Conditions seemed much poorer at VK6 sunrise today than in the last week or
so and in the 20 minutes period before sunrise, only two relatively weak
signals - OK1AMB (559) and OE5KE (349, pkg 459) were logged. Otherwise the
topband seemed dead.
Tuning down just above 1.839, at around 2108Z (some 4 minutes after
sunrise) I heard a relatively strong SSB signal. This turned out to be
EA8/G4CAZ, who was trying to work what I assumed to be a European. To my
amazement, the EA8 station was peaking at least R5 S7.
I copied that EA8/G4CAZ was on Lanzarotte and he said that QSL was via his
own call, but I could not attract his attention. At 2111Z, his signal
suddenly dropped into the noise. All the copy had been done using my
inverted vee dipole at 90' high.
Although I have worked EA8 on CW a couple of times before, I have never
heard a signal as strong as this from that area on what seemed a dead/poor
band.
Steve, VK6VZ
CQ 160 - The Twilight Zone
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