E-Skip 10 M Pileup?

[k0cmh]

What is with 28.400? Last night was not the first time I have come across a 10 meter opening and hear someone working a pile-up of e-skip from the contiguous 48 states.

I check 28.190 - 28.300 often and when I hear CW there, I check the SSB segment of the band.

Much to my suprise, I hear very little traffic except some fellow working a pileup on 28.400. I will find one or two rag chews elsewhere on that band, but everyone and their buddies are replying to someone calling " . . . QRZ" on 28.400. All the pileup is between stations just a few states apart.

I will find a quite spot (not very hard then) and call CQ and get few to no responses (and yes, my equipment is just fine, it is working at full 100 watts power. I know because I will tail end on one of the few rag chews and get through just fine). Everyone else wants to play DX pile up with a station just a few hundred miles away.

Strange.

[w0ea]

I noticed something like that on Sunday of FD. There were about 4 or 5 stations calling cq with LOTS of stations calling in. I thought " well hmm....I could sit in a pileup and try to get in myself...or just find an open frq (not hard) and call myself." I did and I think I worked about 50 stations in a matter of a couple hours in the final part of the event. Just keep calling, somebody will come to you eventually. Patience is certainly helpful with spotty e-skip like that.

EDIT: should note the comments about FD were on 10m as well... super nice openings to the east coast if you werent there :D

[N2RJ]

Well, remember WHO is authorized on 10m - Technicians who recently were granted HF privileges, who were for years cooped up into VHF land. So anything beyond local contacts is exciting for them.

For me the novelty has worn off of course, but I always enjoy a good pile up.

[k2jnc]

What is with 28.400? Last night was not the first time I have come across a 10 meter opening and hear someone working a pile-up of e-skip from the contiguous 48 states.

I check 28.190 - 28.300 often and when I hear CW there, I check the SSB segment of the band.

Much to my suprise, I hear very little traffic except some fellow working a pileup on 28.400. I will find one or two rag chews elsewhere on that band, but everyone and their buddies are replying to someone calling " . . . QRZ" on 28.400. All the pileup is between stations just a few states apart.

I will find a quite spot (not very hard then) and call CQ and get few to no responses (and yes, my equipment is just fine, it is working at full 100 watts power. I know because I will tail end on one of the few rag chews and get through just fine). Everyone else wants to play DX pile up with a station just a few hundred miles away.

Strange.

Happened to me last night.

I called CQ in and around 28.415 for about 20 minutes... got nothing.

Flipped around and found W1AW, and answered the CQ/QRZ and was immediately recognized. So, it wasn't my equipment or my antenna... it seems like people are not looking for people calling on other frequencies... they are going to frequencies that are already active as seen in a DX cluster program.

Weird.

[K6BTM]

Happened to me last night.

I called CQ in and around 28.415 for about 20 minutes... got nothing.

Flipped around and found W1AW, and answered the CQ/QRZ and was immediately recognized. So, it wasn't my equipment or my antenna... it seems like people are not looking for people calling on other frequencies... they are going to frequencies that are already active as seen in a DX cluster program.

Weird.
Maybe a bit of the "Channelized" mentality left over from ?.. :rolleyes:

Heads up folks, You have a VFO now ! Spread out a few Kc and enjoy new opportunities. Just a thought :D

[KJ4AUR]

I have the opposite experiences. I worked the NY station on 28.400 then slipped down to 28.373 and starting calling CQ. Worked about 10 or so stations in an hour and actually had some great long rag-chews with most of them.

Pile-ups and beacons let me know the band is open; I find a free frequency and start calling CQ.

[k3wrv]

Sporadic E is pretty strange and can be pretty specific. For example, DC to Kansas City, MO (but not Topeka). If you call CQ and get somebody on the Right or Wrong Coast, you get a pile up - there aree a lot of hams there. If your signal comes down in "Coyote Country" (QRP term meaning someplace where there aren't a lot of hams) you get nothing.

E skip doesn't mean the band is open - it only means it's open between you and them. Fascinating mode, but also frustrating.

Bob

[k0cmh]

I will add some more here. It seems to me that as we approached the bottom of the cycle, which coincided with the licensing revisions made by the FCC, 28.400 became some kind of "golden frequency". I think the post about newer Hams may have a lot to do with it.

