Topband: Good Conditions, little NA Activity

[daraymond at iowatelecom.net]

Roger. . . while CW activity is most undeniably down, it is not gone.  A 
couple of nights ago LA1MHA  reported on KST working over 100(!) NA stations 
in just one evening (morning his time).  In the meantime, the band has been 
red hot here both mornings and evenings now for over a week.  Conditions to 
Asia this morning as I write this are outstanding.  HL5IVL is as loud as 
I've ever heard him.  Great sigs from our friends in JA.  RA9Y called in 
this morning with a Q5 signal.  Chak/JT1CO has been QRV stirring some 
excitement for NA SR.  So all is not lost.       73 and HNY to all. . . 
Dave, W0FLS

-----Original Message----- 
From: Roger Kennedy
Sent: Sunday, January 05, 2020 7:02 AM
To: topband at contesting.com
Subject: Topband: Good Conditions, little NA Activity


Yes conditions have been good the last few days on 160m (not Great . . . but
what I would always have considered Normal, which they haven't been for
ages)

I myself have received some amazing reports from Stations I have worked, as
well as strong RBN reports. However . . . there seems to have been a
distinct lack of activity from North American stations.

I've been on and off the band for half an hour or so during the past 2
nights (Friday and Saturday) typically around 0000, 0200, 0400 . . . but
along with several other Europeans, calling CQ DX but getting very few
replies. Yet the few stations I DID work gave me very good reports, and RBN
reports were always good too.

I also popped on the band at the end of both nights (around 07.30) . . . but
I didn't even bother putting out a call. Why?  Well many of the regular EU
DX-ers were on the band, calling endless CQs . . . but barely getting any
replies !

Even though Saturday Night/Sunday Morning always used to be the MAIN time to
come and work across the pond on 160m, maybe people have family commitments
at the weekend these days . . .

So I'm going to keep plugging the idea of a Wednesday CW DX Night on Top
Band . . . it certainly worked last winter, as I would often work as many as
50 NA stations who made the effort to come on the band.

73 Roger G3YRO

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