Topband: Notes on early JA to East Coast QSO's

[Bob Garrett]

Hi John and List,

Well, you sure brought back some wonderful memories for me.  My first JA QSO
was with JA6IEF on March 3, 1986 at 11:28Z.  He gave me a 559 and I gave him
569, followed at 11:33 by Ogi JA1CGM.  We exchanged 559 reports.  However,
this success was only after literally being QRV every morning from November
through March of 1985 and the same in 1986 when I finally had a good QSO
with JA.  .  At that time, my shack was located in a shed near the house and
I used a space heater to warm it up.  Let me tell you, I truly earned those
QSO's back then.  Now, the shack is in the house and I actually have newer
equipment HI.

John is absolutely correct on the three week span in January of 1987.  It
truly sounded like 20 meters some mornings with the JA window just wall to
wall with signals.  Truly exciting.  And yes, here in PA I haven't heard an
opening near as good since that time.  BTW, I was running a Drake C line,
modified Hunter Bandit 2000B amplifier with four very tired 572B tubes.
Max. output was about 500 watts and the antenna was my 60 foot shunt fed
tower with a 204BA and 10/15 dual bander on top.  I believe my RX antennas
back then was a W1WCR design two wire beverage with home brewed matching
unit.

73 Bob K3UL Ex WA3EUL