12/05/2006 | K2BNS My first time back on 160 since operating as PJ9BN in the 70's. My wife and I cut a dipole on Thursday night and hung the center from a hook outside our bedroom window. One end worked out nicely tied to the barn. The other end was too long to fit the yard, so I wrapped it around a tree branch and took it down the fence line. It was ready just in time for Friday night, so I fired it up and tried it. It had a SWR of about 5:1!! Managed to work 28 stations Friday night, at that. Saturday, I went out and trimmed a couple of feet off each end and got the VSWR down to about 1.2:1. It was smooth sailing after that.

I really, really enjoyed the contest. I worked more sections than I would have thought possible from what I remembered of 160. I'll be back next year! -- K2BNS