Topband: CQ WW 160 (Roger)

[W3HKK at roadrunner.com]

Your success is appealing. You are The Man! The Top Pond-Crosser I
know!

I took a header in the kitchen to celebrate my 79th birthday on Dec
27th, and broke two bones in my left wrist/sprained thumb and wrist/
shoulder. My big feet got tangled up in the kitchen throw rug and I
went down onto the tile floor like a tree. So had to work the contest
with a soft cast on my left wrist, but still managed 816 Q's - 40
countries - 73 European Q's.

Did a lot more s&p'ing for Europeans and noticed how 160 is very fussy
from central Ohio.
Fri night saw a good short opening to S5 land and vicinity around
0300z. Any europeans I heard after that couldnt pull me thru the local
racket, altho I did work a handful of G/GD/GM/F at your sunrise. Sat
night was much easier pickings around 0300z , then it petered off
until around your SR when I worked a bunch of you chaps. 

Ohio seems to get spotlight openings with maybe 1-2-3-4 Euros heard at
any one time. Try back 30 mins later and we hear another handful. etc
etc. With 0300z and your SR being prime time on a regular basis.

Best DX in the contest was ZM6T. 

Going back 8 years, I see 12 Q's in my log with you - eight are
between 0130 and 0330z

Rig: IC7610-ACOM amp at 800w
Ant: 52 ft tall 1/4 wave INV-L w/26 radials between 30 ft and 130 ft
long depending on property line.
North radials are the shortest. NE radials around to NW are of the
70-130 ft variety.

Thanks for keeping the ether warm from your side.

Bob
W3HKK, since 1956
ex: F7AL 5A3TG 9G1GS ON8UD PY8/W3HKK PS7/W3HKK

PS Spent a couple weeds studying at the U of Birmingham (1972) and at
the famous Mather & Platt Works (fire protection) in Manchester
(1973). Also in my oil exploration days spent time off between
assignments in our London HQ , as well as a couple months in Cork with
a seismic offshore crew. Great fun! Was a big fan of the local drink -
Orange Julius!