Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ lamented:
160 stopped becoming the "Gentleman's Band" ever since mainstream
manufacturers started incoroporating a spot marked "160" on the front of
their rigs & linears...
I think you are right, Eddy. However, I can remember as recently as the
70's and maybe into the 80's being in a "gentleman's pileup" for a DX
station on 160 and finding it completely different. First of all, no one
called zero beat with the DX. With signal levels on top band, it is the
height of stupidity and simply bad manners to do that! Secondly, believe
it or not, if there were three or four stations calling...they generally
took their turn, giving the other guys in the "pile-up" a clear shot.
Calls tended to be quite short and you didn't call unless you heard the
DX. Those types of behavior seem to be long gone from top band.
I used to refer to the "gentlemen's band" at the breakfast table when I was
telling my XYL about interesting DX and QSOs that I had had on top band the
night before. I don't remember exactly when, but at some point I started
calling it "Marconi's band." She asked about Marconi and I explained his
role in the development of "DXing." She then wanted to know why I had
changed from working on the "gentlemen's band" and moved to "Marconi's
band." My answer was that " it was the same place, but things have
changed."
73,
--
Ken - K4XL
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