Hi Jim es Laurie ,  Didn' start until 0100Z so missed first opening.
Saw both stations intermitently from 0430 til 0630   Laurie popped up
again for short time around 0730.  At no time did I get complete calls
from either station only individual letters.  Laurie was in more often
than Jim.
       Condx this year don't seem as good as last year. Of course the
lower freq and poorer ant efficiency dont help.  But I feel condx are
much poorer. The solar flux this year is running 210 to 240.  Six meters
has been open to Europe almost every morning around 0930 since mid
november.  The ionosphere has been very disturbed during this period.
Last night there were 2 solar flares one around 2200Z es the other 0640
this morning.  The K index was between 1es 5 yesterday.
    In contrast last year solar flux was around 140, 160 es I had very
few 6 meter Eu contacts.  The number of flares in Dec was very low.
   I hope some people start 136 xmissions so we can compare the condx
on  without the freq effect.
   73 de John VE1ZJ