Topband: Early 160 meters

[Harold Smith]

Well, I was first on 160 on Nov 20, 1962. 
The rig was home-built with a 6146 in the final in a modified Command set. The receiver was a National NC-44. The antenna was a 250 foot long wire, running from out of a third floor apartment to a tree in a city park that was next to our building. When the park cut down the tree, they neatly coiled it up and left a note, don't put your antenna in a tree with a red mark on it. It will be cut down.

It is interesting that I was on very much and never worked W1BB. I worked W2EQS and a bunch of other stations, East and West coast. A total of 2 countries. W and VE.

After that time I built a HBR-16 from QST by Ted Crosby.  Buty the way I still have all the notes and such from Ted. 
Receiver, Exciter and Final 2-100TH's all homebuilt. I still have the HBR-16 and it works very nice.

I got back on 160 on Jan 23, 1986 and always look there before checking the other bands in the late hours.

Had a wonderful time operating BY1QH with Merv K9FD in Jan 1998 and we gave a bunch of guys and gals a new one on 160.
Boy, can we attest to the QRN and QRM in Asia. 160 was S-9 to +15dB and 80 was filled with QSYing raspy signals and QRN. 80 was worse than 160. Merv did manage to work Bob W9DR on LP on 80 CW.

My wife and I really enjoyed an Eye-Ball QSO with Wolf DF2PY and His family in 2001, what a host ! !

All the best from Price WØRI--WØCKC and XYL Inge