Special Event Contact, W4M

I have not been real active on the air lately, but yesterday I had an interesting contact. I was running errands and stopped by my brother-in-law's place. He is also a HAM. He is working on some HF antennas in preparation for passing his general class. He had called and asked about some problems he was having so I told him I would stop by and help him out.

Anyway the point of all this rambling is, on the way home I thought I would tune around 20m. I happened across a station using the call W4M. I listened awhile and learned it was a special event station celebrating the 234th anniversary of the U.S. Marines. I made several attempts with no luck. And then, I threw my call out, "whiskey nine delta sierra charlie-mobile nine....", and back came, "the mobile nine only please...". We exchanged reports of 59 both ways. That made me think maybe too many people were running way more power than they needed.

Excellent, the Hustler mobile was working! 100w from an Icom 706MkIIG into a Hustler coil on the back corner of the truck bed worked a station about 50mi. S of the space center in Florida from central Illinois.

I thought it was a cool contact, my father was a Marine after all.
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First Post

Thought I should have a place to post interesting things about my HAM radio stuff.