16th JAN 2026

 Well hello,

today started as pretty good SP opening to US, at least to John W2VP who was 50+15dB at peaks and didnt drop bellow S9 till around 30 mins past my sunrise. Kp-1.9 so I was positive about afternoon.

My expectations were not met, I saw a spot for N7RY being again in 3794 and heard Arnt LA2FKA calling him, but QSO didn't happen and I then saw faint signal on waterfall and soon I could pull Don WA6DON out of noise. Actually he came to very good readability.

I was hoping to hear Nick ZL1IU as well as I managed to repair sticky / faultry changeover relay in the PA I am using for 80m, and I can finally listen to TX Array without the need to press the PTT / Footswitch 10 times to get rid off the resistance. What a joy now. I also suspect this relay being a culprit for two failed GU78b tubes...yak... expensive!

Nick ZL1IU sounding well even on TX Array

Later on I worked 80m CW  VK3NX and VK2BJ, Barry being a regular. No show on Mic FK8Ik this time. I heard DS3EXX very well on 160m CW and also Kim HL5IVL whom I worked day before, but they didn't hear well as even Karel OK1CF didn't manage to get through and he is the loudes on topband for sure.

73 Jiri