I am going to try an experiment. I often catch 10 M E-Skip just opening up. I think the next time I feel it just opened, I will go to 28.400, hopefull be the first one there, and see if I get a pile up going.

This should be a fun experiment.

[W8NSI]

Maybe a bit of the "Channelized" mentality left over from ?.. :rolleyes:

Heads up folks, You have a VFO now ! Spread out a few Kc and enjoy new opportunities. Just a thought :D

Channelized... well not all those rigs have vfos. If it is one of the "export" model 10/11 rigs you might be on high band channel 40 or something. I saw one once that was called the Emperor or something like that. It was channelized and covered from around 25 mhz up to about 30 mhz. The recieve on it was a little broad but it was sensitive. I offered the guy $100 for it but he said no. ;)

[K6BTM]

Channelized... well not all those rigs have vfos. If it is one of the "export" model 10/11 rigs you might be on high band channel 40 or something. I saw one once that was called the Emperor or something like that. It was channelized and covered from around 25 mhz up to about 30 mhz. The recieve on it was a little broad but it was sensitive. I offered the guy $100 for it but he said no. ;)
Bingo!.. missed the point ! Congratulation's... :(

[K0RGR]

Yes, this seems to be a problem on several bands, and it's nothing new at all.
Listen on 144.200 or 50.125 during a contest or a band opening.

If the opening is long enough, people will spread out. Once we start seeing real F-layer propagation, this problem will subside.

[WB2WIK]

I think it's laughable that anybody would complain about this.

Best operating practice in the world is making contacts on exactly the same frequency as ten other guys also making contacts, and learning to really listen so you can hear your contact amongst all that.

People who complain about too much activity on one frequency would obviously fail the "pileup" test given at Dayton...

When I'm on 28.400 and working stations, I usually comment, "It's great to hear so much activity, right here on frequency. I'm having fun, let's add a few more!"

WB2WIK/6

[n8fgb]

I was listening once on 28.400, and some one said that it is the calling "channel".He also commented that he knew the "book".Was on the floor for about 5 minutes.
Rich
N8FGB

[AE1P]

WB2WIK/6 :
"When I'm on 28.400 and working stations,".......

Well, I'm glad you were on 28.4 tonite,what a great signal into NH on 10, Steve, Nice to say Hi...was barefoot,and glad to hear you come back to me! Now we just need to say Hi on 80m...:D!

[AC0FP]

The 10 meter band is open tonight at 0200z, however I haven't been able to work anyone. Of course thats probably because one of the good signals I heard (an eight in Ohio) indicated he had a kilowatt into a 3 element beam.

The stations seem to be spread out over about twenty kilohertz. A lot of very strong signals 5's, 8's, and 6's here in Kansas City.

[WB2WIK]

WB2WIK/6 :
"When I'm on 28.400 and working stations,".......

Well, I'm glad you were on 28.4 tonite,what a great signal into NH on 10, Steve, Nice to say Hi...was barefoot,and glad to hear you come back to me! Now we just need to say Hi on 80m...:D!

::Good to hear you this evening, Neil. I guess we've worked on a bunch of bands, now. 28.400 was very crowded, and I love that! I heard you amongst probably a dozen other QSOs. Life is good.

Worked as far as CT1 this evening on 10, that's probably triple-hop, but at the same time I could hear stations as close by as Sacramento (450 miles), very short single hop. Great condx, wish it was like this all the time, and I don't mind if there are 200 QSOs on 28.400, it's good practice.

73

Steve WB2WIK/6

[WB2WIK]

The 10 meter band is open tonight at 0200z, however I haven't been able to work anyone. Of course thats probably because one of the good signals I heard (an eight in Ohio) indicated he had a kilowatt into a 3 element beam.

The stations seem to be spread out over about twenty kilohertz. A lot of very strong signals 5's, 8's, and 6's here in Kansas City.


::If people aren't hearing you, something's wrong there. I just left 10m and made 40 contacts in one hour, including guys running just about nothing. Don't know what mode you're using, but if you're using "phone" (SSB), try listening on a separate receiver to see how your modulation sounds. I can't answer anybody I can't understand, and there seems to be quite a lot of that on 10m.

