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| About a 10,000 mile QSO from Indiana to VK on 80 Mtrs |
I woke up at about 3am made a cup of coffee and turned on the radio. I don't usally get on the radio at that time of morning but I took advantage of the early morning hour. I tried 80 meters and 25 watts with JT65 digital mode. Called CQ a time or two and low and behold a VK gave me a call. This is middle Australia and a very rare catch on 80 meters, matter a fact the first in 45 years on that band, a nice catch. called CQ a few more times with no reply. I switched to 40 meters and worked a few European stations, but nothing from Africa. The sun was just about up. This means the grey line propagation is coming. I switched to 17 meters and called a few CQs with a few European contacts again nothing rare then an Asiatic Russian (UA9) called. Wow with that stoke of luck I called it quits and had a celebration cup of coffee and a bowl of granola cereal. I watched the TV news and read the local news on the computer. I checked into the Indiana Traffic net on 75 meters, nothing coming to my area so turned the rig to 6 meters. I called CQ a number of times with SSB and then put out a few CQs with JT65 but no takers, the band was dead as a door nail as it is most of the time. With that I left the rig on 17 meters so I could check it later on. All and all what a good radio morning. I will have an other look this evening - I hope my luck stays good...... Jack WB9OTX
