As we're licking our wounds after last weekend's CQ 160 Meter Contest, I decided to go back into my archives and pulled my log for the very first one, which was held in February 1961.
I was able to amass 13 QSOs in that event. My first ever Top Band QSO was W0VXO/9, who gave me #149 -- I wanted to give him a head start. VXO was on this past weekend also, but now signs KV4FZ, still pouring out plenty of rapid fire QSOs. Another call I worked was K2DGT - Bob Martinez, who is now W6PU out in NM, even today working plenty of low band DX. Of the other calls K9MBR is now apparently W9EP. Most likely the others are silent keys. I know that W2FYT (later W2FJ), W4KFC, K8HBR, W0NWX (W0DX/VP2VI) W8QWI, and W8FGX are silent keys, and I can find no information on K0PAU, W2SSC, W0RHI, or W0GJT. When I made those 13 QSOs, I didn't even know what SWR was. I used the center conductor of my Dad's 75 meter dipole, plugged right into the antenna relay, which served a Johnson Ranger transmitter and RME-4350A receiver. I was hooked on 160 after that event, and I still am. 73 Don K8MFO _______________________________________________ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
