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2013 ARRL DX PHONE RESULTS FROM IGUANAS IN THE SHACK TO BLOWN UP EQUIPMENT
AND UNEXPECTED QRP CONTACTS, THE ARRL DX PHONE EVENT OFFERED A CORNUCOPIA
OF CONTESTING.  WARD SILVER, N0AX, N0AX ARRL. ORG  AFTER THE RELATIVELY
QUIET CONDITIONS TWO WEEKS EARLIER FOR THE ARRL DX CW CONTEST, HOPES WERE
BEING STEALTHILY RAISED THAT MAYBE JUST MAYBE WED ENJOY THOSE COVETED HIGH
LATITUDE OPENINGS ON 15 AND 10 METERS.  ONCE AGAIN, THOUGH, OLD SOL DECIDED
TO DRIVE US ALL NUTS BY TOSSING A JOKER ON THE TABLE.  SOLAR INDIGESTION
RESULTING IN A CORONAL MASS EJECTION PEAKED THE PARTICLE PERCEPTORS ON
FEBRUARY 25 AND AGAIN ON FEBRUARY 28.  ON FRIDAY, THE PLANETARY A INDEX HIT
A NASTY 27, BODING POORLY FOR PROPAGATION.  WHILE THE A INDEX INNOCENTLY
RETURNED TO A WIDE EYED AND MODEST 12 ON SATURDAY, MARCH 2 AND TO AN EVEN
MORE RELAXED 7 ON MARCH 3, THE DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE.  PATHS FROM THE US AND
CANADA OVER AND THROUGH THE NORTHERN AURORAL ZONE WERE EPHEMERAL AT BEST
AND NON EXISTENT AT WORST, ESPECIALLY FOR STATIONS AT NORTHERN LATITUDES.
SINGLE OP, HIGH POWER ENTRANT AL9A SUMMED UP THE ALASKAN POINT OF VIEW FROM
60 NORTH LATITUDE PRETTY WELL  PROPAGATION  THIS ONE REALLY STUNK.  ON THE
OTHER HAND, STATIONS IN THE LOW LATITUDES OR ACROSS THE GEOMAGNETIC EQUATOR
FROM NORTH AMERICA MADE FAR MILDER ASSESSMENTS.  FOR EXAMPLE, VK4TS DECIDED
TO PARTICIPATE AS A 40 METER SINGLE BAND ENTRY NICE 40 METER RUN INTO USA,
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