Topband: Topband Conditions: CONSOLATION

[Charles Moizeau]

Eddy,

Interest is also on a sharp increase in the other direction.  This week the traffic on QRP-L has been very heavy on the subject of 600m, where a few authorized experimental stations are active and there seems certainty over it becoming generally open to US amateur radio licensees.  Of significance is a report of near-extraordinary 600m conditions on Tuesday and Wednesday, two evenings when conditions on 160m and 80m (but not 40m) were stinko.

Of course, the QRP aspect may be unappealing to Topband's 599/1.5 KW crowd battling across the magnetic north pole, but take heart, for one QRP-L posting revealed a New England station pumping out 4 kW on Low Band, this being legal because the power limit is determined by ERP, effective radiated power into antennas that of necessity are physically compromised.

72 (QRP-speak for 73)

Charles, W2SH  

> From: deswynar at xplornet.ca
> To: topband at contesting.com
> Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2011 11:14:12 -0500
> Subject: Topband: Topband Conditions: CONSOLATION
> 
> Good Day All,
> 
> While the current doldrums on 160-meters have been more than a bit of a
> "drag" therein of late, it's certainly been a boon to creating interest in
> the re-discovery of other bands...
> 
> Case in point: 40-meters CW. I haven't been a "regular" on 7-MHz for several
> years now, but was absolutely amazed at what's been going-on there for the
> past week, or so, now that I've dropped-by when 1.8-MHz was "flat". There's
> been some amazing long-path DX coming through at (seemingly) all hours of
> the day! I've been easily working eastern & northern Europe from my QTH here
> in southern Ontario at any time from 11:00 AM, to 2:00 PM---in full
> daylight...
> 
> My equipment on 40-meters...? A 45 year old pair of Drake Twins (with a
> tired set of 6JB6As in the final), & a 2-waves long inverted "V" dipole at
> 50'!
> 
> Having said that, I'd STILL rather work the DX on 160-meters, however...!
> (sigh).
> 
> ~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
> 
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