Les, I'm in Miami Florida and we had an opening yesterday at 15:18 UTC
to EA8BPX, 3k or so from me according to QRZ. It was a pleasant
surprise. There was another station from Spain (according to DX
Sherlock) but I didn't hear him. Today I worked 16 stations in less
than 1 hour. I felt like I was at an exotic DX location! There were
so many stations calling me at the same time, that it was difficult to
copy a complete, or even partial call to get back to. For a while I
even considered going split. There were stations calling me while I
was having QSOs!
I had to cut it short because I was expecting a phone call to pickup a
friend. The phone call came while I was on the air, and I know there
must have been a lot of disappointed stations that didn't work me; and
I wish I could have stayed, but I had prior commitments.
I started on 50.125, and as soon as I made my first contact, I moved
up a bit, and it seems that everyone followed me! It was great fun.
For about the last 3 weeks, all I have been doing is working stations
on 6, I have no idea how the other bands are doing. All this on a
TS-2000, 100 watts into a 5 element beam at 40'.
I haven't heard you in there, you're not in my log, but I'm retired,
and if the band is open in Florida, I'll be on there someone on 6.
One thing though, is the amount of people having QSOs on the calling
frequency. I must admit I have done that, it's easy to forget where
you are when you get lots of stations calling you. So to those
reading this - please let's keep the calling frequency for what it is
intended for, call CQ, make a contact, and MOVE up the band. It makes
it a lot easier for the rest of us, after all, we have a huge band to
work with, and most of it isn't getting used!
73 de W4AS
Sebastian
On Jun 3, 2008, at 2:47 PM, Les Rayburn wrote:
> The past couple of days have brought some new "firsts" for me.
> Another local DX'er, KE4YZN, Randy Perrin, who lives only a few
> blocks from me was
> on the other night, and we were taking turns working folks up and
> down the band.
>
> At one point after making a quick QSO, I was called by AB6QM in
> California! This was my first contact with California on 6 Meters,
> and a lot of fun. But the best
> was yet to come. We also both worked N0YK in Kansas. Randy worked
> him first and then I followed this time. When I told Chad that I was
> running 100 watts into a 3 element Yagi mounted in my attic, he
> replied, "You're actually louder than the other Alabama station".
>
> Randy immediately chimed in, "Les is just showing off!".
>
> For the record, Randy runs 500 watts into a 6 Element M2 at about 70
> feet. While we all know that it's just the crazy atmosphere, and
> some nearly perfect takeoff angle at work, it still felt great to
> get that report.
>
> Randy did manage to work several West Coast stations that were right
> at the noise level for me. He's a good friend, and very helpful to
> me when we're on the bands together.
>
> Today brought my third country when I managed to work HR9/WQ7R! It
> was my first ever contact on 50.110. Like many newcomers, I'm
> terrified of transmitting in the
> DX Window...but I heard his CQ loud and clear, and went right back
> to him. Guess I'll need to start monitoring that frequency as well.
>
> Having a ball in EM63!
>
> 73,
>
>
> Les Rayburn, N1LF
> EM63nf
> 121 Mayfair Park
> Maylene, AL 35114
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