WB2WIK/6

[AC0FP]

::If people aren't hearing you, something's wrong there. I just left 10m and made 40 contacts in one hour, including guys running just about nothing. Don't know what mode you're using, but if you're using "phone" (SSB), try listening on a separate receiver to see how your modulation sounds. I can't answer anybody I can't understand, and there seems to be quite a lot of that on 10m.

WB2WIK/6

I generally check into a club net on ten every week. The guys tell me my signal sounds great. I did hear some bad signals tonight and those stations were told their signal had problems. I think my problem is I can't break pileups, oh did I mention I don't have a beam and run 95 watts.:eek:

[WB2WIK]

I generally check into a club net on ten every week. The guys tell me my signal sounds great. I did hear some bad signals tonight and those stations were told their signal had problems. I think my problem is I can't break pileups, oh did I mention I don't have a beam and run 95 watts.:eek:

::I worked several stations this evening running dipoles and verticals and 100W or less. I worked Neil AE1P (see postings above) in New Hampshire who was "barefoot" at 100W and he was coming through just fine. If your signal sounds great and you're not making contacts, it might be (guessing) that your calling routine is poorly timed. That would not be a big deal at all, and can obviously be improved with practice.

I have a lot of guys calling me who I cannot hear because they're calling too early or too late. I use VOX, and if somebody calls too early, I won't hear them because my VOX hasn't dropped out yet (it takes about half a second). "Timing is everything" in the stock market and in making contacts.:)

[AC0FP]

::I worked several stations this evening running dipoles and verticals and 100W or less. I worked Neil AE1P (see postings above) in New Hampshire who was "barefoot" at 100W and he was coming through just fine. If your signal sounds great and you're not making contacts, it might be (guessing) that your calling routine is poorly timed. That would not be a big deal at all, and can obviously be improved with practice.

I have a lot of guys calling me who I cannot hear because they're calling too early or too late. I use VOX, and if somebody calls too early, I won't hear them because my VOX hasn't dropped out yet (it takes about half a second). "Timing is everything" in the stock market and in making contacts.:)

You probably have a point. When a station signs or calls QRZ I call, but when I release the PTT he has gone back to another station.

[WB2WIK]

You probably have a point. When a station signs or calls QRZ I call, but when I release the PTT he has gone back to another station.

::You may be waiting too long to call. The time between when somebody says "QRZ?" and your call should be about a microsecond, and don't make your call too long. Just "AF0P," that's it, no more.

Try that and see if it works!

WB2WIK/6

[WB2WIK]

::You may be waiting too long to call. The time between when somebody says "QRZ?" and your call should be about a microsecond, and don't make your call too long. Just "AF0P," that's it, no more.

Try that and see if it works!

WB2WIK/6

Oops, sorry, I meant "AC0FP." (Not paying attention, my fault.)

[AC0FP]

::You may be waiting too long to call. The time between when somebody says "QRZ?" and your call should be about a microsecond, and don't make your call too long.

Try that and see if it works!

WB2WIK/6

Thanks for the advice but I'm on the PTT button at the end of the Z. I don't think my IC-718 has an abnormally long PLL lock time from RX to TX.

I think some stations may be calling on the Q of QRZ or earlier.

73,

Frank

[KC6ZLV]

Worked as far as CT1 this evening on 10, that's probably triple-hop, but at the same time I could hear stations as close by as Sacramento (450 miles), very short single hop. Great condx, wish it was like this all the time, and I don't mind if there are 200 QSOs on 28.400, it's good practice.

73

Steve WB2WIK/6

How about Sacramento to Medford and Grants Pass? I think it is around 270 miles.

KCBS, channel 2 was coming in among several stations from Mexico. Nobody on 6 meters from the LA area though. I heard a few from San Diego and worked a a mobile in AZ with about 25 ft of wire strung between the window and a tree.

[K8YZK]

Thanks for the advice but I'm on the PTT button at the end of the Z. I don't think my IC-718 has an abnormally long PLL lock time from RX to TX.

I think some stations may be calling on the Q of QRZ or earlier.

