Topband: Trans-polar update from VE6WZ

[VE6WZ_Steve]

After about 2 weeks in the AU penalty box with zero trans-polar DX making it to VE6, things have finally started to open up again.

On December 10 the band started to show life. On Dec. 11 I was able to work 10 EU, and last night I had 18 trans-polar QSOs.
With even slightly disturbed conditions, path skewing is common here in VE6.  The last 2 nights have shown very dramatic path skewing, with most EU signals arriving at 90 or even 120 deg AZ.  Direct path is usually around 30 deg, so that is a 60 to 90 deg. southern path skew.  This skew has not been subtle. Northern EU and Russia is normally best on the 21 deg phased pair, but the last 2 nights there is ZERO copy on either the 21 or 45 deg Beverage pairs. Nothing….not a trace on the waterfall.  The only signals are on the East or SE wires.
However, last night Peter JW7QIA had an exceptional signal, but ONLY on the direct 21 deg pair! He was poor copy on the east wire.
Somehow, his very northern QTH was able to make it via the direct path, will others didn’t.

I always find this propagation path bending both confounding and fascinating.  The mechanism at work that allows our signals to somehow deviate and take “a longer bent route” to avoid ionospheric disruption is amazing.

Lets hope conditions hold up for a while until the next solar blast.

So far this season there has been good CW activity on 160m.
Since Aug 1, my log shows 775 EU QSOs, with 241 unique callsigns.  This season I have had quite a few “first time ever on 160m” callsigns in the log.  Last night S53CC called in…I have never worked him before on 160.

However, I never get tired from working the same old guys every night…again and again…..it is still exciting to hear those signals bubbling up above the noise, even if it is or 35th QSO!!!
Here is the VE6WZ repeat EU QSO list as of Dec 12: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SfUusc33rrw9wazKg3g82i_xehp0TWpd/view?usp=sharing <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SfUusc33rrw9wazKg3g82i_xehp0TWpd/view?usp=sharing>

73, de steve ve6wz