Topband: 160M- down memory lane Then and now de W0AH

[w0ah at a-1st.net]

I've enjoyed the 160M reflector's nostalgia posts these past two weeks.
Here's my contribution after referring to my 2nd logbook in 1957 and a
later logbook in 1967.  As W3IFA in Washington DC on 9/10/57, three days
short of my 17th birthday, I tried to call into the 160M Grayhair
net.  "No luck."   I was using a Viking II and 40M dipole.  Back from
boarding school that December, I see that Bob, W3HEZ who just recently had
passed his general, and I QSY'd to 15M AM to 160M AM.  He was my first
ever 160M contact.  A few minutes later #2 was with K9BBD in IL on CW.  I
probably was using the 40M dipole as a long wire by feeding the center
conductor of my 40M dipole to the pi network of the Viking II, and my log
shows I was running 50 watts input.  Returning from school, March of '58,
I used a longwire, some 100' of wire stung all over the yard (and no
ground) to work big gun W2KTU on 160M and many others.  I checked into the
Grayhair net several times that year and first worked one of my ham radio
heroes, W1BB.
Fast forward- My parents moved to CT in 1958. It was 1967 after college
and graduate school and marriage that I next got on 160M. We bought a
summer camp in Mariaville, NY, on the highest hill in Schenectady County
NY where I was a big gun on VHF. As W2CRS, I had a low dipole on 160.  MY
first 160M contact from there was big gun K2ANR , Riverhead LI.  On AM. DX
on cw was W7DY in ID and W7ESK in WA.  On Dec. 11, 1967, I acquired a
T4X/R4B.  On Dec. 14th I had the first of many, many contacts with Ernie,
K1PBW.  Gentleman, philospher, scholar all come to mind.  He also had a
1/4wl vertical and was THE BIG GUN on 160M.   On Dec 14th I was in a
threeway QSO with K1PBW and KV4FZ (testing a baloon vertical).  Herb was
my 1st DX (and I also worked him last night!!!).  I never copied JA, but I
monitored a lot and heard W1BB and Ernie both work Japan.  I heard, but
did not work EU. Contacts the winter of 1967/68 whom I have worked in
recent years include W1DEOand W9UCW (and W9UCW/M).  In January of 1968 I
operated my first 160M contest: 159 contacts and 37 mults.  Besides W1BB/1
and K1PBW/4 (what was Enie doing in KY?), I worked W9PNE, W9UCW, K2GAL,
KV4FZ, VE1ZZ, VP9BO, W0AV, W5DO, and W0AIH, all of whom I've worked
recently.
Fast forward to 1988.  Moved to CO and as W2CRS/0 with 5 acres
experimented with 160M antennas- dipoles, long wires, FW loops, modified
Hytowers.  With these I worked 76 countries and JA was sometimes easy with
any of them.  Circa 1995, I put up a shunt fed 1/4wl vertical and worked
104 countries my first season using it.  Worked JA QRP.
Fast forward to last night, using that same antenna.  I worked all
continents in 7 hours.  Dx conditions were the best they've been in a
contest from CO this declining cycle.  But suffering from a bad head cold,
I only managed to spend 3 hours last night and a few minutes before
sunrise this morning.  NA worked: VP5/VE3NE, FM5GU, V31YN, XE1V,
G4RCG/HI9, C6AYB, VY2ZM, KV4FZ, K8FC.  EU worked: YU1EXY, F5IN, DL6RAI,
F5VHY, EA2LU/P, I5JVA, DF6FBL.  SA worked: PJ2S, DL2GG/YV5, PR0F. Africa
worked: EA8BH, D4B.  Oceania worked: KH7X, ZL6QH.  Asia worked: JH5FXP.
Conditions last night were somewhat auroral with the high latitude
regulars from G, SM, OH not heard.  The K index was up to 5 this morning
and JA's were weaker than normal. I'm operating the VHF contest today, but
will play on 160M tonight.  Have fun and never forget that 160M is
definitely the TOP BAND!
Doug W0AH   Woodland Park CO  ex-KN8BAJ, W3IFA, WN2LNA, K1UGQ, W2CRS, W0AH