73,

Frank

Could be another station was louder and he went back to them. I heard a station in TN have a small pile up on him and I heard 4 stations calling him and he had a time making out any of the calls, might be the same with you.

On using 28.400mhz, I think it is because it is right in the middle of the Tech part of the band and easy to remember. I am waiting for the cycle to really get going and move up beyond 28.500, those day are coming but not soon enough.

73
Kurt

[AC0FP]

Could be another station was louder and he went back to them. I heard a station in TN have a small pile up on him and I heard 4 stations calling him and he had a time making out any of the calls, might be the same with you.

On using 28.400mhz, I think it is because it is right in the middle of the Tech part of the band and easy to remember. I am waiting for the cycle to really get going and move up beyond 28.500, those day are coming but not soon enough.

73
Kurt

This was what I thought in my original post, that I was "out gunned". I also live in an area with low RFI which means I nominally don't have much QRN to deal with. That may not be true at the other stations end.

I did hear a QSO on 28.515 but they were rag chewers, listening to their conversation indicated they were not interested in making new contacts.

73,

Frank:)

[k0cmh]

"I think it's laughable that anybody would complain about this.

Best operating practice in the world is making contacts on exactly the same frequency as ten other guys also making contacts, and learning to really listen so you can hear your contact amongst all that.

People who complain about too much activity on one frequency would obviously fail the "pileup" test given at Dayton...

When I'm on 28.400 and working stations, I usually comment, "It's great to hear so much activity, right here on frequency. I'm having fun, let's add a few more!"

I find it "laughable" that you apparently missed the entire point of my post. If it sounded like a complaint, then I am sorry for that. I was just musing about things I hear on 10 meters.

When did "best practices" mean working a pileup? I don't like to work pileups. I do enjoy rag chews. If I hear a pileup on 28.400, and I have heard a number of beacons from different call areas, then I know more than just 28.400 is open. Since I want to rag chew, I go to a different frequency (usually about 5 to 10 KHz away) and call CQ, hoping to get a nice rag chew going.

If I wanted to make the usual DX type contact involved in a pileup, I am very capable of doing that. I can regularly break pileups with my barefoot 100 watts and a simple dipole when working those DXpedition stations. I find it interesting that anyone would construe working pileups as "best practices".

You may want to consider who you are blasting before making such "laughable" statements based upon only your assumptions.

[WB2WIK]

"I think it's laughable that anybody would complain about this.

Best operating practice in the world is making contacts on exactly the same frequency as ten other guys also making contacts, and learning to really listen so you can hear your contact amongst all that.

People who complain about too much activity on one frequency would obviously fail the "pileup" test given at Dayton...

When I'm on 28.400 and working stations, I usually comment, "It's great to hear so much activity, right here on frequency. I'm having fun, let's add a few more!"

I find it "laughable" that you apparently missed the entire point of my post. If it sounded like a complaint, then I am sorry for that. I was just musing about things I hear on 10 meters.

When did "best practices" mean working a pileup? I don't like to work pileups. I do enjoy rag chews. If I hear a pileup on 28.400, and I have heard a number of beacons from different call areas, then I know more than just 28.400 is open. Since I want to rag chew, I go to a different frequency (usually about 5 to 10 KHz away) and call CQ, hoping to get a nice rag chew going.

If I wanted to make the usual DX type contact involved in a pileup, I am very capable of doing that. I can regularly break pileups with my barefoot 100 watts and a simple dipole when working those DXpedition stations. I find it interesting that anyone would construe working pileups as "best practices".

You may want to consider who you are blasting before making such "laughable" statements based upon only your assumptions.

::Egocentric? I wasn't referring to you at all. A few people retorted that some feel 28.400 is some sort of golden frequency that's off limits for working a string of stations, and I was just agreeing with them -- and you too, if you think it's all silly.

Working a pileup does not make anyone a better operator, unless he is the one being piled upon and he develops the ability to sort stations mentally, retain a dozen callsigns mentally, and then work stations quickly in the correct order without having to ask anyone for a repeat. That's a unique talent that is normally developed only by experience -- nobody can do it without having tried it lots of times. And that does indeed make one a better operator.

