Colin:
I would think that the reason for lack of activity from VO1 land is because of actual amount of active VO1s. I can hear and work Alberta fairly often on 20M.
I haven't heard much on 40 and 80M but I heard a VE4 the other night on 40 before I met Steve (KW3A) on 20. I didn't hang around and try the him because he was working the ZX14 and it was the ZX14's freq. the ZX14 is the World Cup special events station out of Brazil.
73:
Mike VO1AX