[FQP] Those were the Days

[n4dxi@arrl.net]

In response to K0LUZ, Red, posting about early day QSO's and DX, I 
dragged out my old ARRL Log Book recording my first efforts as KN2UMQ 
in Haskell, New Jersey.  In those days logs were mandatory and I took 
it very seriously, every CQ, even those not answered were logged!

June 14, 1958 I went on the air with my Heathkit AT-1 transmitter 
bought at a garage sale (It didn't even have a metal case, just a crude 
wooden box) and a Hallicrafters S-85 receiver my Dad bought me.  My 
antenna was a "V" dipole crammed into our small lot about 20 feet high 
using trimmed birch tree poles my Dad hacked down from the local 
forest.  My elmer was Mr Ivan Peterson, K2LKS, a science teacher from 
Pompton Lakes, NJ.

My log shows 9:05 pm, I called CQ 6 times.  6 log entries  No answer.  
This was a crystal bound transmitter, call CQ and flip a few 
transmitter-receiver switches (mine was a mini Frankenstein throw 
switch) and sweep up and down the novice bands listening for an answer. 
  I would spend many fruitless hours going up and down the band looking 
for a reply in those novice days!

Not a very good beginning.  I spent a few days checking everything and 
getting my courage up to continue.

Finally, June 18, 1958, 4:00 pm, my first QSO: W2BCU on 3.728 
megacycles.   But wait, he disappeared before I could give him a signal 
report.  Anyway, he gave me a 559, my first signal report for my 
signals!

Then 10:00 pm, KN2UQA, he was RST 367 but faded away before he could 
give me my signal report.

Next, June 19, 1958, 6:45 pm, KN2UWA, he was 599, and I didn't get a 
signal report. This was Ed Gainer, who lived in the same town.  He did 
send me a QSL card for this very shaky QSO.

KN2UPW, I gave him a 589 and he gave me 359.  This was my very first 
successful QSO!  June 19, 1958 1:00 pm.  The rest is history.

Fast forward 9 pages of logs mostly calling CQ and working local KN2's.
Due to complaints from the neighbors, I had to cover my AT-1 with metal 
screen wire and ground it.  The whole box was now wrapped in wire.  
Word was out on my street that I had an amateur radio station and I was 
getting blamed for clicks, hums, and jagged lines on their televisions. 
 One neighbor swore I was coming through her washing machine.

I tuned with a neon light with a loop, SWR? No concern, just power, all 
10 watts.

Sep 9, 1958, 2 months later, my first DX: KL7FA, Ed, in Nome, Alaska 
running 800 watts, his signal 379 on 7.178 megacycles.  I even 
eventually received a QSL card from Ed.

I did keep a log of QSL's that I mailed: 77 percent of my contacts I 
sent a QSL, the rest were questionable QSO's or duplicates.  In other 
words, I QSL'ed 100 percent for a solid QSO.  I had a 67 percent return 
rate!  How times have changed!

Over the years, new equipment, better equipment, finally K2UMQ, then 
KH6GGW (more DX than I could handle, everybody is DX when you live in 
Hawaii), N6SMW in San Diego with a tribander and FT 1000 D (Sweet!), 
and now N4DXI with several towers and a Tentec Orion 2 in the middle of 
a 34 acre Christmas Tree farm in Florida.

The station I have today is beyond my wildest dreams back in 1958, 
nevertheless, it was fun looking over the old logs.

73...John Bescher, N4DXI