WB2WIK/6

[WA7KKP]

Even now at the sunspot minimum, you'll get the summertime sporadic E skip . . . and 10 has been open, but NOBODY is on.

How do I know? I listen to the 10 FM repeater outputs. Right now I've been listening to one on 29.620 somewhere north of NYC, and I've tuned down to the CW/SSB segments and nary a body testing the ether.

I guess they're all hanging around their favorite repeater on 2 and 70cm.

Gary WA7KKP

[WB2WIK]

Even now at the sunspot minimum, you'll get the summertime sporadic E skip . . . and 10 has been open, but NOBODY is on.

How do I know? I listen to the 10 FM repeater outputs. Right now I've been listening to one on 29.620 somewhere north of NYC, and I've tuned down to the CW/SSB segments and nary a body testing the ether.

I guess they're all hanging around their favorite repeater on 2 and 70cm.

Gary WA7KKP

::Gary, the SSB portion of the band has been absolutely packed. I was on 10m SSB last evening, 0130-0230 UTC, and made 40 contacts in 60 minutes without even turning the VFO dial. All it took was, "QRZ?" and more callers. From here in L.A., band was open in many directions at once (not so typical), worked from Maine to Florida, a lot of midwest (IN-IL-MI) down to TX, up to UT and WY and a few stations in OR, WA and BC -- and even a couple of guys in northern CA, which is pretty short skip.

In fact, that was so short, I figured 2m might open up for Es and kept an ear open for that at the same time but didn't hear any indicators of it.

Of my contacts last evening on 10m, five said I was their first CA station, so that indicates a good number of "newbies," I suspect.

73

Steve WB2WIK/6

[k8jd]

Yes pileups on .400, nobody on the rest of the band. Same thing on FM on 29.600 but some of those guys may be running old tube commercial radios with one set of xtals for the "calling freq". sometimes I hear parts of 3 or 5 QSOs there all together/.

[WB2WIK]

Yes pileups on .400, nobody on the rest of the band. Same thing on FM on 29.600 but some of those guys may be running old tube commercial radios with one set of xtals for the "calling freq". sometimes I hear parts of 3 or 5 QSOs there all together/.

::Depends where you are, I guess. I had the spectrum scope on all during my operation last evening and the band was full of signals above and below 28.400. I spotted several CW QSOs as well down around 28.015-025. 10m FM is fun but signals need to be stronger. Last evening, even though the band was quite open, most signals would not have been strong enough to work on FM.

WB2WIK/6

[k0cmh]

Egocentric? NO!

But it helps to be more specific regarding who you are responding to. As you can see from the prior post, there is no question regarding the person I was responding to.

Interesting that so many are replying with the same thing, 10 meters open but none or little activity.

[WB2WIK]

Egocentric? NO!

But it helps to be more specific regarding who you are responding to. As you can see from the prior post, there is no question regarding the person I was responding to.

Interesting that so many are replying with the same thing, 10 meters open but none or little activity.

::It might be skipping over you, I can't listen from there; however here in southern CA the band is currently open and there are hundreds of signals occupying it (just went home for lunch and the spectrum scope on 10m was "full tilt" as it was last evening).

I see on the WX map there are thunderstorms all around the country; Es and thunderstorms seem to go together.

WB2WIK/6

[AE1P]

"the band is currently open and there are hundreds of signals occupying it"

Yup, band is open again, Just heard K7MY in AZ 59+ into NH on 28.410....just a bit before 5pm...:D

[AC0FP]

"the band is currently open and there are hundreds of signals occupying it"

Yup, band is open again, Just heard K7MY in AZ 59+ into NH on 28.410....just a bit before 5pm...:D

Welcome to 10 meter Es the band may be open but I've got to work, however I can turn on the radio in 3 or 4 hours from now and it still may be open. Heck, it may be open at 9 or 10 o'clock tonight.:)

[kt0dx]

I was listening once on 28.400, and some one said that it is the calling "channel".He also commented that he knew the "book".Was on the floor for about 5 minutes.
Rich
N8FGB

I have been told the same thing within the past year that 28.400 is a calling frequency. In over 30 years of operating I have never seen anything about this. Why would anyone want to call CQ on one frequency just to move to another on 10 meter phone. I can see using a calling frequency on 6 meters as the openings are so far and few so it would be a good place to park to listen for the band to open. If 28.400 continues to be this so called calling frequency just wait until the sun spots are back and all you will here is pure noise...Just like cb channel 19. God it is to bad that so much of this CB crap is filtering into ham radio. I really get sick of hearing QSK, First Personnel is, and so on.
Before anyone flames on I got my start in CB but I had a good instructor for my Novice License and I spent the first few weeks on the bands listening and learning how to operate before I made my first log entry.

