Topband: Did anyone hear/work AK

[k3ky at erols.com]

On 28 Jan 2004 at 23:02, Brian Mattson wrote:

> Hello Ford & Charlie,
> 
> I heard & worked Les, KL7J, in 2002...From Michigan & Minnesota it is rare,
> though
> 
> Brian  K8BHZ
> 
> Charlie wrote:
> 
> > Hi  Gents,
> >
> > Just curious...
> > Did anyone hear or work AK during the CQ160 CW?  Noticed
> > that several "missed" that state....me too.
> >
> > 73,
> > Charlie
> > N0TT
> 
> Near as I can figure, AK does not do 160M.  I've been on for years and have
> yet to even hear an AK on 160M in MN.  If you find somebody in AKland, send
> him/her my way too.  I've worked a sweep (minus AK) several times in various
> 160M contests.  I've got every other state and section booked many times
> over.  I've even worked a JA from here (Ok only 1).  But AK?  Nope!
> 
> Around these parts, AK is the most needed NA entity, without question.
> 
> Ford-N0FP
> ford at cmgate.com
> 
I may have an easier time working KL7 from MD than
you guys in the midwest. Still, KL7 is pretty thin in my
logs on top band. Digging through my DXCC deck, I
turned up AL7MX, Kevin, in Wasilla. The QSO was on
26 Nov 95 at 0840. RST 599. 

The front of the card says it all. Kevin's QSL has a 
photo of a brown bear or maybe a grizzly wading in a
river with a big salmon in her mouth. There is a
separate line item above the photo marked "160 mtr"
with a checkbox next to it. The check box is marked
and the area is highlighted in green felt tip. The photo
caption reads "You caught me!". Kevin has no doubt
given out a few 'new ones' on the low bands, and
knows how appreciated the contacts and the cards are,
especially on top band.

My 80m card from Alaska is from KL7Y, Dan, also
from Wasilla. I believe he is now SK. He was a great
DXer and contester, and this is another one of my
treasured cards.

I had a series of email exchanges with Rich, KL7RA
back in Aug/Sep 2003. He was in the middle of
moving his insulated base 160m Rohn 25G vertical:
"...in the process of moving this station from the arctic
to the Kenai peninsula on a hill top about a mile from
the ocean."

He sent me some photos of his large teflon insulator
for the tower base, which had held up exceptionally
well, and looked good for at least another 7 years
service after he gets set up again.

73, David K3KY