TopBand: Eu on 1.8Mcs ///Q R P !///

[Mike Smith-VE9AA, Coreen Smith]

Just for fun tonight (for only a short time)
I tried something I rarely do.  Work TopbandQRP!
 I always hear my friend Rich/k1htv doing
it and read his exciting reports, and from time to time
I work QRP on the other bands. (sometimes mobile-ugh!), 
so when I was in the computer room listening to John/
ON4UN calling a few CQ's I figured what better chance?
Took me a few calls. He kept calling me AA9AA. Geuss he
has never heard me so weak (hi!)-right John, you musta thought 
I was transmitting on my JA beverage or something.
Worked v26hy, then la0cx just afterwords.
All with just 5watts!  Went QRO after calls and sigs
etc. were all ok'd just to thank these gentleman of the DC bands
for hanging in there as it usually took a few tries to pull my
weak call outta da mud. What a rush!  Now I know how Rich
and the others feel !  From time to time I hear guys on HF
doing it in reverse order (that's FB too), but I think there is
more personal satisfaction if you go from low to high power!
At no time did any of the ops give up 'cuz I was weak.  Gotta hand
it to them.  I must try a bit more QRP on TOPBAND.  I don't think
I could be a masochist and run QRP in a pileup or a contest, but
on a quiet night, with above avg. condx you can have a real blast!
Hats' off to the guys who ONLY HAVE 1-5watts on that band with
an old transverter,  single tube rig , kit , or who do it just for 
plain fun.  You are braver than I am guys.
Have fun on TOP! I love it there.

Can't wait to get out on St.Paul Isl (cy9) with a FULL SIZE vertical
right on the salt water.  Look out! :-)
MIKE

Michael & Coreen Smith
271 Smith Rd, Waterville
Sunbury Co, NB, E2V 3V6
Canada
****new email address*****
ve9aa@brunnet.net



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