Topband: My experience in last weekend's CQWW 160 contest

[Larry]

I was able to hear stations up and down the West Coast, Intermountain
West, etc. very strongly both Friday and Saturday nights.  I was amazed
at the signal strength- CA, UT, OR, WA big guns 10 or 20 over, with
hundreds of weaker signals (only S6 or S7!) and the band was as crowded
as I have ever heard it.  This was the first time I have used the 80 hz
filter on the 590, and I needed it.

I was not intending to compete, I was looking for 2 states that I need
for WAS 160-  AK and HI.  Sadly, I have no listening antennas up facing
W right now, and my inverted vee is not up either.  All I have up right
now for a 160 transmit antenna is an NVIS vee fan dipole for 160/80/40
with the feedpoint about 25' above the ground, in a gully. Until last
weekend, the farthest away I have ever worked anyone on that antenna was
east of the Mississippi River.

So, I finally found KH7B down at the bottom of the band Friday night
around his sunset, and after listening to him fade a bit up and down,
(from loud to very loud) decided I was going to give him a try at the
next upswing.  He immediately came back to my call, (nt nt?) and after a
repeat, I got the QSO.  I never thought I'd get Hawaii in the log on 350
watts on 160, and never in my wildest dreams did I think that I'd do it
on a 25' high fan dipole.

Saturday, I listened for several hours for an Alaska station, and did
hear one doing search and pounce, but no joy.  I also heard at least two
faint Japanese stations at different times, too weak to get the whole
call, but this was the first time I'd ever heard JAs on 160.

So, I made one QSO last weekend, and I could not be happier.
(Fortunately my XYL is also a ham, and readily forgave my waking her up
in the middle of the night.) 

Larry W8ANT