=  NOW 25 WPM  =  TEXT IS FROM APRIL 2024 QST  PAGE 56=

STATIONS WERE READY TO START OUR JW0X OPERATIONS.  THE FIRST EVENING WE MADE
1,390 CONTACTS.  NOT ALL OF OUR STATIONS WERE OPERATIONAL YET, AND WE WERE
STILL MISSING OUR HIGH POWER BAND PASS FILTERS.  STILL, THE PILEUPS WERE
BETTER THAN WE THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE
FAR NORTH.  SVALBARD IS ALMOST CONSTANTLY IN THE AURORA ZONE, AND WHEN WE
WERE THERE, THE SUN NEVER WENT BELOW THE HORIZON, RESULTING IN CONSTANT
LIGHT.  OPERATING ON 160 METERS WAS HOPELESS, AND 80 METERS WAS VERY
DIFFICULT. OPERATING ON 40 METERS WAS SOMETIMES GOOD, BUT DURING THE DAY
THERE WAS LITTLE TO DO.  THE 20 METER BAND WAS CONSTANTLY OPEN, AND THE 17
METER BAND WAS OPEN ABOUT 20 HOURS A DAY.  DURING THE EVENINGS, 15 METERS
WAS COMPLETELY CLOSED.  TWELVE METERS OPENED SPORADICALLY, AND 10 METERS WAS
RARELY OPEN.  DESPITE THE FACT THAT SOME BANDS REMAINED COMPLETELY CLOSED,
WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE 4,090 CONTACTS ON THE SECOND DAY AND 5,219 CONTACTS ON
=  END OF 25 WPM TEXT  =  QST DE W1AW  <