Topband: Being there; was Re: Need help to improve DX on 1/2 acre lot from CA

[Jan Erik Holm]

Rick, your 100W also made it into my log back in 2010 31 January.
Nice with 100W. This was when I had a good antenna that is no more.

73 Jim SM2EKM
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On 2013-01-13 20:11, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
>
> On 1/13/2013 8:52 AM, Jim Brown wrote:
>> On 1/12/2013 12:49 PM, k7xq at elite.net wrote:
>>> 1. I still have not copied or worked into Europe. I have been on this
>>> band
>>> somewhat seriously for at least 5 years
>>
>> EU is VERY tough from California, especially northern California. We
>> have to go over the pole.  My neighbor, K6XX has more than 60 acres on
>> top of a 2,700 ft ridge up the road from me, and when I moved here he
>> told me he can count the nights he can hear EU on the fingers of one
>> hand. Six seasons have convinced me he's right. We're in the Santa Cruz
>> Mountains.  All the stars must be aligned -- propagation that gives us a
>
> Europe on 160 meters from W6 is about "being there" the few nights
> it happens.  In the recent SP contest, I easily worked VK6, CE1, JA,
> etc running 100W to a 60 foot vertical and using a loop receiving
> antenna.  I never heard or planned to hear EU.  I also recently worked
> the PT0S dxpedition on 160 meters.  So I know there is nothing
> wrong with my station.  It is entirely possible to have fun working DX
> from the central valley.  Just not Europe.  For WAC, try working
> the Azores, which technically count as EU.  That's probably realistic.
> On the few nights when EU is in here, everyone works
> them, not just the big guns.  There were a few crazy nights during
> the recent sunspot minimum when some Russians were working W6's on 160m
> phone.  Unbelievable, you had to be there.  It sounded like 20 meters.
>
> My favorite "being there" story is calling CQ all night in a 160 meter
> contest on the longest night of the year at the bottom of the sunspot
> cycle that was the lowest in a lifetime and, barely aware, just before
> sunrise, getting a called by a UA3.  You just can't plan these things.
> Did I mention I was only running 100 watts?
>
> Rick N6RK
> _________________
> Topband Reflector
>