[NLRS] Observation/Question about the June 50 MHz contest

[John (JK) Kalenowsky, K9JK]

Was there an absence of propagation to the "southeast" in the 
contest or was it just me (missing the openings in that 
direction? not being in an area to which propagation was there? 
limitation of my rover equipment/antenna?).

I've just been scanning my log and noticed that I basically 
worked NO ONE South of 41N/East of 87W on 50 MHz, basically East 
through South on a compass from where my rover route took me 
were "blank". I DID manage to make contact with FN11, FN21, FN31 
and FN41 (and points north) but FN10, FN20, FN30, NOPE! (FN40 
all in water so I didn't expect anything from there). Nothing 
around DC (no FM18/19/28/29). I *DID* work ONE station in North 
Carolina, FM13, but no OTHER FM grids, no EMs greater than 26 
(even missed K5QE in EM31, though I heard them for a bit). I 
heard stations in Southern Florida (K4MM-EL97, W4AS-EL95) but 
was not able to make contact and, other than EL29 (my ONLY Texas 
QSO) and EL60 (Mexico), EL was "blank", too.

>From SE Iowa (near the EN30/31/40/41 Grid Corner) on Saturday 
late afternoon into evening, I felt like I had a pipeline to 
Arizona, 15 Qs with 8 different stations, in addition to some of 
New Mexico and one station in Utah. Even caught W7GJ in Montana 
from two of those grids.

I'm going to have to make a map similar to the hourly highlight 
maps I did for the extended/web version of the 2012 January 
contest results so I can visualize this better.

For my Claimed Score and other detail, check my report to the 
3830 Reflector at:
http://lists.contesting.com/pipermail/3830/2012-June/253182.html

Any similar observations by others? (Especially by other 
'midwest'/western Great Lakes rovers.)

73, JK