It started off OK here near Indianapolis but as darkness moved West from
here the QRN went way up from the Thunderstorms centered above KS, OK, and
AR. As an example my noise floor when beaming West using my 300 degree
pointed pennant RX antenna was peaking 24 dB above my normal noise floor
most of the time due to the Thunderstorms. My 40 degree pointed pennant
really knocked down the QRN from the Thunderstorms out West which helped me
hear the East coast stations. Big Thunderstorms were also located above FL
and my noise floor listening South using my 160 degree pointed pennant was
also much higher than normal.
I stayed up until European SR and went to bed at 0445 UTC, and then jumped
back on for a few minutes at 0926 UTC to put 3 more stations in the log
before calling it quits. I heard nothing out of Europe.
I personally thought it was brutal but my QSO numbers maybe indicat it was
not as bad as I felt it was. Big thanks to K7RAT and K7QA for the only
high QSO points besides QRP stations that I was able to obtain using my
little 100 watt station.
73,
Don (wd8dsb)
On Mon, Jun 19, 2023 at 10:11 AM Tree <tree@kkn.net> wrote:
> This summer stew was interesting from Oregon. The band was surprisingly
> quiet - especially in the morning.
>
> Sunset was at 0405 UTC. I could hear a handful of stations to the East
> just before sunset, but none of them could hear me. W9RE was the first
> station other than "locals" at 0402. I didn't realize he was running low
> power. Typically the QSOs started with me calling a few times and I would
> get a question mark, then eventually they would piece my call together.
> KZ5D had a good signal, but got away before I could work him.
>
> However, this was pretty late on the East Coast and many stations were
> going QRT. I heard perhaps a dozen stations that could not hear me before
> they went QRT and I never heard them again.
>
> Around 0530 UTC, I sensed that EVERYONE out East had gone to bed, The band
> was empty and there really were very few USA West Coast stations active.
> This felt like a good time to get a few hours sleep. I got back on the
> band at 0841 and worked a handful of East Coast stations near their sunrise
> (K3UL, KM1R, AA1K, K9WX, WT9Q, N3BB) and that was it. But for summertime,
> it was much better than nothing.
>
> After 1004 UTC, I only worked stations on the West Coast - or DX to the
> West. JA3YBK showed up with a good signal working the AA contest. They
> called me and we had some difficulty getting the exchanges worked out as
> they were looking for my age and I was looking for their grid square. They
> thought I was 85 years old for a minute or two. They were a beacon on the
> band until my sunrise. JA9FHB called in with a grid square which was very
> nice.
>
> Then VK3QB started calling CQ DX around 1110 UTC. KL7KY and I were
> answering him, but he couldn't hear either one of us. Eventually,
> conditions improved and I was able to get his attention. Took some work to
> get him to send a grid square however. After almost a half hour of nothing
> in the log - VK3HJ shows up with a pretty good signal for my second VK
> QSO. They are worth 26 and 27 points. I watched HJ and QB work each other
> on my bandscope. They both had good signals and for a while, VK3QB had a
> steady signal up to my sunrise.
>
> I had worked Phil, VK6GX in the Spring Stew and was keeping an ear out for
> him and he finally called me at 1202 UTC foor my last QSO. Turns out, I
> was his only QSO. A nice 30 point adder to the score. Finally pulled the
> plug around 1225 UTC and went back to bed.
>
> This actually was a pretty good result for me in the Summer Stew. I am
> pleased to see how many times K7RAT shows up in the listing as the best
> DX. It really felt like I was in my own world as there were very few other
> stations from the West Coast - especially in the morning. I installed my
> new phasing box for the HiZ array (a single box instead of the two that I
> had before) and it seemed to work very well. Was using diversity the whole
> time with the HiZ in one each and a Beverage in the other (either pointing
> N/S or East or West). The K4D continues to be very easy on the ears.
>
> Great to hear all of the activity. Hope to see everyone in October.
>
> 73 Tree N6TR / K7RAT
>
> On Mon, Jun 19, 2023 at 6:45 AM Charles Morrison <
> charles.morrison.n1rr@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi QRN due to nearby storms.
> > TF4VQ & DR5X only.
> > I was QRT by 0215Z.
> > -Charlie N1RR
> >
> > On Mon, Jun 19, 2023 at 5:14 AM Roger Kennedy <
> > roger@wessexproductions.co.uk>
> > wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > Well I don't know how others got on . . .
> > >
> > > But I didn't hear one single North American station on Saturday night !
> > >
> > > Roger G3YRO
> > >
> > >
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> > >
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> >
> > --
> >
> > -Charlie N1RR
> >
> > 401-742-7240 <(401)%20742-7240> 8AM - 9PM
> >
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> >
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> >
> > *Youtube channel*: NovemberOne RomeoRomeo
> >
> > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPDzEf57Ad80cVKOiLZLB7w/videos
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> >
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