Topband: Early JA's at W4DR

Joe Subich, K4IK k4ik at subich.com
Tue Jan 27 10:58:45 EST 2004


John's comments about working VS6DO before working his first JA 
on 160 reminds me of one of my all-time favorite 160 QSOs ... 

I'd been chasing DXCC on 160 since I got out of college and moved 
into my first home in 1977.  By the winter of 1980/1981 I was also 
working on the 80 and 40 meter portions of 5BDXCC as progress on 
160 was exceedingly slow.  Over the holidays I heard that VS6DO 
had been a regular on 80 meters at 1200Z ... so I started checking 
the band before heading off to work.  

On January 5, 1981 I finally heard Paul and jumped into the pile.  
Of course W8AH was there and had to work Paul for the fifth time 
<G> ... I heard Paul tell Al that they should try 160 but Al was 
not on 160 at the time.  Paul said he was going to 160 anyway 
so I tuned down there not expecting to hear anything (I hadn't 
even heard a JA at that point).  

Surprise! I called where Paul said he would be listening (barefoot 
as it wasn't quite sunrise by then) and he came right back for a 
559/449 QSO before I had to run out the door.  I did not mention 
the QSO to any of the locals (I figured one of them had heard 
Paul saying he was going to 160, then heard me calling and decided 
to play a prank) until about a week later when one of them told 
me he had heard my call mentioned on 40 meters that morning ... 
Paul was talking about the QSO!  

I wrapped up 160 DXCC (#50) three years later ... just before a 
new job and children conspired to greatly curtail my activity for 
most of the last 20 years ... all without working JA on 160.  I 
hope to remedy that soon <G>. 

73, 

   ... Joe, K4IK (ex, AD8I) 

 



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