Hi Gang
All the recent messages posted this week about W7RM's passing caused me to
stop and reflect on some of the best (and funniest moments) I have shared at
various multi-multi operations - and those related venues where many of us were
gathered together.
If not too far afield, and if blessed by those who provide this facility, I
would like to propose that we liven things up for a few weeks on this reflector
- by each of us relating a story or two of what they enjoyed or remembered
best from their time spent while operating at a contesting multi-multi or
multi-single operation. I am thinking now of a funny story or anecdote that
might
be shared over this reflector as a vehicle to share with others the good times
we have undoubtedly shared together while in a DX contest, Dx pedition or
whatever. I can think of quite a few stories that tickled my funny bone - and
I'll be pleased to lead of fwith two that were "classics" for me:
1977 - K1OX South Derry, NH - Arrl DX Phone at Ted Gamlin's original farmhouse
In the late 1970's, Ted Gamlin, then K1VBL, assembled a monster station
replete with several 100+ foot towers and the piece de rsistance - a 165 foot
tower
laced with 20m yagis. A group of us decided upon a "stealth" operation where
we hoped we might actually give Jim Lawson, W2PV, some real competition that
year in the multi-multi class.
As I recall John Kenny W1RR transferred his callsign over to Ted's place and
we lined up a pretty damned good crew of operators that year including:
160m K2ZM & K3ZM
80m W1GQO (now K1XX)
40M K1LPA (now K1IU) and W1RR
20m K1ZM +K1EA+K2DM
15m W5UDK/1 (now N4ZC)
10m K1RX and a couple others
I know K1VR was there too.
Over at W2PV I know that K2TR (Fred Lass) was on 20M - and for the 2nd weekend
K1AR joined to take 20m - so it was a real horserace of two GOOD stations -
each with some experienced ops poised to go at it.
So much for the prologue.......
I remember several "happenings" during this operation that were CLASSICS -
everytime I think about them I chuckle inwardly - even though they happened
almost 30 years ago now. Ok now, get set - here we go!
20M Saturday morning - I did 20M with alot of help in that contest - and
stayed in the chair all night long Friday night. The prior week at work had
been
a killer for me and around 1330z on Saturday morning after the start of the EU
run, I was really beat - I mean I really could not keep my eyes open - I just
had to stop for an hour to re-charge the batteries.
I bailed out of the chair and started looking for a place to catch a few
winks. Mind you, I had not even contemplated sleeping in the contest (I mean
SLEEP? What's that!?!!!) - so I really had no idea where I might crash. After
finding all the real beds full with other guys, I found a small couch in an
alcove off the living room which looked INVITING and laid down - thinking I
might
catch an hour or so.
(As background filler - I should note that Ted Gamlin, our host, was not
married but was living with an attractive brunette named Kathy (we later called
her Kathy #1 for reasons I'll explain later). I recall that when I first met
Kathy, she seemed none too warm - even cool to having her house full of a crew
of guys doing a multi-multi for 48 hours straight.
What I did not know was that this entire operation had become a wedge between
Ted and Kathy (and Ted had not shared that with the rest of the crew). I
guess the intensity of Friday night in the contest was the LAST STRAW for Kathy
-
and on Saturday morning she had a wicked argument with Ted - and even
suggested to him that we should ALL LEAVE - so she could have her house back.
I know
this would not have set well with Ted - after all, he had worked for 6 months
getting QRV for this titanic battle with Jim Lawson - and I guess he told her
NO. I am pretty sure that's when Kathy said "OK - then I am outta here - and
Ted, knowing his personality, probably said something about "not letting the
door hit her in the ass on the way out!"
So, anyway, here I am just having fallen asleep on this couch thinking how
WONDERFUL it is to not have all those Europeans screaming at me in the pileup
for a few minutes - and I feel this hand shaking my body. And this voice
saying
"Hey you gotta wake up!....."
I remember thinking - "what in blazes is happening here? - this cannot be
happening!"
After I cleared the cobwebs, the first thing I see leaning over me is KATHY -
and she says "Hey Buster - Ted and I are splitting up - I am LEAVING and
taking my stuff with me - and this is MY COUCH and you gotta get your butt off
it
so I can take it out now!"
Now, that one is one of the very BEST I ever remember. Right out of the
"scenes we would like to relive again department!"
I'll relate one more - As I was operating 20m Friday night, I was able to
observe John Moody, K2ZM, operating 160M Phone next to me. John was high
school
buddy of mine and was really excited to be on the W1RR team - as he had no
real antennas of his own at home. Somehow for him, just BEING THERE - and
being
one of the boys, was a really BIG DEAL for him.
Since Ted had a 165 foot high inverted vee looking out at the ocean 10 miles
away, John was good and LOUD on Topband. Anyway, just shortly after the
contest started I start seeing John reel off PA0HIP, G3ZSA and lots of other
goodies - and with each successive QSO - he is getting more and more EXCITED.
Finally after about an hour he throws his headphones on the table - and comes
over to me and says "Man, thanks for bringing me here......you know I have
been a HAM for 20 years now and I FINALLY HAVE FOUND A FRIGGIN' RADIO THAT
***WORKS***!!!!!
And so it went - there's alot more about this operation that was CLASSIC -
but I will save that stuff for another day...
So how about it? What kind of memories do YOU have out there? Care to share
some of those GOOD TIMES with the rest of us?
And thanks to K1KI for allowing this thread to take place - I hope you
enjoyed my memories.
This was a GOOD time and I'll always remember this operation.
73 JEFF
K1ZM@aol.com
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