Topband: Memories of Top Band.

[JAMESAMS88 at aol.com]

Reading all the stories about early experiences on Top  Band brought back 
some memories. I checked old QSL cards and log books for dates  etc. I first got 
on 160  in December of 1961. Using AM and CW with a Viking  2 and a HQ 180. 
(no Band spread for 160)   I sort of remember  Herb W0VXO (KV4FZ) when he was at 
Davenport and did not Herb use a 160  ant.running across the Mississippi to a 
bridge?  I may be wrong on that but  that's what I heard.  I also called a AM 
only net on topband. Some of the  Iowa hams had very old receivers and would 
really get mad if someone tried to  report into the net on SSB. Slop buckets 
they called it. I did inter  the CQ 160 contest for the first time in 1963. Bob 
W0NWX also did the  contest and of course won. Fellow Iowan Bob Denniston  
W0NWX/W0DX/VP2VL was the one that got me interested in Top Band DX.  The  next 
year with only 106 contacts I won Iowa and got a nice certificate. Bob  did not 
enter.  Back the late 60 and early 70s it was slow going when  working DX.  
Power was restricted and Loran took out part of the  band.  I know Bob W0NWX 
and Herb W0VXO now in Minnesota would work into  Europe which was quite rare 
back then. This was a big deal and myself which had  never ever heard a European 
ham station on 160 let alone work one I was very  envious.   It wasn't until 
December of 1968 when I heard my first ever  Europe station OK1ATP calling CQ 
He had a nice signal even in Iowa. As I sent my call which  sounded like the 
whole East coast was also calling from the size of the pile  up.   He came 
right back to a W0. I first thought Bob W0NWX must  of also hear him but it was 
W0NFL.  WOW!  in my 60 years of ham radio  that was my all time thrill. My 
first European.   I soon traded in the  HQ180 and Viking 2 for a Drake line T4Xb 
&R4b  what a wonderful rig  compared with what I had.  Bob W0NWX made a special 
trip to Ames just  to see my rig. He played with for a half hour and a week 
later told me he  was headed for Malpelo on a Dx-pedition.  He wanted to take 
his SX-88 but  they said it was to heavy and were taking a Drake line like 
mine.   I  was the first W0 to work Bob HK0TU.  A week later I heard a new one on 
160  HK5EV.  I called him and it was Bob at a friends QTH in Colombia.  Bob  
said they strung up a temperay antenna and called a CQ and I came right back  
which was a thrill for us both.   
Working Alaska was really hard for my WAS.  Also working  Japan through the 
1900 kh Loran was really difficult. Using a Loop to null down  the Loran just 
as the sun was coming up I could hear the JA's which gave me my  WAC.  Living 
in the middle of a city the local noise is bad but I  still got enough 
countries for my DXCC 160. What an exciting time that was  when W1BB  got his 100th 
country the first ever on top band. Also how many  remember stews 160 Meter DX 
Bulletin's  Stew would always include  personal comments on the Bulletins which 
was really neat.  I could go on  and on like my only Europe SSB QSO with Dave 
G3SZA I  was  running  100 watts with the Drake. Now its  possible to work 
WAS or WAC in a weekend contest on top band but it was not  always that way 
guess that's why its been so fun.  Most of my DX was worked  when I was running 
about 100 watts so it can be done, now with large pileups I  had to buy me a 600 
watt solid state amp. Now if I could only hear better.   73.  Jim W0NFL, 
Ames, Iowa.
 



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