Topband: ARRL 160 contest observation

[Tree]

It is very dramatic the changes over the sunspot cycle here on the USA west
coast.  With the topband chat room - you can't say it is the lack of
activity.  We know where the stations are - we simply can not hear them.
Have not heard or worked much Europe in the past 3 years myself.

Not complaining - it is part of the allure of the band - and makes it that
more special when it does open.  It's just so different from the sunspot
minimum where I could just about count on hearing RA4LW every winter
evening on 1831.5 just after sunset.

73 Tree N6TR/7
Boring, OR

On Wed, Dec 11, 2013 at 10:00 AM, Ashton Lee <Ashton.R.Lee at hotmail.com>wrote:

> Jim
>
> I note from QRZ that you have 133 countries contacted on 160… and yet you
> haven’t heard Europe in 2 years.
>
> Kinda puts into perspective what 160 is like for those of us in the West
> these days.
>
> KQ0C
> Ash
>
>
> On Dec 11, 2013, at 10:28 AM, Jim Brown <jim at audiosystemsgroup.com> wrote:
>
> > On 12/11/2013 7:56 AM, Shoppa, Tim wrote:
> >> After CQ WW CW, I was talking with a guy in Arizona who had worked 100+
> JA's on 160 in that test! More than half a continent away, very different
> perspective on 160 than mine!
> >
> > Yep. 100+ 5,500 mile QSOs, but only 1 multiplier.
> >
> > As to EU -- I haven't heard EU on 160 in more than two years.
> >
> > 73, Jim K9YC
> >
> > _________________
> > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
> >
>
> _________________
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>