Chipper

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I was pleased to awake to the sound of an old friend taking me back thirty years to my youth. I am of course talking about the HF Chipper that I am hearing on 17M and 15 Meters making a pleasant QRM sounding woodpecker noise.

I used to hear this noise a lot back in the early 80s when propagation was very good. When State-Side signals from mobile Truckers were coming in loud on AM using simple mobile antennas and little rigs.

When I switched on this morning and heard the noise, I said to my YL Louise how conditions should be definitely on the up. Shortly after I tuned around 20m and I found signals coming in from Dominica Republic, Jamaica, India and China all before mid day. I am now making the most of the opening and at present I am active on 15m using the Hustler 6BTV and FT-767. I've just had a great QSO with Gary - VE3XN on 21.290 and right now I am tuning around the many loud signals. Hope to see you on the band somewhere over the weekend, especially now we are entering the up slope of the Solar Cycle. Happy DXing.

Comments

Steve GW7AAV said…
Glad you mentioned it. I was begining to think I imagined it all back then, it is just so, so long since we had any propagation like good. I remember listening to US truckers on 10m ssb as I ate my breakfast around six in the morning they were 5/9+. If I tuned further down to the CB bands the US truckers would be chatting with the Italians, with the US CBers over 5/9 and the Italians 5/9+60dB.

73 Steve GW7AAV
3:58 pm
MØYKS Simon said…
Hi Steve,

Thanks for the comment and I also remember breakfast DX it was very exciting.

Looking forward very much to the old days returning, hope to catch you somewhere on the bands.

73 Tnx
4:28 pm
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