[n4bfd]

I guess 28.400mhz is the new "triple nickle" :rolleyes:

[WB2WIK]

I guess 28.400mhz is the new "triple nickle" :rolleyes:

::555? What's that mean?:confused:

I have no clue. But I've been on 10m for 43 years and never considered 28.400 any kind of special frequency. It's one of millions of frequencies available to 10m operators.

555??

[K6BTM]

::555? What's that mean?:confused:

I have no clue. But I've been on 10m for 43 years and never considered 28.400 any kind of special frequency. It's one of millions of frequencies available to 10m operators.

555??
555 = "CB" Freebander freq. :( 10M FCC Band allocation has changed since the "Techs" were allotted.

[WB2WIK]

555 = "CB" Freebander freq. :( 10M FCC Band allocation has changed since the "Techs" were allotted.

::Oh.

I never cared about "freebanders" because I can run 1500W with a beam and work CW. If I ever heard one of those guys (it happened a few times), I'd go on their frequency and call CQ with 1500W of CW. When I let up the key, they were gone. Always.

WB2WIK/6

[k7gfh]

Work a pile up? How can you do that when everyone wants to have a qso after they make contact with a station? Isn't it considered "good practice" to move up or down after making contact with a station in order to continue a qso? Many times stations have made contact and exchanged info then carryed on a qso for 10 to 15 minutes when it is obvious others are trying to make contacts on the same frequency. Maybe not since 28.400 is not considered a calling frequency in the band plan. Regarding the comments about 10 meters being the band of choice for the new tech, I say not for me, I think 6 meters is much more interesting to work. But this is only my opinion, I could be wrong. Thoughts anyone?

JR

[K6BTM]

::Oh.

I never cared about "freebanders" because I can run 1500W with a beam and work CW. If I ever heard one of those guys (it happened a few times), I'd go on their frequency and call CQ with 1500W of CW. When I let up the key, they were gone. Always.

WB2WIK/6
So your a Jammer ?.. Hmmm, last I checked that was illegal. YMMV...;)

73

[AC0FP]

So your a Jammer ?.. Hmmm, last I checked that was illegal. YMMV...;)

73

Jam what!!!!!!!! What makes you think someone operating illegally?:confused:

[K6BTM]

Jam what!!!!!!!! What makes you think someone operating illegally?:confused:
Oh, your the johnny come lately EXTRA . :p Surely YOU have ALL the answers... LMAO :confused:

[wg7x]

So your a Jammer ?.. Hmmm, last I checked that was illegal. YMMV...;)

73

Wow... This one has been beaten to death so many times, even the smell is gone... I thought!?!

73 Gary

[ko0m]

10 meters was open to the East coast yesterday, W1OJ and KQ2H were booming into the Midwest.


.

[k0cmh]

niq:

Sorry, I did not make it real clear in my original post, about "pile up". What I have been hearing a few times lately on 28.400 is someone working a large group of people calling him, just like a DX pile up. Like this:

(callsings and call areas completely made up for the example)

CQ WX7XYZ
KC0ZYX
KC0ZYX, your 59, good signal in everywhere US
WX7XYZ, you are strong in anywhere US 59
Thanks, QRZ
etc.
etc.

Just like a DX pile up, but it is only calls from the 48 states.

ALSO: 10 M was open for me to mainly the mountain states and the Northeast coast last night. I heard some New England beacons, but could only raise one 1 area station. The rest were CO, a few in PA and similar. Also heard a area 5 beacon and got one contact in OK. I heard a very long rag chew on 28.400. Someone beat me to that frequency, before I could try my experiment.

