TopBand: VK9WM

[Garry & Yelena]

Bernie, ZS4TX wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I left the radio on 7085 while I was filling out QSLs and suddenly heard
> VK9WM
> calling CQ with no takers.
> 
> Fumbling for the mic in the drawer and after smudging the ink still wet on
> NI6T's
> QSL card, I managed to hook up with the operator Bill VK4FW who even took a
> 
> few minutes to chat with me.
> 
> After pulling him down to 1813(!) he told me about their problems getting
> on topband from the start.
> 
> Apparently they had a duobander (80/160) vertical that they were going to
> use
> but the strong wind was bending (or bent) the feedpoint attachment so that
> it
> shorted out and made the antenna useless on both bands.
> 
> They took the 160m top section (loading wire) off and with pieces from
> from a
> wind damaged HF2V, a tribander and an extra section of mast  they
> constructed
> a (in his words "a spaghetti type") vertical  about 50 feet tall with an
> extension
> wire sloping to ground.  27 radials completed the setup.
> 
> According to him they made about 170 topband QSOs so far working 10
> different countries.
> 
> It seems that the "enjoyable DX outing " they had in mind turned out to be
> a real antenna
> riggers nightmare!  Bill is still there on 7085 now working EU and the
> tension of the week is
> showing clearly as he tries to disciplines the masses!  Now calling "Africa
> ONLY"!!  You do
> not hear that often!
> 
> They are leaving Monday morning at sunrise.
> 
> Good luck
> 
> Bernie
> ZS4TX
> 
>  -
After such antenna heroics, the actual operating record on 160 is--QRN
notwithstanding-- disappointing to most of us sleep-deprived wretches.

(Written as sunrise approaches after the last fruitless and sleepless
night, with 160 clearly abandoned as reported.)

Congrats to those who captured this one! I await my smudged ZS4TX card.
Onward to North Cook and Kure, I suppose.

Garry Shapiro, NI6T
Visit the Northern California DX Club home page:
http://www.ncdxc.org
 -
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