Topband: 160 Remembered (forwarded by K4CIA)

[William G. McDowell]

I’ve enjoyed reading the reflector over the years and really haven’t taken
the time to post any

items. All the talk about the JA QSO’s has really brought out some familiar
calls and

 pleasant memories. Since I remember folks like W3GH as W3WGH, W8LRL as
WB8APH

 K5NA as K5PFL, AA4V as WB4SJG, and W8JI as WA8IJI (who helped me work my
first

VK in 1974), N4SU as W9DL and N4PN as W4YWX.  Some of the memories go back a
bit.

 Back in 1963, as a kid, the likes of 6Y5XG  and G3SED were hot commodities
on Top

 Band. Folks like K1PBW, K2GNC, K2ANR,W8GDQ, W1DEO, W2RAA, W8ANO ,

WØNFL, W5SUS and of course, our Grand Master- W1BB were claiming 15 DX QSO’s
in

12 Countries as a good year. VE7AKI was about the most western  thing other
than

 W7DOL/6 we were hearing back east. The Iowa boys had a net on 1990 Kc each
morning. A

 lot of Western states checked in there. I remember the morning of the 1969

 160 meter contest working KH6GLU with a helium balloon vertical(compliments
of

 W4AUL at the local FAA office) on 1995 Kc. The AF-67 was smokin’ that
morning! There’s

 also the night WA4UPR (now N4TJ) and myself stayed up to try and work
Malpelo. We

 heard him but more important we heard Stew Perry work his country number
100 on 160.

He had antenna problems that night and really had to make some quick repairs
for the HKØ.

If I recall, Bob Denniston,  WØNWX was the operator at Malpelo.


The next few years presented the five band awards and 160 took a back
burner. That is until

 visiting my good friend, K4CIA, in Raleigh, N.C. It was February 25, 1973.
Bill’s family

and ours had just returned from a late dinner and decide to tune the band
before bed. Bill had

 just upgraded to a new Drake T4XB transmitter. He’d done fine with his
Ranger, working

 stuff like ZD8AY, VK, etc. When he cut the 75A4 on, we heard a CQ in the DX
Window,

 around 1827Kc. Low and behold-EP2BQ! Quickly tuning up, Bill called, then
unplugged the

 earphones to let me listen to his QSO with Harry peaking S9. A WAC on 160
was made.

 That’s all it took to revive my interest in 160. The first 77 countries
came by way of a

Viking Ranger with a dipole, then a shunt fed #6 vertical ground on my
telephone pole tower.

Next came an old Viking Valiant. Remember putting it on the air that first
Saturday morning

And working five KH6’s in the contest. In 1977, a Drake C line was
introduced for phone.

You see, back then, the only hope we had for Asia was from the East.  ZC4IO
finished mine

 in 1977. A lot of new countries appeared during the mid seventies ZL2BT and
ZS4PB were

 notable standouts. JA7AO was my first JA in February, 1984. Yes, W8VLN was
causing

 QRM back then, too.

The band has changed a lot. Gone are the Globe Scouts, Rangers and Viking
Valiants with

the low voltage switch for night time operation. Antennas and operators have
changed a lot,

 too. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined anyone with over 300
countries on

160!

But one thing hasn’t changed. The thrill of working new countries and old
friends on Top

 Band!

73

Jack Jackson, N4JJ

(ex-WA4LDM)

NOTE: Posted to the reflector at Jack's request.  His email is not working
for some reason.
Bill, K4CIA