Topband: VK/ZLs in the CQWW CW 160?
"Didn't hear any VKs or ZLs during the contest; were any of you on??" Well, I worked from a small city lot in Sydney, running QRP. Inverted L for TX with a vertical section being approx. 70 ft, terminated vertical Flag 5m x 8m and a passive Moebius loop for RX. TX antenna radials temporary laid down and crossing neighbouring driveways at several places. Great propagation to US during the first VK night. There were many great NA signals on the band - ND7K, W8KA, K2KW, K3ZM, K8LX, K1LT, K3LR, K7NJ, NA7TB, just to mention a few. Working QRP from VK on 160m is not trivial. My only NA QSO was K1LT. Great ears! The propagation to NA lasted surprisingly long, however not for me as the whole band was completely wiped out by a broadband interference. Having dedicated RX antennas did not help. Taken a walk round the block with a portable AM radio, however no obvious clues. The first VK morning to EU had a phenomenal propagation that only lasted for some 20 minutes at my QTH. I do not remember hearing such impressive signals on 160m. Ever. Even when working as VK9LL from Lord Howe years ago. Very happy having worked LY4A for my best DX in this contest. All in all 10 QRP QSOs this time from VK. Thank you all for making this such a great contest! Tomas VK2CCC --- Message: 5 Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2024 07:19:47 -0800 From: Tree To: Steve Harrison Cc: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: VK/ZLs in the CQWW CW 160? Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" "Didn't hear any VKs or ZLs during the contest; were any of you on??" There were - but sometimes, they go to bed after listening to summer time QRN and aren't on the band during the best time for the West Coast. Sometimes, you are more likely to work a VK6 than a ZL or VK3 since the times line up better. VK2GR made 57 QSOs, mostly Europe. He worked a handful of stateside stations, but pulled the plug at 1028, which is way too early for optimum propagation to the West Coast. VK2PW made about 21 QSOs, mostly Europeans, a few Asians and no stateside QSOs (was active around noon your local time). VK3IO was also active, only working ZL3IO during the time it was dark on the West Coast - and working about 20 Europeans. You might remember VK6GX was only able to work one station in the recent Stew Perry. This was right at my sunrise. ZL3IO made 38 QSOs and reports in his soapbox that this must have been one of the worst CQ 160 contests ever. He did manage to work 13 stateside stations, but only ND7K and NA7TB on the west coast. He was QRT by 1148 UTC. It's a tough band down under in the middle of summer. I have spent many an hour trying to hear a VK who is working the East coast. After sunrise in the midwest, there is a whole swath of the country without much activity and it gets - dare I say - boring waiting for the sunrise on the west coast. It's late - they are tired and time to go to bed so they can get up for the morning sunrise opening to Europe, which is often more reliable. Tree N6TR _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: VK/ZLs in the CQWW CW 160?
On 1/29/2024 7:08 AM, Saulius Zalnerauskas wrote: VK2GR, VK3IO and VK2PW in my LOG. 73, Sam LY5W You guys in Europe have a whole different perspective on VKs/ZLs from we on the western North American continent 8-) Steve, K0XP _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: VK/ZLs in the CQWW CW 160?
On 1/29/2024 9:28 AM, Steve Harrison wrote: It just occurred to me: one reason many of us didn't find the VKs/ZLs would be because we were running unassisted The second night past midnight, I saw spots for me from ZL, so then did a lot of listening in that direction. But nothing heard. Noise levels have built here in several directions, including EU and JA. 73, Jim K9YC _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: VK/ZLs in the CQWW CW 160?
