Topband: VP8STI 160 Meter Path

[Kenneth Grimm]

After frustratingly trying to get a good copy on my beverages, to make the
QSO I switched to the vertical for receiving!  I think that is the first
time that I couldn't get a better copy of a station on one of my receiving
antennas and had to resort to the usually much noisier vertical
transmitting antenna!

73,
Ken - K4XL

On Thu, Jan 21, 2016 at 1:04 PM, David Raymond <daraymond at iowatelecom.net>
wrote:

> The whole band opening last night from NA to VP8STI on TB was rather
> bizarre.  The opening started in earnest with big signals coming first in
> Maine.  The guys in 1 land reported signals rivaling "locals."  The opening
> then started moving slowly and selectively southward.  Guys in 2 land and
> then 3 land started working them next and then into 5 land.  As the was
> opening into 5 land it also began opening westward, but again, selectively.
> Stations in 8 and 9 land were hearing and working them but not everywhere.
> I sat here in Iowa for over three hours with virtually nothing from them at
> all.  Finally about 0400 I began hearing them.  They slowly improved and,
> at 0424z I put my call in and was answered immediately.  They continued to
> build here peaking to S5-S6 around 0445z.  After that they slowly faded and
> were gone here before their SS.  The opening appeared to be very limited
> and, in some places, non-existent in 4 land.  A handful in 4 land made it,
> several using HWF for RX.  Several big stations reported hearing little or
> no signal.  It seemed odd to be listening to them here with S5 signals and
> the guys in the far SE and FL had none (and they are 1200 or 1500 miles
> closer).  But perhaps the most bizarre thing of all was K4SV and W4ZV
> having to listen to the NORTH to hear them with apparently no signal from
> the direct path.  It would be interesting to know what mode of propagation
> that was.  All in all it was an odd night.  Nevertheless, a LOT of NA
> stations made it into the log.  Joy for many but frustration remained for
> quite a few.  Antennas here a full size ground mounted four square for TX
> and Hi-Z 8 circle optimized for 160.
> 73. . . Dave, W0FLS, in Iowa
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joel Harrison" <w5zn at w5zn.org>
> To: "topband" <topband at contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2016 11:15 PM
> Subject: Topband: VP8STI 160 Meter Path
>
>
>
> Tonight on 160 VP8STI had a good signal. Here in Arkansas their signal
>> arrived from the NE from around 0115z until around 0200z peaking around 5
>> dB above my noise floor. Around 0200z they went "QRX" for a few minutes.
>> When they returned their sig was much weaker and finally faded.
>>
>> As the evening went on their sig returned around 0330z here and was in and
>> out of the noise, still peaking to the NE and somethings shifting E to SE.
>> Right About a half hour before their SR the signal peaked to the SE and
>> remained their until they faded into the sunrise.
>>
>> Best signal level here was 10 dB above my noise floor.
>>
>> Just wanted to pass that on for the folks (K9LA, W4ZV, etc) that keep
>> track of these paths for us.
>>
>> 73 Joel W5ZN
>>
>>
>> www.w5zn.org
>>
>> _________________
>> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>>
>>
> _________________
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>



-- 
Ken - K4XL
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