[600MRG] 2017/2018 season begins!

[John Langridge]

Good morning -

My 630-meter reporting calendar rolls over each year on September 1 so
the new season has begun.

Trans-Pacific openings have raged on, virtually uninterrupted, since
this time last year but Trans-Atlantic reports have been missing this
year, which is weird, even during the Summer.  Hopefully that changes
soon.  This time last year TA reports were already in full-swing.

If you have a QSO or make an interesting observation / report about
630-meters, regardless of mode, please post it here or send me a
direct email or make a comment in the ON4KST chat (or a combination of
all three is much appreciated).  I only receive about 30% of posts on
this email reflector but I try to check the archive at least once a
day.

If you are a WSPR receive or transmit (or both) station, particularly
in the East where population density is very high, and you experience
TA or some other interesting opening (TP, etc), please post a note
with your report here.  My data gathering is essentially me reviewing
call signs and making notes based on what I observe on the WSPR map so
the possibility of me missing a report is high.

I suspect as noise dies down, more actual operating will occur so
don't forget to check just below the WSPR window for JT9 and FT8
signals in the evening and morning.  Several operators setup their
receivers with remote desktop access so stations can observe their own
signals across the continent and this worked well last season.  Also
if you are used to leaving the speaker volume down, turn it up a bit
and have a listen.  Many of us operate CW and would appreciate a QSO
or a report.  I generally call CQ around 474.5 CW around 1030z each
morning and would love to exchange reports with you and chat a bit if
the prop and noise behave.

Its amazing just how far we have come with long haul openings in just
the last year and I look forward to what we accomplish this season as
we get a step closer to solar minimum.

73!

John KB5NJD / WG2XIQ..