10m USA spots early today

KT5W (6314km) was spotting my 500mW WSPR beacon at 1324z, which is earlier than of late. I was expecting 10m to open to the USA, but this was much earlier than I was expecting.

UPDATE 1422z:  A few more USA stations have been spotting me. Already, more different stations are spotting me than yesterday.

UPDATE 1612z:   My 500mW WSPR beacon has been copied by PY3OL (10412km) as well as by lots of USA stations. So far, 12 different USA stations spotting me.

UPDATE 1946z:  PY3OL has spotted me 20 times so far today at up to -18dB S/N.  As the solar cycle declines I expect these N-S 10m openings will be far more common than E-W ones.  As I have mentioned before, I have worked LUs on 10m SSB when using QRP in the sunspot minimum before, so expect these N-S paths to still be there even with very low sunspot numbers. Often the maximum usable frequency (MUF) is much higher for paths over the equator, possibly as the F layer splits (equatorial spread-F) and the "bounce" over the equator occurs at a shallower angle than a normal F2 reflections - no ground reflection occurs over the equator.  Don't quote me on this as I am no propagation expert, but it is a fact that N-S paths over the equator "work" at much higher frequencies than paths in other directions. Of course, here I am referring to F layer propagation. Most years you may strike lucky and hear USA stations in the summer time by Es. Some Es paths are massive and it is not that uncommon for S.America,The Caribbean and N.America to be worked on 6m in the Es months.   In summer 2007 I worked a USA station on 6m CW when I was using real QRP to a vertical V2000 omni antenna. I have heard 6m DX from S.America, The Caribbean and N. America by Es many times. My best DX on RX by F2 (years ago) was the USA and South Africa.  I doubt I'll see these F2 conditions ever again in my lifetime.

UPDATE 2210z: KT5W (6314km) was spotting my 500mW WSPR beacon at 2100z.  I think this was the last spot from the USA today as it has been quiet now for over an hour.