2017 Route 66 On The Air 9/9 to 9/17, 2017

many stations using FT8. HEY what about good old fashioned RTTY and PSK31? I don't have FT8 yet.

 

Sunday afternoon and still no sign of W6Q and U. Missing a few others but at least saw some cluster activity. Also not on FT8. Only place I've seen "I" listed.

 

Sucking this year on contacts. ONLY 8 stations worked several days into the event and time running out in a hurry.

I am also IMPLORING the California stations W6A through E to go on 40 or 75 during the day so we local stations have a shot at U. Also the ROVERS S and T as well. You are all 2 close to work on 20 meters where the majority remain most of the time, I am watching DX Summit and my mobile HF station is ready to go at a moments notice to nab these stations. I take this event very seriously!!!!

 

I operated shifts as W6C on 40 meters yesterday and Saturday between 4-7 pm local time here in Ca (as well as shifts on 20 meters). Both shifts logged about 50 contacts or so per hour with pretty good propagation results. Some pretty good pile-ups. But prior to 2pm local time yesterday the bands were crushed by the X flare event. I spot W6C on the "My DX Summit" Page when I begin my shift and I update it when changing frequencies. I see you are in the San Diego Area--I did log one San Diego station yesterday on 40M, but the vast majority of the Ca stations I logged were north of me. Did you see the W6C spots on the spotter page this weekend? I'll keep my ears open for you this week. Most of my shifts going forward are on 20 meters but if I get a spare hour or so and no one else has the shift on 40 I'll put some extra time in there. I had 40 m contacts as W6C saturday and sun (late afternoon-early evening) from as close as 5 miles away to as far away as Alaska-NY, RI, Delaware, Virgina, etc with plenty in between. I think I tallied 24 states on yesterday's 40 meter 3 hour shift so propagation did improve, finally. Again--I'll keep an ear out for you

Jim
W6NYA

 

How about a Lincoln Highway (RT 30) event

 

4 more stations logged. Still hurting for W6A-E, W6I,W6L,W6O and W6S!!! 9 to go. Tough year, might not make the clean sweep.

 

I only need W6L and W6D. Got 4 new ones last night. I just checked the Cluster history for W6L and see no activity at all for this year so far.

 

Pat, W6B just spotted on 3533

 

That is a problem as the band on 80 is still long, I am at work, and no CW in the mobile. I have to hope A thru E come up on 40 SSB during the day so I can try them mobile.

 

last nights pileup on W6Q was the biggest seen ever on a Route 66 station!!! It was almost as if we were calling P5 in North Korea!!! I really had to try every trick in the book to make it thru!! He went by call areas for awhile, but skipped 6s figuring no Prop to California. then he went for all call areas at once and it was true BEDLAM. NOT split freq either!! So he usually got clobbered coming back to a station. But finally he heard a weak "MIKE HOTEL ZULU" and was very dillegent in ferreting out the contact!!! He had me for a WA4 at first, And I yellled "WA SIX, CALIFORNIA!!!!!!!!!!!!" AT LAST He got the WA6 and I was logged!!!! PHEW!!!!

This Route 66 event is much tougher than garden variety DXing!!!! I am 4 away from NUMBER ONE HONOR ROLL, so I do know about Pileups!!!
The W6Q was one of the TOUGHEST of my LIFE!!!!

 

W6Q was a new one for me last night on 40 also. Pileup was huge because he wasn't on much, if at all prior to that. Same thing will happen if W6L ever decides to get on. I only run 100 watts here so busting big pileups isn't always easy. But timing is the key. Putting out your call at just the right time.

 

I feel good about working two of the Rt 66 stations (T+H) yesterday while using 5 watts and battery power from a park.

 

Last year I got a clean sweep without too much toil. The CA stations were on 40 SSB more and I nabbled most of them mobile from the work parking lot. This year we had lotsa Solar Flares wiping out the bands for several days at the beginning of the event, so we all got a late start.

Fortunately, it only take ONE CONTACT with one station to qualify for a certificate, but the idea is to GET THEM ALL!!!

Just like POKEMONs, GOTTA CATCH THEM ALL!!!!

Why do I know about Pokemons? I had a baby boy during that era, and now grandbabies during the revival of it!!

 

Where is W6Q located?

 

All the info is here:

http://w6jbt.org/?page_id=15