What are your toughest 3 Zones to work?

[KY6R]

Here are mine in order, with the toughest being #1:

1) Zone 34 and 21 - tied for first
2) Zone 37

I only need a couple entities in each zone, but looking back at my log, I always feel really lucky when there is an opening and I can work these zones. In many cases, I only have 1 Q in the past 10 years (when I started DX-ing) with a particular entity in one of these zones. In short - now I feel even lucky to even have that one Q!

Here is a zone map - if you need the reference:

http://www4.plala.or.jp/nomrax/CQ/

[K3STX]

23, 24, 26. There is not even a #4 toughest that is even close. I only have these on 20 meters, NADA on any other band.

paul

[WS4T]

You're going to laugh, but for me here in Estonia, the hardest zones are 6, 7 and 10. I worked 10 only once and haven't managed a single QSO with 6 or 7 yet.

But the way things are going on 10 meters these days, I think that problem will end in 2012!

Gary, ES1WST

[K6UJ]

My three are the same as Rich, KY6R.  34,21,37.

This morning I am patiently listening for E44PM on 17meters.  I see other california
stations announcing him on the DX cluster but I don't hear him at all, sigh.........
My Force 12 C3 isn't really designed for 17meters but is supposed to work on 17.
The cal stations that are hearing him are in southern cal perhaps it will get better up her in northern cal..................
Bob
K6UJ

[NU4B]

Zone 26 - nothing comes close. I can work around it all night (I should say "all late afternoon") long, but try a station actually in zone 26 - nothing! How far can it be from malaysia to zone 26? A short boat ride? A quick flight? Oh wait, you can walk across the border into Thailand!

[W2IRT]

23 and 26 (straight over the pole) are the worst. The western parts of Zone 28 (9M2, 9V, etc) and the eastern-most part of 22 (A5, S2) are also very difficult.

[KB3LIX]

24-26-27 are most difficult from here.
# 27 is a close 4th.

[NI0C]

22, 24, and 26 from here in the Midwest.  I agree with Peter that the western parts of zone 28 are more difficult than the eastern parts (P2, H44).

73,
Chuck  NI0C

[KY6R]

I have used HFTA to find out that the path to my toughest zones has a hill that prevents any angle below 20 degrees on the SP. Luckily, I can get down to 7 degrees on the Long Path. This is probably why I could hear the 4X's so loud on the LP and not at all on the SP this morning.

I have a Force-12 Sigma - 5 and my backup rig is the Kenwood TS-590s. I'm thinking of driving up to Mt. Diablo - which is 4000' ASL with nothing between it and my toughest zones for over 100 miles. Salt water is also an option - I can get to the SF Bay in 20 minutes, and I work right near the Emeryville and Berkeley Marina's . . .

Which means I think working portable might be my "Hail Mary Pass", not to mention open up a whole new fun way to DX! Mt. Diablo is only 1/2 hour away - most of that is driving up the winding hills.

[AA9RN]

24,26 on 30m and 22,24,26 on 40,80 and a few more on 80.Need 11 zones for 200.But it will never happen on 80 with the wire I have.Oh and the hearing........LOL

[AF3Y]

My three are the same as Rich, KY6R.  34,21,37.

This morning I am patiently listening for E44PM on 17meters.  I see other california
stations announcing him on the DX cluster but I don't hear him at all, sigh.........
My Force 12 C3 isn't really designed for 17meters but is supposed to work on 17.
The cal stations that are hearing him are in southern cal perhaps it will get better up her in northern cal..................
Bob
K6UJ

Bob, when I was in S.C. and had a C3-SS up around 45' or so, it sucked on 17 meters. So, I put together a 17 meter delta loop, and it really kicked butt, and did not take up much room either. I had it on a jackite pole and the base of the loop was only around 10' or so off the ground, but it worked Asia, Oceana, etc. almost as good as the C3-SS worked 10-15-20. Kinda neat to play around with, and I used to go out and turn it as needed, by hand. Delta loops are not supposed to work well off the end, but lo and behold, I worked Alaska one day when broadside to Europe . I am a delta loop believer.  Gene

[AF3Y]

Last 3 zones I worked for my WAZ were 2, 22 & 19. 2 Should have been easy, but seems that one is not very active. 19 and 22 were/are TOUGH for me, as is zone 28 .  Gene

[KD6KWZ]

Zone 37 may be a problem between political upheaval (Somalia, for instance) & few being able to afford ham radios.

I'm thinking of driving up to Mt. Diablo - which is 4000' ASL with nothing between it and my toughest zones for over 100 miles.

Gee, not that far from my QTH.

For me in South San Jose, Mount Umunhum is close, but I can't drive all the way to the top of it yet. Mt. Hamilton is a possibility, but that's a longer drive. The Foothills are close to me. My delta loop, AT, & HTX-10 are easy to pack up into the car.

I don't know if the height would help me much on 10 meters when the band is good. Yes, I know height is super critical when there's no/few sunspots. I'm a little jealous of the W6NN/K6MMM antenna & location in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

I'm fairly new to HF DX'ing, but I have yet to hear ANY operator on 10 meters from Africa, the Middle East, & I've only heard someone once, faintly, from the UK once for all of Europe. I do hear Japan often, & a few Asian Russian operators.

You're going to laugh, but for me here in Estonia, the hardest zones are 6, 7 and 10.

I won't laugh, because I have yet to hear anyone from Zones 7 & 10, even thought they are relatively close to me. There's a really strong station in Mexico from time to time, he sounds like he's from the US, retired in Mexico.

Cliperton & Cocos Islands are both on the top 100 DX list. Time for a DXpendition to them? If I was a millionaire...

19 and 22 were/are TOUGH for me

Zone 22 being tough is no surprise, since Nepal, Bhutan, & Bangladesh are in the Top 100 most wanted DX:

http://www.dxpub.com/dx_news.html

If it wasn't for Chile, Zone 12 looks like a nightmare to get, as well. Zone 21 has some tough contenders: Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen! The Gulf states operators, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, are the only sensible hopes there.

[K3STX]

Zone 21 has some tough contenders: Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen! The Gulf states operators, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, are the only sensible hopes there.

Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen;  NOT YET, NOT YET, NOT YET, NOT YET
Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar; CONFIRMED, CONFIRMED, CONFIRMED, CONFIRMED

paul

[KA3NRX]

24 and 26....Have 26, but both qsos  I had to scream for (Laos and Thailand).....I don't have 24 and judging by the Solar Flux numbers again regressing, I proabaly never will..... .....I wish I knew why these parts of the world are so difficult from the northeast....I just don't get it!......

V
KA3NRX