- Joined
- Jun 13, 2018
- Messages
- 869
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This weekend I finally got around to playing with a toy I bought some time ago--- a little Anytone Smart 10 meter AM/FM transceiver. This thing is barely bigger than my hand, it runs 8 watts out -- and cost me about fifty dollars.
Anyway, this radio has sat quietly in its box until I pulled it out Saturday,-- I tried to decypher its confusing manual, then resorted to a YouTube video---- then came a 12 volt power supply and a 10 metre dipole----
I set the radio on 29.600MHz, the 10 metre calling frequency--- and turned up the volume ..........Immediately the squelch broke with---
"..........This is KL7 (xx) Anchorage listening on twenty nine six.........."
Oh Wow !!
I sort of stared at this little radio, not quite believing what I was hearing. A full quieting signal from Alaska into central Colorado-- on Ten FM... pretty frick'en cool! What was even better- when I recovered from my shock and could respond he gave me a "full quieting" signal report. Not bad for 8 watts and a dipole.
_____________________________________________
As neat as the unusual contact was, its not what elicited my writing this. Rather, it brought to mind quite a few similar, serendipitous radio incidents that I have had throughout my ham career--- and I dare say many of you reading this have had them too.
******
This is probably my favorite serendipitous "QSO." It was hardly with a ham radio, but a ham contact it was in all other respects.
As a teen I lived in the UK and I used to holiday with friends by hiking, camping and climbing all over the Alps.
We were camping beside a large Swiss lake when I was drawn one evening to the lights of a village across its waters. Though the village looked quite close, reaching it would have involved a long hike of many miles around its shores to the opposite side, with a big river to cross.
So, attracted by the lights of the village homes I got this funny teenager's idea ---and sitting on a rock near the water's edge, I began to idly send "CQ's" with my flashlight. I don't know what possessed me to do that; maybe it was because I had just gotten my ham license and was proud of my new "G" callsign.
..........More of a reason?...Nope- lost to time.
Then, just about the time I was going to walk back to camp ----- A light started flashing back !
"G3xxx DE HB9xxx, HW CPY ?"
Awesome ! there was amateur over there !
For the next half hour or so we exchanged names, 'signal reports" ( readability 5, strength 'Dim')-- all those things hams talk about in code, except my radio was a flashlight.
My new friend was too far away to meet in person, but we later exchanged QSL cards.... and we stayed in touch for several years when one summer I got to actually meet him and his family.
This hobby is full of happy surprises , No ??
Lauri
This weekend I finally got around to playing with a toy I bought some time ago--- a little Anytone Smart 10 meter AM/FM transceiver. This thing is barely bigger than my hand, it runs 8 watts out -- and cost me about fifty dollars.
Anyway, this radio has sat quietly in its box until I pulled it out Saturday,-- I tried to decypher its confusing manual, then resorted to a YouTube video---- then came a 12 volt power supply and a 10 metre dipole----
I set the radio on 29.600MHz, the 10 metre calling frequency--- and turned up the volume ..........Immediately the squelch broke with---
"..........This is KL7 (xx) Anchorage listening on twenty nine six.........."
Oh Wow !!
I sort of stared at this little radio, not quite believing what I was hearing. A full quieting signal from Alaska into central Colorado-- on Ten FM... pretty frick'en cool! What was even better- when I recovered from my shock and could respond he gave me a "full quieting" signal report. Not bad for 8 watts and a dipole.
_____________________________________________
As neat as the unusual contact was, its not what elicited my writing this. Rather, it brought to mind quite a few similar, serendipitous radio incidents that I have had throughout my ham career--- and I dare say many of you reading this have had them too.
******
This is probably my favorite serendipitous "QSO." It was hardly with a ham radio, but a ham contact it was in all other respects.
As a teen I lived in the UK and I used to holiday with friends by hiking, camping and climbing all over the Alps.
We were camping beside a large Swiss lake when I was drawn one evening to the lights of a village across its waters. Though the village looked quite close, reaching it would have involved a long hike of many miles around its shores to the opposite side, with a big river to cross.
So, attracted by the lights of the village homes I got this funny teenager's idea ---and sitting on a rock near the water's edge, I began to idly send "CQ's" with my flashlight. I don't know what possessed me to do that; maybe it was because I had just gotten my ham license and was proud of my new "G" callsign.
..........More of a reason?...Nope- lost to time.
Then, just about the time I was going to walk back to camp ----- A light started flashing back !
"G3xxx DE HB9xxx, HW CPY ?"
Awesome ! there was amateur over there !
For the next half hour or so we exchanged names, 'signal reports" ( readability 5, strength 'Dim')-- all those things hams talk about in code, except my radio was a flashlight.
My new friend was too far away to meet in person, but we later exchanged QSL cards.... and we stayed in touch for several years when one summer I got to actually meet him and his family.
This hobby is full of happy surprises , No ??
Lauri