It just occurred to me: one reason many of us didn't find the VKs/ZLs would be because we were running unassisted, and so weren't aware of where they were nor whether they or we were being spotted. While tuning around sporadically, I kept running across LOUD HL5IVL and I never heard him being called by anybody else; made me wonder whether he ever was spotted, or nobody else was tuning around. I ran across him, XV9DL, and XV9T while tuning around looking for a DU or XU, or even North or South Dakota (my last-needed state-multipliers) 8-) Steve, K0XP On 1/29/2024 8:48 AM, Michael Tope wrote: ZL3IO spotted me Saturday night (Sunday UTC) at 0728 UTC, but I never heard him call me. If he did call me, it could be that I had my SAL-30 pointed NE at the time. It doesn't have the greatest RDF, but it does have a really high F/B. After I saw the spot, I listened to the SW, but I didn't hear anything. 73, Mike W4EF. On 1/29/2024 7:19 AM, Tree wrote: "Didn't hear any VKs or ZLs during the contest; were any of you on??" There were - but sometimes, they go to bed after listening to summer time QRN and aren't on the band during the best time for the West Coast. Sometimes, you are more likely to work a VK6 than a ZL or VK3 since the times line up better. VK2GR made 57 QSOs, mostly Europe. He worked a handful of stateside stations, but pulled the plug at 1028, which is way too early for optimum propagation to the West Coast. VK2PW made about 21 QSOs, mostly Europeans, a few Asians and no stateside QSOs (was active around noon your local time). VK3IO was also active, only working ZL3IO during the time it was dark on the West Coast - and working about 20 Europeans. You might remember VK6GX was only able to work one station in the recent Stew Perry. This was right at my sunrise. ZL3IO made 38 QSOs and reports in his soapbox that this must have been one of the worst CQ 160 contests ever. He did manage to work 13 stateside stations, but only ND7K and NA7TB on the west coast. He was QRT by 1148 UTC. It's a tough band down under in the middle of summer. I have spent many an hour trying to hear a VK who is working the East coast. After sunrise in the midwest, there is a whole swath of the country without much activity and it gets - dare I say - boring waiting for the sunrise on the west coast. It's late - they are tired and time to go to bed so they can get up for the morning sunrise opening to Europe, which is often more reliable. Tree N6TR On Mon, Jan 29, 2024 at 6:15 AM Steve Harrison wrote: Didn't hear any VKs or ZLs during the contest; were any of you on?? There was a decent opening toward SE Asia Sunday (Monday, your time, I suppose) morning with lots of JAs, a very strong HL5IVL plus a few DSes, a few middling-strength BYs (none workable), half a dozen YB/YCs plus 7D1C on Sunday morn your time, XVs both mornings; but no VK/ZLs 8-( Steve, K0XP _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector -- See my QRZ.com page at *https://www.qrz.com/db/K0XP* _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: VK/ZLs in the CQWW CW 160?
ZL3IO spotted me Saturday night (Sunday UTC) at 0728 UTC, but I never heard him call me. If he did call me, it could be that I had my SAL-30 pointed NE at the time. It doesn't have the greatest RDF, but it does have a really high F/B. After I saw the spot, I listened to the SW, but I didn't hear anything. 73, Mike W4EF. On 1/29/2024 7:19 AM, Tree wrote: "Didn't hear any VKs or ZLs during the contest; were any of you on??" There were - but sometimes, they go to bed after listening to summer time QRN and aren't on the band during the best time for the West Coast. Sometimes, you are more likely to work a VK6 than a ZL or VK3 since the times line up better. VK2GR made 57 QSOs, mostly Europe. He worked a handful of stateside stations, but pulled the plug at 1028, which is way too early for optimum propagation to the West Coast. VK2PW made about 21 QSOs, mostly Europeans, a few Asians and no stateside QSOs (was active around noon your local time). VK3IO was also active, only working ZL3IO during the time it was dark on the West Coast - and working about 20 Europeans. You might remember VK6GX was only able to work one station in the recent Stew Perry. This was right at my sunrise. ZL3IO made 38 QSOs and reports in his soapbox that this must have been one of the worst CQ 160 contests ever. He did manage to work 13 stateside stations, but only ND7K and NA7TB on the west coast. He was QRT by 1148 UTC. It's a tough band down under in the middle of summer. I have spent many an hour trying to hear a VK who is working the East coast. After sunrise in the midwest, there is a whole swath of the country without much activity and it gets - dare I say - boring waiting for the sunrise on the west coast. It's late - they are tired and time to go to bed so they can get up for the morning sunrise opening to Europe, which is often more reliable. Tree N6TR On Mon, Jan 29, 2024 at 6:15 AM Steve Harrison wrote: Didn't hear any VKs or ZLs during the contest; were any of you on?? There was a decent opening toward SE Asia Sunday (Monday, your time, I suppose) morning with lots of JAs, a very strong HL5IVL plus a few DSes, a few middling-strength BYs (none workable), half a dozen YB/YCs plus 7D1C on Sunday morn your time, XVs both mornings; but no VK/ZLs 8-( Steve, K0XP _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: VK/ZLs in the CQWW CW 160?
