I don’t go in for contests but I did spend some time on top band this morning.
From about 0600 to 0830 UTC. I was hearing a lot of E Coast at very good
strengths plus several in the Caribbean. Unfortunately because of the universal
use of 599 reports to everybody in contests (a practice that I really deplore)
I have no idea how I was getting out other than that I was being heard.
Last time I was really active this never happened but that is progress and
computerised logging I guess.
73
Richard
G3OQT
> On 24 Nov 2019, at 18:46, David Olean <k1whs@metrocast.net> wrote:
>
> Hi Top Banders
>
> I was dabbling in the CQ WW contest last night (Nov 24 UT) and noted a few
> things that seemed quite different to me here in NE USA. The normal situation
> at my sunset occurred. I could hear many many EU stations but almost none of
> them could hear me. I am used to that. I quit and had dinner and spent some
> quality time with the XYL for the evening. At about 0300 UT I was QRV again.
> A storm was blowing through New England and There was a fair amount of
> lightning static, but I was able to call many stations who were very good
> copy, but almost always got the impression that I was barely audible with
> them. I am running 1300-1400 watts output. Most stations took three or four
> calls to get my call correct. A few gave up and had my call wrong but went on
> to other callers. Other loud stations CQed in my face. This was very
> different from many of my past experiences. I actually went and checked the
> electrical passband of my TX antenna to make sure it was performing normally.
> (It was) I also kept looking at the wattmeter to make sure that I was
> transmitting into the antenna!
>
> I did note that there was deep and rapid QSB over a 30 second period. I am
> wondering what the hearing conditions were in Europe Saturday night on 1.8
> MHz. I suspect that noise was a big problem.
>
> Around 1000 UT until my sunrise arpund 1200, I did a fair amount of listening
> but heard very little in the way of Pacific DX. I was operating un assisted
> so do not know who was QRV, but tuning across the band produced only two HI
> stations heard from the Pacific. No KL7, no islands, and no VK/ZL. A few CQs
> produced no QSOs for points. Very disappointing morning.
>
> 73
>
> Dave K1WHS
>
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