Topband: A35T

[Mike - W5JR]

Congrats Milt. Still waiting to hear them over here. Going down to the wire. 

tnx
Mike / W5JR
Alpharetta GA

> On Feb 24, 2016, at 10:34 PM, Milt <miltn5ia at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I was fortunate to work them this AM on 160 M.  However, the problem was hearing their signal.  It was weak, as it was the previous morning when I listened only to a few dits.  IMHO their signal is at least 20 DB below where it should be when compared with other South Pacific DXped Top Band signals.
> 
> As said, their signal was weak while sporadically getting answers from both NA and JA.  I waited for a signal peak where I was sure I could hear the reply.  I got a come back with a single call to them.
> 
> I also worked them on 80 M this AM, with 100 Watts.  Lots of callers.
> 
> They QRTed on 40 M right at the time I was making the all important 160 M contact.  Otherwise I might have made the trifecta in a short period of time.  I only have a single 160 M vertical (full WL on 40 M) for use on 40 M but the K3 tuner tunes it very well.  Will see if they are on 40 in the manana.
> 
> 73, and GL to everyone, de Milt, N5IA
> 
> CU all in the CQ 160 SSB this weekend.  I will operate N7GP from AZ -- DM52.
> 
> ==============================================================
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Jim Brown
> Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2016 10:56 AM
> To: topband at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: Topband: A35T
> 
>> On Wed,2/24/2016 9:00 AM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
>> I don't understand what is going
>> on here.  A pacific island should be a chip
>> shot from the left coast.
> 
> Nor do I.  Perhaps a poor TX antenna -- vertical with no radials? Maybe
> low power?  Something caused them to not be on the band at their sunset.
> They did a self spot around 0515Z saying they would be on in an hour,
> but no spots at all until about 1000Z or later. I went into the shack to
> listen, nothing, no trace, no signal, no callers. They had QSYed to a
> higher band. I QSYed back to bed. Nature called around 1330Z, I looked
> to see spots, and headed for the shack. I heard occasional callers and
> saw spots about LOUD, bu it was more than 45 minutes before I saw a
> faint trace, another 10 minutes to be able to hear CW, then ten minutes
> later, enough to copy. One call and they came back.
> 
> One thing they clearly don't get about 160, and to a lesser extent, 80,
> is the spotlight nature of propagation, and that they need to be there
> from before sunset to after sunrise to catch everyone who wants to work
> them. It seems that when things slowed down, they QSYed to a higher band.
> 
> And yes, that guy who didn't know how to use the radio, QSYing up and
> down the band for every caller, was on 160 the night before, as
> indicated by spots from JA. Luckily, the op who was on this morning did
> know how to use the radio. :)
> 
> 73, Jim K9YC
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