[Wswss] Tuesday evening 1296 activity

[Jim Klitzing]

Stations that were logged here in Northern Cal:

WA6UAP - CM97, San Jose
WA6QAK - CM98, Pollack Pines
W6IZU  - CM98, El Dorado
K7NOM  - CM98, Elk Grove
W6GYD  - CM87, San Jose
KC6SEH - CM98, Broderick
WA6KLK - CM89, Willits
WZ6X   - CM88, American Canyon
K6QXY  - CM88, Santa Rosa
K6NC   - CM98, Wilton
KG6HXI - CM98, Wilton
K6TSK  - DM03, Anaheim
W6QIW  - DM04, Santa Barbara

I was hearing Jack's beacon out of DM12 all during the afternoon and
evening, sometimes peaking to s1, so I was expecting good conditions.
Still hearing it OK as I'm writing this at 9 in the evening. But...

Local conditions started out poor and got worse. It's been very warm here,
with offshore winds and no evening cooling. At 7:30, signals were just
fair, and it deteriorated from there. Stations normally s7 were s1 or
less.

The big surprise was K6TSK, as he and I had a comfortable SSB contact over
several minutes, with Ralph peaking at s5. Bob (Santa Rosa), who usually
hears him fairly well, had only q4 copy. Bob reported 50 mph warm winds
for most of the day, probably making it impossible for any tropo to form
for him.

Steve was in there only q2 here in Fremont, but he and Bob managed a CW
contact...a different result compared to the Anaheim path.

73 until next week...

Jim