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 Previous: Space&Beyond: Moonbounce Advances the State of the Radio Art |  Next: FCC Modifies Sanction in California Repeater Case |
By Paul Beringer, NG7Z
January 21, 2002
Hams who move into apartments or condos sometimes give up on the prospects of enjoying Amateur Radio from their new homes. They may be concerned about restrictions on antennas and the possibility of interfering with neighbors' radios and TVs. This ham made the transition and discovered that he could indeed operate and in fact earn DXCC.
I heard the CQ faintly in the 15-meter band noise. I was sure it was a New Zealand call sign but I didn't think he'd hear my 10 W signal into an inverted V antenna. I sent my call sign anyway. He responded. It was a thrill I'll never forget, hearing my own call sign sent from a station 7000 miles away. I was sure that Gil, ZL3IS (now SK) was wondering who on earth would send one's own call sign three times before getting it right. That experience early in the summer of 1966 was my first taste of DX. Thirty-five years later that lifelong dream of earning the DXCC certificate would come true. There was, and still is, something ethereal about those faraway call signs heard in the buzz and hiss of atmospheric noise. A sense of wonder fills me realizing that a signal I made can be heard halfway around the world.
The years between that QSO and today were filled with the worry and work that accompanies all working folks. For me and for many of my peers the sixties ended with noise and confusion that tore me away from ham radio. Marriage, kids, work and responsibilities took over. My license lapsed in 1971 not to be revived until 1998 when my wife and I became empty-nesters. Now that we were just two again, it seemed like a good idea to look for smaller digs. We moved out of a large 5-bedroom home into a cute little condo and started a life of our own. Little did I know that smaller digs would translate into a major ham radio challenge.
 The author's compact shack in
his condo. |
I'm not the only one, of course, to run into CC & Rs (covenants, conditions and restrictions) with their restrictive policies. But when we signed the purchase papers, that fact never entered my mind. After all, wouldn't we now have time to pursue our own thing? My wife loves to sew. Our condo had 2 bedrooms--one to sleep in and one for her sewing room. I enjoyed tinkering with computers so the corner of the living room was sufficient for me. One day, while taking out the garbage, I met another resident of our community and we got to chatting about one thing or another. He mentioned that he had a radio hobby.
Curious, I asked if it was ham radio. Bill Dockstader's (W7LSK) eyes lit up with pleasure and he said, "Well yes, it is. Do you know about ham radio?" Did I? I told him about my old hobby and how much fun I'd had as a teenage ham. From there we visited his shack, which amounted to a few shelves of equipment on the living room wall.
 Can you find the loop antenna on NG7Z's balcony? |
His radios included a wondrous instrument of buttons and knobs that immediately brought up my old, forgotten fascination with devices that hissed and issued forth sounds of Morse code and funny sounding voices. I was immediately sent "back to the future" and plopped down in a chair. I was in heaven. His radio was a new ICOM 756, which meant nothing to me. I remembered Heathkit, National, Knight and Drake. But the sounds I heard coming from the radio were the same as I remembered from more than 30 years ago. Hisses, pops, CQs and FB OM (I was mostly a CW op in the sixties). Bill offered to lend me his vintage Kenwood HT. For weeks I'd just listen to VHF traffic on the local repeaters, learning about the changes in my old hobby. I was hooked. I just had to get a new ticket and get on the air again. I was determined to get General class in one VE session.
Testing has changed dramatically since the sixties, as you old timers know. I was somewhat anxious about the 13 WPM requirement. Bill came to my rescue again and loaned me a Kenwood TS-430 to listen to W1AW code practice. With the help of Web practice tests and a few weeks of practice it all came back. I passed everything in one sitting. Whew, it was a long morning.
 NG7Z's 2-meter indoor antenna does the job despite condo restrictions concerning outside antennas. |
Now that I had my ticket in hand, a new--actually used--Icom 735, a little MFJ loop and new Bencher paddle, it was time to chase some DX. The magic was still there. Those faint dits and dahs still sent shivers up my spine. Every time I bagged a new one, my wife would hear a whoop from the living room ham shack. Good propagation and 25 W are an unbeatable combination for generating lots of magic. Working D68C was probably my most memorable contact. After the exchange I took off my headphones and just sat there with my jaw dragging on the floor. I was absolutely astounded that I could simply send some Morse code and be heard nearly 10,000 miles away. Talk about magic--that was nearly spiritual.
I remember an article a couple of years back in QST about LPCA operating--Low Power, Crummy Antennas [QST, Dec 98, p 57.--Ed.]. If you live in restricted conditions, take heart. He had it right. It doesn't take much to work them.
Paul Beringer, NG7Z, lives in Seattle, Washington. An ARRL member, Paul
holds an Amateur Extra class license. He's earned WAS and DXCC using no more
than 25 W to a small magnetic loop. CW and digital are his favorite modes. Paul
can be reached at NG7Z@ARRL.net.
| Previous: Space&Beyond: Moonbounce Advances the State of the Radio Art | Next: FCC Modifies Sanction in California Repeater Case |
