Topband: ARRL 160 conditions

[k6xt]

Same boat here. Many callers up to a half kc off freq. Whether I worked 
them or my compatriot CQer nearby is sometimes a guess.

The directional rx antennas were sometimes a pain, sometimes the 
solution. I often found myself listening on the tx vertical just to 
eliminate the directivity issue into USA...but then the issue is missing 
a weak one as others noted.

No perfect solution.

BTW listening in the 30-35 segment was frustrating. What DX was there 
had competition from US CQrs who didn't read the contest rules page, and 
from a host of packet spot aficionados who couldn't hear their neighbors 
much less the DX.

-- 
73 Art K6XT~~
Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm.

   From: Wayne Mills
   To: 'Brian_ve7jkz' ;topband at contesting.com
   Sent: Sunday, December 04, 2011 1:24 PM
   Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160 conditions


   "Bang on zero beat" IS a problem. I am noticing more and more of that as
(I
   guess) more and more guys rely on SPOTTING SOFTWARE! Arrrrgh! It doesn't
   make any sense to call exactly zero beat.

   As I mentioned in an earlier post, using directional receive only antennas
   seems to be a problem. Maybe I can't hear a station at all without my rx
   antenna, but maybe I can't hear others in the wrong direction. I haven't
   figured out the best way to use directional rx antennas. Maybe the someone
   needs to develop antenna scanning software

   Wayne, N7NG
   Jackson Hole