Topband: Musings on multiple 160m QSOs

Tue Jan 7 12:22:29 EST 2020

Steve

Am in total agreement on all of your points. My thrill is just making the contact!  DXCC is not interesting to me although I have 6Band DXCC with QSL cards but never submitted. I am a life member of ARRL. Started managing my log with LotW for those looking for my confirmation but not interested in the country count. Happy to help those that are on the hunt. 

My Motivation is playing the antenna game, eeking out the best signal I can, given whatever restrictions I face. Testing of my antenna experiments is done during the major contests although I spend a lot of non contest time evaluating them and setting strategies based on results. This is when I look to the RBN world or a good WebSDR to see how things are working along with all the regulars guys!

Like you Steve, I enjoy making all contacts!
I CQ frequently (of course not to the level Jon, AA1K hits the band) only because I feel I can now hear about 90% of the people that call. Years ago, was too much of an alligator but now with a concentrated effort on the antenna side, I feel like taking the plunge and call CQ. Still others can out hear me (the true challenge of this band) or have a bigger signal but it’s all fun. Like all of us, I wait for those fleeting moments when the band becomes spectacular. Would be way more fun during contests, but it is, what it is!

Am blessed to now be retired and have a supportive XYL to pursue my lifelong love. 

See you all on the band!

Regards,

Mark, K1RX

> On Jan 7, 2020, at 11:49 AM, VE6WZ_Steve <ve6wz at shaw.ca> wrote:
> 
> Speaking of multiple QSOs with the same stations on 160m….
> please do not hesitate to call me if you hear me on Topband no matter how many QSOs we have had!  I am a 160m QSO collector. The more the better.  I don't  get bored working the same guys over-and-over-and-over on TB. Each opening is a new adventure for me.  It ‘aint rocket science to know that if we wait to work only new stations on the band then things will get pretty slow!
> 
> Everyone is motivated in different ways, and at different times for what excites them about Ham radio.  For myself, the thrill of working DX on 160m….ANY DX, even multiple QSOs in the same season works for me.  I am much less excited about doing that on 80m, or 40m, or the higher bands, but I know there are those that love to work DX on ANY band all the time, any time.
> The thrill for me started when I was 13 years old, under the covers in bed at night with a small transistor radio (1971) listening to distant AM broadcast stations with the sound of summer QRN.
> Because 160m is so un-predictable and usually completely dead and devoid of ANY signals (here in VE6 at least) it really is magical when the DX finally makes it to my ears.  I mean sincerely magical, because I reflect back on listening to those AM signals on that transistor radio…the 160m band is just above the AM band. How cool is that!  We are just Ham guys with backyard antennas!
> 
> I understand completely those that find it boring working the same guys over-and-over, and how the chase for the next DXCC band counter is what really matters.  For many years after I built my 80m Yagi I was somewhat “marooned" on 80m working as much DX as possible.  I still love 80m, but the intrigue has faded and I don't find myself calling CQ there much anymore.  Perhaps the same will happen on 160m, but because the trans-polar propagation from VE6 to EU (under the AU oval) can be absent for YEARS (!) on end, I expect that when the condition are good I will remain engaged.  I must confess that working JA’s are not as exciting from here (perhaps like working EU from the EC?).
> The chase for the DXCC band totals is not my main motivator anymore as much as just hearing what DX might make it through each night or morning.
> 
> To work a lot of DX on 160, you NEED to call CQ.  If we all just listen, waiting for others to call, the only guys we will work are the few that are calling CQ (wow, crazy eh?).   I understand that with poor RX and high local noise the alligator risk is high, but you never know.  I have received a number of JA and EU QSLs indicating 100w TX and modest antenna setups.
> 
> Lets keep the band alive.  Get on the band, ionize the ionosphere and call CQ and see what happens.
> 
> 73, de steve ve6wz
> 
> So…here is the VE6WZ 2018-19 season “top repeat QSO list”
> 
> From my log export for this winter season (4 months) beginning September till now, I have worked 422 unique EU callsigns. (1,228 total QSOs)
> 
> Here is the top 25 list for Europe:
> (rank, call, number of QSOs)
> 
> 1    SM5EDX      40
> 2    DF2PY      38
> 3    LA1MFA      38
> 4    SM4DHF      33
> 5    OM2XW      26
> 6    RA4LW      23
> 7    LY7M      23
> 8    ON7PQ      23
> 9    YL2SM      22
> 10    PA3FQA      21
> 11    RC3FL      19
> 12    G3PQA      16
> 13    G3XHZ      15
> 14    IK7JTF      15
> 15    F5IN      13
> 16    OH1XX      13
> 17    DL8LAS      13
> 18    G3OQT      12
> 19    F5NZ      11
> 20    G4UFK      11
> 21    GW3YDX  11
> 22    SM3EVR      11
> 23    G3XGC      10
> 24    SM6MCW  10
> 25    SM7BIC      10
> 
> And here is the OC/AS list:
> 
> 1    VK6LW    44
> 2    VK2WF    21
> 3    HL5IVL    20
> 4    VK3HJ    19
> 5    JA5BIN    11
> 6    VK3IO    9
> 7    3D2AG    7
> 8    DS2JJV    6
> 9    JA4CQS    5
> 10    JH2FXK    5
> 
> _________________
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