Topband: Glory Days

[Doug Mein]

Thanks to Ron KH6DV, Bob VE7BS, Eddy VE3XZ and Milt K5IA for sharing 
their own Glory Day memories. I found it very inspiring thus very 
anxious to become QRV soon! The response received so quickly to my first 
post confirms what a collegial and supportive group that Top Banders 
are! My only regret is that I did not come to know you guys a lot sooner!

I am 54 years of age, recently retired and now living on a small acreage 
about 1 hr. N of Toronto where I hope to erect 1 or 2 good sized 
verticals for 40/40/160M!.

Like many of you, I got "the radio bug" early in life. When I was 12, I 
became fascinated with crystal radios and it wasn't long before I was 
"DXing" using my own homebrew crystal sets (BCB and SW). At about the 
same time, my Dad (wireless operator with the British Army in WWII) 
bought a Hallicrafters SX-110 and it wasn't long before the two of us 
were SWLing . Shortly thereafter, I began to learn morse code and the 
two of us attended a course at a local radio club. When I was 15, Dad 
and I got our licenses and we added a Knight Kit T-60 transmitter and 
dipole for our first station. Ever since those days, I have had a ball. 
As everyone knows. we have _the world's greatest hobby_! 

Over the last 30 years, my focus has been on HF antennas, radio 
propagation and the challenge of QRP DXing (CW) on 40 and 80M. These 
were my "glory days". A few years ago, I had the good fortune to meet 
Bob VE3OSZ in Ottawa who encouraged me to give 160 a try. He really 
impressed me with what was able to accomplish using only 100W from a 
small city lot. So now it's my turn to give it a shot (and meet a lot of 
great people along the way)!

Doug VA3DM