I did park on 28.412 and started calling CQ, in my most contest like voice. I would get a few replies, then that specific frequenc would seem to fall apart. I would move up or down a little and her others calling and contact them. But lots of QSB and momentary band droping. It seemed the band would be great and then for a few moments, go dead.

Yep, big storms were right in my area. One moved from west to east and literally split in two and went to the north and south of me by just a mile or so. I shut down at that time, but it didn't take long to clear, so I got back on 10 M. Possibly those big storms moving as quickly as they did had a lot to play in the coming and going of the paths. Very interesting last night.

But I am like many others, waiting for the sunspot generated openings on 10M. My first out-of-country contact was on 10M to South America. I used to get many countries for "Worked all Countries" on 10M when the sunspots were better.

[KC6ZLV]

It was open here from around 10:30 PM to a little after midnight into Idaho and Washington.

[k0cmh]

And just to avoid any flames, I enjoy contacts within the US just as much as DX.

Like many of us, we are longing for the "good old days" of 10M to open back up.

In the meantime, I still check 10M very often, and get great pleasure contacting anyone on that band, even my neighbor who is a few blocks away. We always say high to eachother when we stumble across the other calling. 100 watts, 5 blocks, 599 and 40 over Hi Hi, but I do turn down the power once I realize who it is.

[KJ4AUR]

Last night I had the pleasure to be on 10M calling CQ and worked an 11 year old girl named Amber out of Wisconsin. She was a licensed technician and was an absolute great operator and we had a fantastic QSO. I told my wife about it and she was amazed. I initially thought she was off frequency when she responded due to the high pitched tone.

10M is fun and it's amazing who you'll find.

[kt0dx]

So your a Jammer ?.. Hmmm, last I checked that was illegal. YMMV...;)

73

No he is not a jammer. FCC has stated (Mr Hollingsworth) that these out of band operators have no protection under part 97. I have every right to use a frequency that is permitted by my license class as long as I do not cause interference to another authorized user. Why should anyone avoide using a frequency because it is in use by a "Free bander" Free Bander = Band Intruder=1500 watts of CQ's.

[WB2WIK]

So your a Jammer ?.. Hmmm, last I checked that was illegal. YMMV...;)

73

::Nope. I called CQ on a frequency I'm licensed to operate, in spite of "interference" I could not understand, but it wasn't CW. Amateurs have exclusivity on the 10m band, it's not a shared allocation; and we are not allowed to operate any "phone" mode below 28.200. So, the interference could be a neighborhood TV set, or just about anything.

I couldn't care less.

WB2WIK/6

[KB9YCO]

I didn't hear too many pileups, but 10 meters was definitely jumping today. I worked a number of stations in Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, North & South Carolina, Texas; as well as hearing stations in Colorado, Kansas, and even up into Canada in Ontario. And, when I tuned up into the repeater portion of the band I could hear a repeater in New York, Boston, and one that identified as Dallas/Fort Worth. All in all a pretty nice opening, and all from my low-powered indoor station! Not bad, and fun. Looking forward to more!

[kg4kww]

Worked a station that was in the state of WI Wed night on 28.470 while driving back from work. He was 59 and I was 57. Not to bad for 100w and a Tarheel Screwdriver antenna.

[k0cmh]

I have had the notion in my head that the US is such a large country, that a cross-country contact was as good as a European-to-European DX contact, or a carib. island to carib. island contact. Most of our states are further apart than a lot of other coutries are. So I am pretty happy with an east coast or west coast contact, a VE contact or an XE contact.

[KC6ZLV]

I have had the notion in my head that the US is such a large country, that a cross-country contact was as good as a European-to-European DX contact, or a carib. island to carib. island contact. Most of our states are further apart than a lot of other coutries are. So I am pretty happy with an east coast or west coast contact, a VE contact or an XE contact.

It would be better to take the type of propagation into account. On 10 meters, an average day of f-layer propagation usually ranges from about the Mississippi River east to that Atlantic Coast on a single-hop.

With Es, about 500-1200 miles is easy. Multi-hop conditions aren't difficult, but of course, require the right conditions. Myself, I think it is kind of neat to make Es contacts short of 500 miles. This week there have been plenty of them around the 350 mile distance, and a few days where short periods of 250 mile contacts could be made.