Yeah that is a funny story.  I guess we all have them for sure.  


 
-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Phil Scovell
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 6:22 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Funny Contact

Somebody's recent post on here reminded me of this experience and article I
wrote nearly 25 years ago.

GROUND WAVE?



                               By

                          Phil Scovell

                              K0NX



     After pulling down the tower and antennas, I moved to a new location
with a big yard.  Since it would be awhile before everything could be
reinstalled, I decided to hang a wire so I could at least make a few
contacts.  I tied one end of my long wire to the corner of the house, ran it
forty feet across the yard to a pole about fifteen feet above ground, and
then tied the other end off on the fence post at the back of the yard.  I
had a good 120 feet of wire stretched out.  Digging around in my junk box, I
unrolled a few feet of 300 ohm TV ribbon and attached it to my long wire.
Slipping the ribbon under the window screen, I screwed the ends on to my
tuner and fired up the transceiver.  It worked!
I began making contacts that night on 40 CW with fair signal reports.  That
would hold me until the tower could be installed.

     Stepping into the shack one evening, and flipping on the radio, I
called CQ a couple of times with no response.  As I began tuning the 40
meter CW band, I heard a signal, none to strong, calling CQ.  Following his
transmission, I called.  He called QRZ.  I called again.  He called QRZ.  I
punched my call out a few more times and he repeated his QRZ with half my
call sign and several question marks.  I retransmitted my call a few more
times and he finally returned my call but said the copy was poor; giving a
449 report.  The QSO proved to be a short one and I was puzzled.  "He must
have a lousy antenna," I concluded "or can't copy code."  Just to make sure,
I stepped out the back door and in the darkness of the night felt for the
300 ohm ribbon hanging out my window.  There it was!  I trailed the thin
transmission line out into the blackness of the yard until suddenly it
slipped right through my fingers.  You guessed it!
The dumb thing had fallen off the long wire.  I had just worked California
from Colorado with 30 feet of 300 ohm ribbon laying flat on the ground.  Not
bad!  Maybe that's what it means to work somebody ground wave?

Phil.
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