Starting in 1954 I ran 160 mobile off and on for more than 50 years. Even
did a lot of hidden transmitter hunts on 160 in the Chicago area with the
"Chiburban Radio Mobileers. Check out their websites using Google. For me,
other high points of 160 mobiling include a straight through drive from
Minooka, Illinois to Miami to fly onto Barranquilla and then San Andres Island
to operate /HK0 with friends. That was in the mid 70's. My 10 year old
daughter was with me. I ran a Heathkit single-bander (tube type) and worked 18
states and four countries on 160 SSB on the drive down. It helped me stay
awake.
Another high point happened 5 years ago when we moved to our new home. I
didn't have antennas up but a month or two after the move, I found my
home-brewed mobile antennas in the piles of stuff in the garage. That evening
I
put the 160 setup on the Dodge longbed pickup truck. It was well before dawn
when I took my mug full of coffee out to the driveway and got into the
truck to listen to 160. The noise was very low and I could hear some US
stations working JA's. We had scoped out the area for noise before we bought
the
home.
Just before dawn I figured I had the best chance of working something
good... although a slim chance. I called CQ several times before I heard
someone say "Are you saying /M, Barry?" It was 160 stalwart Bob, VK3XL and we
had
a nice exchange. Bob has good ears, as most of you know, but I sure felt
good about my first DX contact from our new place. I was running CW with an
IC 706, a Metron amp at about 400 watts to the antenna mounted in the
middle of the bed cover. It had an 8' mast with my own resonator on top and an
extensive radial system glued under the bed cover and braid connected to the
truck bed walls.
These days I don't get much chance at 160 mobile 'cuz my XYL is president
of MARAC, the international county hunter organization and when we go
mobiling, it's on Bands where they regularly operate like 20 & 40. Oh well...
she sez she's not going to run for a third term. Watch for W9UCW/M.
73 and best DX, Barry
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160 meters is a serious band, it should be treated with respect. - TF4M
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