the lots.

I decided to call him using about 400W to Inv L . To my great surprise he came back to me on the first call.  A good solid QSO in the log for #165 on TopBand.    It was a very   pleasant surprise to me to be able to get FO in the log.  Don't know who the operator is but he made my day!  What is surprising as well is time ...a full 5+ hours before my sunrise.

>From DX Atlas the path from VO1 to TX4T  is  263 deg and 11860km.  The path to TX3A is 307deg. and 15800km.  Approx 4000km (33% longer ) and 30deg  further north.   I was never able to hear not even the faintest whisper  from TX3A on 160m.  Even when I could hear stations on the east coast were working him there was never anything of his signal being heard by me.    Based on my frustration  with TX3 on Topband   I had not been paying much attention to TX4T because I assumed I would not be able to hear him.  The shorter path length by 4000km to TX4Tsure helped a lot!

Moral of this story:  Always check 160M before going to bed!