I listened on 1825.5 all night (Friday Zulu) and XZ1N appeared at about
12Z, weak, in and out of the noise. This persisted, with occasional XZ
forays to JA, until our sunrise (about 15Z). Then the signal roared up
out of the noise, ala Wednesday and the West Coast crowd went bonkers
around 1827.5. Op Tom, N6BT had erected another TX antenna, according to
the Web site (a rotary linear-loaded dipole) but we do not know which of
the three TX antennas were in use.
Then, a miracle: he called for "6T" and I soon made a clean QSO! I was
followed by W6RJ, KG6I (!) and KA6W, whom I had routed out of his bed.
Then came a most unpleasant interlude. XZ1N came back to "FF," clearly
N6FF (nee KL7H/W6) but could not quite make it out. Dick told me later
the XZ was NOT loud at his well-equipped QTH 200 mi north of me. The
"searchlight" appears to have illuminated the Bay Area this morning.
XZ1N must have been even weaker around the northwest, for at least FIVE
of the northern brethren =persistently= and repeatedly QRM'd Dick's TX
frequency DESPITE XZ1N's insistence upon finishing that QSO. One gorilla
was successful, getting into the log before Dick finally managed to
complete. I will not start a flame war by stating his callsign. Of the
other four, two were eventually successful and two were not. Frankly,
even allowing for variable reception condx, those of us listening
thought it was disgraceful--particularly those few--like AJ6T-- who
QRXed like gentlemen while Dick struggled to complete. Several more
would have made it into the log had not XZ1N had to cope with both the
noise AND the QRM. AJ6T did not make it.
I was on the phone and may have missed some other successful callers,
but W6AJJ--up all night for the second night-- and N6TR made it in. K6RK
had at least a partial. Yes, Tom frequently sent NOISE and at one point
said he was trying to copy between the crashes. I copied XZ1N until
1530--a half hour after sunrise.
--
Garry Shapiro, NI6T
Editor, The DXer
newsletter of the Northern California DX Club
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