[HCARC] Propagation

[Gerald Migely]

I have a question concerning signal propagation.  As many of you know, most of the year I live on the 24th floor of a condominium building immediately south of downtown Chicago. My condo balcony is on the west side of a 34 floor building. I have used a 45 ft wire antenna and a Taktenna (spiral wound dipole) from my balcony for HF operation.  I have a Kenwood TS-2000 and MFJ antenna tuner. 
 
I have an unobstructed view to the western horizon. However, I have the condo building with all its concrete and steel as a giant reflector immediately behind me - the east.  I can understand how I can regularly make contacts to the west, but occasionally I make contacts to the east that surprise me.  Here is some of my log data listing some of these contacts.  In all cases I was operating JT65HF, 35 watts or less. Time is UTC.
 
 
HA1AD  BAND: 40m  GRIDSQUARE:  JN87   Hungary                DATE:  2011-12-13  TIME  0525
WA1NGH BAND: 40m  GRIDSQUARE:  FN31  Connecticut        DATE:  2012-04-05  TIME  0400
K4MJ    BAND: 20m  GRIDSQUARE:  FM16  West Virginia    DATE:  2012-04-18  TIME  1638
UA6CI  BAND: 20m  GRIDSQUARE:  LN05  Ukraine                DATE:  2012-08-02  TIME  0405
NJ1H    BAND: 17m  GRIDSQUARE:  FN42  New Hampshire    DATE:  2012-06-16  TIME  0425
KK3Q    BAND: 17m  GRIDSQUARE:  EL98  Florida                DATE:  2012-07-06  TIME  2106
ZS2ND   BAND: 15m  GRIDSQUARE  KF26  South Africa      DATE:  2011-12-22  TIME  1915
EA8OM  BAND: 15m  GRIDSQUARE: IL18  Spain           DATE:  2012-04-04  TIME  2115
WB8IMY BAND: 15m  GRIDSQUARE: FN31  Connecticut     DATE:  2012-05-31  TIME  2158
HA6ZB  BAND: 15m  GRIDSQUARE: KN07  Hungary         DATE:  2012-06-23  TIME  2344

 
I would appreciate any input as to what conditions exist that allow me to make these contacts to the east/southeast with my simple station in not the greatest of ham radio favorable environments.

73,
 
Jerry
wa9kxz