01/27/2010 | N0JK Operated the 10M test from home Saturday evening. The band was slow. Some weak
Es to WA, OR, MT around 2230 UTC, then a moderate Es opening to W1, W2, W3, VE3
and W8 from 0240 - 0600 utc. The Geminds meteors seemed scarcer than 2008, only
W0UA CO and W0PR MN via the rocks this year.

On Sunday my XYL and I helped move our son to a new apartment.
To continue the contest I brought along my FT-817 and a CB "mag. mount" whip on
the car "just in case" of any more E-skip. I didn't expect much but...

At 1900 UTC 10 Meters popped wide open to Texas and the Gulf Coast. I ran off
20 quick Qs during a break to Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and
Alabama. These states were in all afternoon steady and loud via Es when I could
check the band - though often the same stations over and over. Even did some
operating while the XYL drove from our son's old apt to the new one and back.
She thought I was "nuts" doing it. During another break at 2200 I added LU1HF
and more Texans. Finally done with the moving chores at 2200 UTC. Now I could
focus on the contest to the end. 10M was hot as the Es spread west to Arizona,
New Mexico and northeast to Ontario, Maryland, Michigan, etc. I logged 'em as
fast as I could write. I also worked CX5BW, PQ5B, CW5W and PT3T, who were
really loud on the FT-817 & little CB whip from my car, parked in apartment
complex parking lot. It was almost unreal.

The Es to the Gulf of Mexico allowed an "Es link" to form. This propagated
signals on to TEP propagation, then to South America. So despite a low solar
flux, CX, LU, PY stations were very strong around 2300 UTC Dec 13. They were an
honest 599 despite a very simple antenna to Kansas. The Es clouds can launch a
low power high angle signal to a favorable angle of attack to the F2 layer - which allows it propagate with low loss on for thousands of miles to South America. -- N0JK