As an East Coast topbander, I don't have directional arrays and usually don't even have rx antennas. I operate remote mostly at stations in MA, ME, and VT. CA is not always easy, at least for me, however, I did work you on 160M from VT in the 2023 CQ160 CW contest.
On Sun, Mar 9, 2025, 17:59 Jim Brown <[email protected]> wrote: > On 3/9/2025 1:52 PM, Steve Harrison wrote: > > most of the east coast seemed to be having > > lots of trouble copying westerners although they were strong out here. > > My experience on Topband is that all the east coast seems interested in > is EU. Many are listening with arrays focused on EU, and those with > transmitting arrays transmitting in that direction. When prop to EU > dies, they go to bed. Add to that the increased noise levels from > electronic power-handling, like SMPS power supplies and chargers, > variable-speed motor controllers, and solar systems. > > All of which is why I've been increasingly losing interest in Topband > contesting over the years. 10-15 years ago, I got to 47 states for WAS > on Topband QRP (5 W), all CW, when noise levels were much lower, and > enough east coast stations listened west after EU shut down. The only > state I've been able to add since was WV, using JT65. The states I'm > missing are SC and VT. And the big gun VT Topbanders have always been > deaf to the west -- they're hard to work legal limit with a 100 ft Tee > vertical! > > 73, Jim K9YC > Santa Cruz, CA > > > > > _________________ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