"Didn't hear any VKs or ZLs during the contest; were any of you on??" There were - but sometimes, they go to bed after listening to summer time QRN and aren't on the band during the best time for the West Coast. Sometimes, you are more likely to work a VK6 than a ZL or VK3 since the times line up better. VK2GR made 57 QSOs, mostly Europe. He worked a handful of stateside stations, but pulled the plug at 1028, which is way too early for optimum propagation to the West Coast. VK2PW made about 21 QSOs, mostly Europeans, a few Asians and no stateside QSOs (was active around noon your local time). VK3IO was also active, only working ZL3IO during the time it was dark on the West Coast - and working about 20 Europeans. You might remember VK6GX was only able to work one station in the recent Stew Perry. This was right at my sunrise. ZL3IO made 38 QSOs and reports in his soapbox that this must have been one of the worst CQ 160 contests ever. He did manage to work 13 stateside stations, but only ND7K and NA7TB on the west coast. He was QRT by 1148 UTC. It's a tough band down under in the middle of summer. I have spent many an hour trying to hear a VK who is working the East coast. After sunrise in the midwest, there is a whole swath of the country without much activity and it gets - dare I say - boring waiting for the sunrise on the west coast. It's late - they are tired and time to go to bed so they can get up for the morning sunrise opening to Europe, which is often more reliable. Tree N6TR On Mon, Jan 29, 2024 at 6:15 AM Steve Harrison wrote: > Didn't hear any VKs or ZLs during the contest; were any of you on?? > There was a decent opening toward SE Asia Sunday (Monday, your time, I > suppose) morning with lots of JAs, a very strong HL5IVL plus a few DSes, > a few middling-strength BYs (none workable), half a dozen YB/YCs plus > 7D1C on Sunday morn your time, XVs both mornings; but no VK/ZLs 8-( > > Steve, K0XP > > > > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: VK/ZLs in the CQWW CW 160?
VK2GR, VK3IO and VK2PW in my LOG. 73, Sam LY5W On Mon, Jan 29, 2024 at 4:15 PM Steve Harrison wrote: > Didn't hear any VKs or ZLs during the contest; were any of you on?? > There was a decent opening toward SE Asia Sunday (Monday, your time, I > suppose) morning with lots of JAs, a very strong HL5IVL plus a few DSes, > a few middling-strength BYs (none workable), half a dozen YB/YCs plus > 7D1C on Sunday morn your time, XVs both mornings; but no VK/ZLs 8-( > > Steve, K0XP > > > > _ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: VK/ZLs in the CQWW CW 160?
Didn't hear any VKs or ZLs during the contest; were any of you on?? There was a decent opening toward SE Asia Sunday (Monday, your time, I suppose) morning with lots of JAs, a very strong HL5IVL plus a few DSes, a few middling-strength BYs (none workable), half a dozen YB/YCs plus 7D1C on Sunday morn your time, XVs both mornings; but no VK/ZLs 8-( Steve, K0XP _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
