Topband: Timor Leste report #4

[Dietmar Kasper]

Hi topbanders
another interesting night is over. Band opened late. I had  been there before sunset already and heard
AA7JV/mm with weak CQ. Skimmers did not pick me up long time. Night started slow.
Yesterday we again had rain showers coming over the mountains from the south. Rain brings QRN and
crashes. Very difficult copy so most of the weak W4s and 5s were call sign guessing.
Sometimes I only missed one letter but the crash always happened at the wrong moment - again and again.
VE6WZ skimmer picked me up before WA7LNW. After W4s some W5s followed, nothing heard from 8,9 area.
After 13z again the band seemed to close but shortly extreme loud W7s called and I worked some of
the VE5, 6, 7 and VY0SS. Missed KL7 heard pfx but unable to get the suffix.
After west coast had closed worked our Lagunaria team leader DL1MGB from DK6WL station at his sunset.
Later the band closed completely - not a single signal heard anymore.
Read complains about bad RX in cluster, so checked the beverages. I even took a light and made the
500 meters through the bushes during night to visit the EU beverage.
I think (hope) there are no bad animals out there in the bush. If they exist they did not expect me
running through in the night. Could not find anything wrong with beverage but 80m also complained
that the band is totally empty. Turned the radio down to a radio station at 1611. I checked all
beverages, changed the pre-amplifier and proved the wiring - all OK so far.
Slowly the band got back into life. Started with OH, went over the north to OZ, GM and back through
ON to Northern DL. Moved down south to East Germany, short detected by DF2CK skimmer and then
westward to Frankfurt area. Worked a bigger number of DLs. It was not bad habit only to work DLs
the propagation was just there. Finally propagation switched to ON, later to F and ended up in EA3.
15 minutes after sunset the band faded here. Heard stations still calling but deep in the noise.
When it comes to the RX capabilities, dont forget that we are here at 8 degrees south in the center
of the thunderstorm area. You are up in the north in clear winter time with mostly excellent receiving
(if you are not QRMd by city/village). Its much easier to listen to my signal for you than
listening for you where dozen of stations calling without stop in the noise all together on one QRG.
You increase your chances if you move away from crowded frequencies.
Thats for now, hope more such productive night will follow. There is still a lot of folks without 160m QSO
73 Dietmar DL3DXX