Reading all the stories about early experiences on Top Band brought back
some memories. I checked old QSL cards and log books for dates etc. I first
got
on 160 in December of 1961. Using AM and CW with a Viking 2 and a HQ 180.
(no Band spread for 160) I sort of remember Herb W0VXO (KV4FZ) when he was
at
Davenport and did not Herb use a 160 ant.running across the Mississippi to a
bridge? I may be wrong on that but that's what I heard. I also called a AM
only net on topband. Some of the Iowa hams had very old receivers and would
really get mad if someone tried to report into the net on SSB. Slop buckets
they called it. I did inter the CQ 160 contest for the first time in 1963. Bob
W0NWX also did the contest and of course won. Fellow Iowan Bob Denniston
W0NWX/W0DX/VP2VL was the one that got me interested in Top Band DX. The next
year with only 106 contacts I won Iowa and got a nice certificate. Bob did not
enter. Back the late 60 and early 70s it was slow going when working DX.
Power was restricted and Loran took out part of the band. I know Bob W0NWX
and Herb W0VXO now in Minnesota would work into Europe which was quite rare
back then. This was a big deal and myself which had never ever heard a
European
ham station on 160 let alone work one I was very envious. It wasn't until
December of 1968 when I heard my first ever Europe station OK1ATP calling CQ
He had a nice signal even in Iowa. As I sent my call which sounded like the
whole East coast was also calling from the size of the pile up. He came
right back to a W0. I first thought Bob W0NWX must of also hear him but it was
W0NFL. WOW! in my 60 years of ham radio that was my all time thrill. My
first European. I soon traded in the HQ180 and Viking 2 for a Drake line
T4Xb
&R4b what a wonderful rig compared with what I had. Bob W0NWX made a special
trip to Ames just to see my rig. He played with for a half hour and a week
later told me he was headed for Malpelo on a Dx-pedition. He wanted to take
his SX-88 but they said it was to heavy and were taking a Drake line like
mine. I was the first W0 to work Bob HK0TU. A week later I heard a new one
on
160 HK5EV. I called him and it was Bob at a friends QTH in Colombia. Bob
said they strung up a temperay antenna and called a CQ and I came right back
which was a thrill for us both.
Working Alaska was really hard for my WAS. Also working Japan through the
1900 kh Loran was really difficult. Using a Loop to null down the Loran just
as the sun was coming up I could hear the JA's which gave me my WAC. Living
in the middle of a city the local noise is bad but I still got enough
countries for my DXCC 160. What an exciting time that was when W1BB got his
100th
country the first ever on top band. Also how many remember stews 160 Meter DX
Bulletin's Stew would always include personal comments on the Bulletins which
was really neat. I could go on and on like my only Europe SSB QSO with Dave
G3SZA I was running 100 watts with the Drake. Now its possible to work
WAS or WAC in a weekend contest on top band but it was not always that way
guess that's why its been so fun. Most of my DX was worked when I was running
about 100 watts so it can be done, now with large pileups I had to buy me a
600
watt solid state amp. Now if I could only hear better. 73. Jim W0NFL,
Ames, Iowa.
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