Hello all:
After doing CW only last year with no chance except to try to be second
to W4PA at W4AN, I decided to do both modes again this year. I assume
this puts me at no chance except to try to be second to K4EA this year.
Band conditions were pretty good, but, in my opinion, far below what
they were in 1999. I worked only CW year and made 1222 x 135. I don't
think I could have made 1222 CW QSOs this year. While we had good
openings to JA (and VR, HL etc) this year, the JA opening was better
last year. I think the Europe opening was better in 1999 also. The
band was definitely open later at night last year. I made QSOs after
05Z last year and hundreds of NA and SA QSOs between 02 and 05Z. This
year, both nights, the band closed early and there were only traces of
signals after about 02Z. I checked again after 03Z and it was still
dead. Maybe W4KZ, W4AN, K4EA can say if QSOs were possible outside a
few hundred mile circle after early evening, but it didn't seem so for
me.
Here is the result this year. I believe it is probably my best CW/SSB
effort since most of the others were done in low sunspot years, just to
prevent boredom on CW only.
CW 851 133
SSB 454 116
1305 254
I missed some very good hours due to family and church obligations, but
it was fun.
I found it difficult to run for long except on Saturday during the first
part of the European opening. I called CQ a lot and got few answers. I
could tell the big antenna stations were running very well, though.
The band opened skew path to Europe first both mornings before 12Z and
the first direct path European signals were about 1230Z both days.
The over-the-pole opening to Scandanavia in the late afternoons was
noticed both days, about 22Z. but I heard only one station each day (a
RA1 on Sat and 7S2E on Sun).
Will be interested in hearing from others. Seemed we had a good
turnout.
Joe, AA4NN, I heard K5MDX in MS a lot. You probably didn't hear him
because you were able to run better than I was, hi.
73, John, K4BAI.
Hope everyone worked my friends K3KG and K4FJ at 8P9Z. If you need a
QSL, send me a SASE and the QSO info. Don't waste money with a QSL as
they don't collect them.
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