Hi Phil

All that is certainly true.
GD is quite a rare prefix so when spotted is overcome with callers.
I have a friend who lives there, so an email to arrange a sked is really the
answer at some time!

Years ago, with a few mates, we activated Andora which is basically a valley
in the mountains between France and Spain.  Our propagation predictions
certainly were shot apart!

73

David W Wood 

-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Phil Scovell
Sent: Saturday, April 25, 2015 12:17 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Working Nearby Stations

David and others,

We, in the states, also have problems working nearby states on the higher 
bands that never propagate to the closer needed states.  There are, as I'm 
sure you already know, David, two ways I've worked close in contacts.  One 
is by making a schedule with someone from that area on a lower band.  Then 
picking a time and day to try making a schedule at a couple of different 
times.  Then, at the schedule times, pointing the beam in the opposite 
direction of the station and trying to work him back scatter.  It helps to 
run power when trying this method.  The other station should be beaming the 
opposite direction to you as well.  Also, just before sunrise or sunset, 
when the band is changing, are times worth trying for close by contacts.  I 
also have use solar flares right at the recovery point and worked adjacent, 
or, contiguous states that are from 100 to 500 miles away.  Back scatter and

some power work the best even when the band is wide open with DX.  I often 
hear my friends from western Colorado back scatter and they are about 250 
miles away but I've heard them on 20 15 and 10 meters; sometimes even S9 so 
you never know.  The Rocky Mountains sure do a lot of screwing around with 
HF signals even within 25 or 30 miles on 75 and 80 meters here in Colorado. 
FM bands are even worse for mountainous contacts.

Phil.
K0NX