Topband: VKs This Morning

[Mark K3MSB]

I sent this to the members of our local radio club as I'm trying to get
them to understand the importance of SR and SS on 80 and 160M;  I thought
some of you may enjoy it.   March is here and conditions should be
improving for NA to VK/ZL contacts....  I hope this morning is a good sign..

73 Mark K3MSB

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Mark K3MSB
Date: Sat, Mar 2, 2019 at 7:28 AM
Subject: VKs This Morning

Hello Everyone

I could not sleep this morning and got up at 2:30 AM.   I went down to the
shack and not much was cooking on 160 or 80,  so I did some research for
some technical material I needed for a Navy RBB restoration that I'm
working on.

I wandered over to the SKCC chat room around 1030Z (5:30 AM).  Steve VK7CW
was on and both N1FG and I tried to work him on 160M.    He gave us both
559 but neither of us could hear him well enough for a full SKCC exchange(
RST, State, Name, and SKCC number).   My SR was around 1137Z and Steve said
he would be around until then.

In the meantime,  VK7CW and I worked on 40M (RST 559) at 1048Z then on 80M
(RST 469) at 1100Z.   We again tried 160M but were only able to exchange
RSTs at 1116Z.   Steve's signal had improved but not for a full SKCC
exchange.

VK7CW and I tried again at 1126Z and Steve's signal had now improved enough
for an SKCC exchange, but it took two tries, his RST now being 449.

At 1139Z (my SR +2  min)  I saw VK3CWB spotted on 1828 so went up there....
and bang!   The guy almost knocked me over – an honest 589!   I couldn't
believe it!    I sent my call and bagged him right off!

By 1149Z (my SR + 12 min)  VK3CWB was down to about 449-549 and not moving
the needle.

A good morning!  A pair of VKs on 160M and I worked one of them with a J-38
straight key!

Time for some coffee.....

73 Mark K3MSB