Hi All,
This is my take on a welcome expedition to what
is a very difficult path from the UK. For those
situated further west K4M is at about 355 degrees
azimuth, right through the Auroral zone.
So it does not come any more difficult for us.
I was one of the THREE UK QSOs made with the UK
on 160, and my Q was made the hard way at Sunset
competing with Stations to the East of here. In fact
the next Morning I got up early to check the K4M
signal at what would be the lead up to SR.
At 0645z they were a good signal (S4), in the
next 20minutes they worked USA and never called for
Europe. At 0607z they worked GM0GAV and immediately
went back to USA until working G4PWA then again back
to USA.
By now they had peaked about S7 here with many of
the Bigger G stations all trying to break a NA pile
up. At NO time did the operator call for Europe and
carried on working East and West coast Stations that
could have been worked AFTER Eu SR.
As an aside being so far North I found I could
hear K4M all day, right through Noon here. Not a new
experience but interesting just the same. I made a
recording of them at about 14z, and have passed it
on.
My point is that expeditions should follow the
hour before SR across the target area by selective
calling. In the case of Eu that would mean from SS in
Midway taking in Eastern Europe right through to SR
in CT1. This still leaves buckets of time after EU SR
for Eastern US and further West.
It is entirely wrong to think of Zone 14 as
Western Europe as it includes SM and they are an hour
further East from here and have a better shot to the
pacific. If you want to judge the effectiveness into
Western Europe, count the number of stations WEST of
0 degrees. Our only real chance is to work the
Pacific is in the period leading up to SR here but
that requires cooperation from the DX end as well.
73 Clive GM3POI
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