I guess you have got to take the yin with the yang with this game.
For the last week, I have been trying to work ZL8RS at my sunset. Despite
Bob putting excellent signals into the USA and eastern Australia after
1130Z, his signals have at best reached RST 339 here. It has been very
frustrating to listen to the VK2 and 3 boys working him with S5 - S7 signals
- what a difference a couple of thousand miles extra make!
I knew Bob ZL8RS was going to be on later on Saturday, but in between family
commitments I managed to be off-air at exactly the time he came on. This
meant on the Sunday evening, I was even more determined to be on at the
right time.
Although there was no ZL8RS heard at this end, at 1043Z Tom W8JI was an
excellent signal, peaking RST579, with deep QSB. Tom came back with an
RST459 report. I have never before heard a signal east of the Rockies at
this time of year - eastern USA doesn't usually come in here until much
closer to the equinox.
Later in the evening, UA0LDY was coming through with a good signal, as was
Earl K6SE, working Bob, VK3ZL. For those in the US and South East Asia who
are chasing a VK3 contact, Bob has a superb signal and is active virtually
every evening through the US sunrise times, often around 1830 on CW and 1840
on SSB.
There may have been no ZL8 QSO for me, but it was nice to see some life in
the band. At my sunrise on Sunday, I copied several weak European signals
in the contest, including DA0HQ (hi, Dietmar!), but could not make any QSOs.
Vy 73,
Steve, VK6VZ
At 09:15 AM 7/11/98 -0700, you wrote:
>
>>From here it sounded like a frustrating session for ZL8RS.
>At 1124Z he was calling JA but no takers, then calling a general CQ from
>about 1130Z with no takers, then calling VK6VZ but no response. Around 1150
>he got an answer from K0PM, by which time he was peaking 589.
>At 1200Z he disappeared suddenly and I thought "the generator has been
>turned down". But a couple of minutes later he was trying for VK6VZ again
>and had a QSO with VK2OI.
>At 1205Z, still 589, he sent "nil QRT" and was gone.
>
>You can't ask for more dedication than that. Thanks for your effort Bob.
>
>VE7BS
>
>
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>
>
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