Hey, now I know why I have the VGS-1 in the TS-590.

On 3976, I put my wife in identifying my station.  One of the guys keeps 
telling me that I have to pay her $5 every time I i.d.

But, I'll be sure to save that for when I need to get through those 
pile-ups.

Steve, K8SP
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Ronald E. Milliman
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2012 2:16 PM
Subject: Re: Third party rules.


Re non-ham operating ham station...

I want to share with you a funny story about a non-ham operating my ham
station.  Actually, it was a non-ham simply giving my call over the
microphone with me operating the controls, e.g. the push-to-talk.

It was a really rare DX station, a fellow in Iraq, and the pile-up was
deeper than deep.  I jumped in with both feet, full gallon on 15 meters
with my 5-element beam pointed right at Iraq.  After several tries with no
results, I observed that the few YLs that were in the pile-up managed to
get the Y I's attention, and he cleared the whole pile-up just so he could
pull out the Y L's that were in the pile-up. So, I called to my wife to
come down to the shack and told her that when I gave her the word and
pressed the push-to-talk button that she was to just give my call.  I gave
her the signal, pressed the button, and she dumped in my call: N5GSY.  The
first time the Y I came back to someone else.  So, we tried it again.
Bingo!  The Y I came back saying: "who's the Y L?  I want only the Y L to
give her call."  So, my wife, upon my signal, dumped in my call, N5GSY, and
he came right back: "N5GSY you're a S-9 in Baghdad."

That is how I worked Baghdad, Iraq.  It really ticked-off some of our local
guys that were also trying to work him, and they really gave me the gears
over it for a long time, but I just said: "whatever works!  You guys are
just jealous that you don't have a beautiful sounding wife that will help
you work the rare ones!" <lol>  It wasn't illegal, but admittedly, some
might question the ethics of it.  Unfortunately, that was a long time ago,
and I'm not positive, but I believe ham radio transmissions are still
restricted in Iraq.  Though, I think they can use EchoLinks.

Ron, AC4HM