Topband: Paul Bailey VS6DO - SK -- and 100 watts

[Jon Zaimes AA1K]

Sad to hear of Paul's passing at a young 62 years. Though not active in 
recent years since he moved to the states, he was a legend on Top Band 
during his years in Hong Kong.

I first heard his signal in December 1980 when my QTH was in Shelton, 
Connecticut. His CQs came through regularly for a couple of weeks, often 
as early as an hour before sunrise and staying in for a half hour after. 
But while his signal was good, his receiving noise was high and East 
Coast USA QSOs were few.

Paul was in a high-rise with an antenna on the roof and a 4-1000 amp. I 
had a 70-foot shunt-fed tower, 120 radials and a single 6146 running 100 
watts. For receiving I had a short Beverage to the west and another to 
the south as I recall, and his signal generally was best from the south.

His signal peaked S9 one morning and I thought a QSO was possible -- but 
a snowstorm had other ideas and knocked out our power at the critical 
moment and it stayed off till well after sunrise.

Then on Jan. 11 we had another good day -- Paul's signal peaked 579 at 
1130z and he got my call OK, gave me a 229 and then quickly faded into 
the noise as he was acknowledging my report. His QSL card noted it as 
the first VS6-W1 QSO.

I was fortunate to work Paul twice again from Delaware a few years 
later, including once in the ARRL 160-meter contest. But the first time 
-- country no. 72 and the first from easttern Asia for me -- remains one 
of my most treasured contacts on Top Band.

Rest in peace Paul.

73/Jon AA1K

News story on his accident: 
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/167/story/318382.html