For many years, I've noticed a VS1LP QSL in
photos of Stew's operating position. It was clearly one
of his most prized contacts since it was even visible in
one photo from 1976...some 12 years after the QSO.
VS1LP (old call for Singapore) was Bob Snyder W0GTA
who was QRV as EP2BK, 9V1LP, 9M4LP and W0GTA/8F4
in the 1960's when he worked for Standard Oil.
Looking through my own QSL collection, I found
a VS1LP card for 20 meters from March 1964. I had also
worked Bob on 80 meters in 1962 from EP2BK but I was
not QRV on 160 at that time. Armed with an approximate
date, I searched the W1BB newsletters on W8JI's website
and found the QSO details on page 1 of 63/64 issue #4
(which is page 70 of the 374 page .pdf document below):
http://www.w8ji.com/160_history.htm
Click "Full History" under Newsletters and prepare for a
VERY LONG wait (even with broadband) for 197 mB!
After it finishes downloading, you can save the entire file
if you have plenty of hard disk space.
The QSO was on 23 Feb 1964 at 2325-2345z
with 339 both ways. On this date Singapore sunrise was
2315z. There are many other interesting details which
are only a summary of VS1LP's full 6-page account of the
QSO, but I thought Bob's following comment was most
interesting, considering it was made >40 years ago:
"My conclusion is that given the proper combination of
propagation conditions, low QRN level at each end,
correct choice of time of day/night, sunrise/sunset, season
of the year, and point in sunspot cycle, (combinations
which DO exist, if you wait long enough for them, and
things are lined up to take advantage of them) there are
no two places on this earth between which communication
cannot be carried out on 160 Meters, using the power
inputs, types of equipment and antennas available to
Amateurs."
Now we know some of the story behind
that VS1LP card we see at Stew's operating position,
and why it may have been very special to him.
73, Bill W4ZV
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