TopBand: ZK1XXP at the last moment

[Jon K. Jones]

No luck with ZK1 Sep 25. Today I planned an improved
effort and was to be up and at the radio at 1100 utc. Over
slept, then had to take youngest son to school at 1115 utc
for a field trip. Back home at 1128, got the balloon ready.
I had left it filled from yesterday, but it had leaked some.
No problem - just give it a boost off the He tank. Put it
on the tank, opened the nozzle, and only a few seconds
of swoosh. Tank now empty. The balloon barely had enough
lift for itself, much less the wire. Try it anyway. Winds dead
calm. Put it up with about half of the wire only a few feet
above the yard, balloon itself  35 feet high. Normally run
100w, SWR now over 2:1 due to wire dragging the ground 
and power output shows 50w. 
ZK1XXP on 1.822 working a few at 1143, then disappears.
Back at 1153, worked a VE6. Much louder than the 25th.
Sun starting to come up, only a few minutes left.
Peaking. Called. N0JK??? Called again. N0JK 599 BK!
160 is truly magic at times.
- Jon N0JK

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