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 <k1...@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 > > _________________ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector