Yes, August, "W 5 Here Comes Texas" has a great signal on any band I've talked to him many times over the years. He's in his eighties now, but still very active..
August is a funny guy, I've worked him many times on various bands also. He's the one who gave me the idea to call "CQ Dead Band." I heard him do exactly that about 15 years ago on 12 meters when the band had literally zero activity, but obviously some propagation since I heard him fine. I copied that, and now sometimes call "CQ Dead Band" just for fun, and it gets replies! August is a card.
Wait — according to this (section 6): https://www.federalregister.gov/doc.../amateur-radio-use-of-the-allocation-at-5-mhz Power is now 100w ERP. Thank goodness, as I’ve been running 100W the past few years. I remember there being a power limit when I first got a radio that would actually do 60m many years ago and not thinking much of it because I didn’t have an amp, plus my antenna definitely didn’t have any positive gain on this band haha.
I know a number of guys in Texas that are actually running amplifiers in their mobile because of their inefficient Mobile antennas. The FCC say it is ERP and perfectly legal if they stay under a hundred Watts ERP.
The sound my son and his friends could make in one breath in kindergarten Burp Club - no girls allowed! Oh BTW meant to ask earlier, how high is your 60m dipole(?). I had good results with a low dipole, NVIS for regional QSOs
Yes, on 60 m FT8, I've worked nearly 40 DX countries, Europe, South America and Asia this winter alone. And I was at the control the computer the whole time. I would listen and then work somebody or call and then have them respond.
I use a 60m sloper, top end at 55', bottom end at only about 20' above ground. It's "okay," but certainly not a world-beater. Now that I've become more interested in the band (for some reason), I'll probably put up something better.
