Topband: My First DX

[donovanf at starpower.net]

Topband,   addictive?    

By far my most memorable QSO was my first topband DX: a QSO through the LORAN QRM with Armin DL1FF from my college station W1KMV in 1965 using a Viking Valiant, a Hallicrafters SX-101 and an 80 meter dipole with the feedline center conductor and shield shorted together.

Hmm...  I wonder if I remembered to set that Valiant to 50 watts DC input power, the nighttime power limit in 1965?

Last night I had another memorable QSO, but much easier than that first QSO:  TN2T for Topband DXCC #300.

73
Frank
W3LPL

---- Original message ----
>Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:03:47 -0800 (PST)
>From: "Jim F." <j_fitton at yahoo.com>  
>Subject: Re: Topband: My First DX  
>To: "Jerry Keller (K3BZ)" <k3bz at verizon.net>
>Cc: "(REFLECTOR) Topband" <topband at contesting.com>
>
>Jerry,
>Yes it is indeed addictive.  The other morning I called NH7O in HI and he came back.
>and I am still on an amazing high.
> 
>You never know.  
> 
>I was running a K1 at 5 watts CW with a clandestine wire in the woods
>from my condo here in NH, and almost fell over.  The addiction began here :-)
> 
>An old(er) timer once said to drink lots of water before going to bed
>as an aid to waking up often during the night.
> 
>I don't need any extra water to get up often at my age, and this 160m 
>compulsion may be ruining my health.  And not only that, I almost wore 
>out my old keyboard checking LOTW so often until the KH7O QSL arrived.
> 
>I am now winding this huge toroid transformer and wondering how to plant 
>an FCP discretely in the woods in back of the condo.  Total madness.
> 
>The excitement is building !
> 
>Congratulations and good luck !  
> 
>jim / W1FMR
>
>
> 
>From: Jerry Keller (K3BZ) <k3bz at verizon.net>
>Subject: Re: Topband: My First DX
>To: "Raoul Coetzee" <raoulcoetzee at yahoo.com>
>Cc: "(REFLECTOR) Topband" <topband at contesting.com>
>Date: Monday, January 23, 2012, 6:26 PM
>
>
>Heartfelt thanks to Raoul and all the many other topbanders that have emailed me their congrats and best wishes here on the reflector (you know who you are). I’m surprised and touched by the generous welcome you’ve given me. Now I see why 160M is called the “gentleman’s band”. Me even more happy now.
>
>73,  Jerry K3BZ
>
>From: Raoul Coetzee 
>Sent: Monday, January 23, 2012 6:16 AM
>To: Jerry Keller (K3BZ) 
>Subject: Re: Topband: My First DX
>
>Congrtas but Be warned: its addictive!! 
>
>Be prepared for waking up at all hours to look for dx on 160m, to build better and worse antennas, to read up on 160m while it is light outside,
>arranging your habits to sync with sunrise and sunset.
>From now on when you see a sunrise and you do not have a radio on, you will always wonder what rare dx my be on 160m that you are missing!
>Enjoy, its a wonderfull journey!
>Kind regards,
>Raoul ZS1REC
>CWops 338
>
>
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>From: Jerry Keller (K3BZ) <k3bz at verizon.net>
>To: (REFLECTOR) Topband <topband at contesting.com> 
>Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2012 6:44 AM
>Subject: Topband: My First DX
>
>
>Pardon my exuberance, but I worked my very first Topband DX this evening... PJ4C on Bonaire. Me happy.
>
>73, Jerry K3BZ
>_______________________________________________
>UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
>_______________________________________________
>UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK