Last night - 1824.5 kHz - 7P8LB was calling CQ for perhaps 30 minutes -
working nobody. This was their last sunrise before taking down their
antennas. The previous night was disappointing and there were so many
people in North America wanting to work them.
The topband chat room was buzzing in anticipation - and after some time,
the signal starting to come up above the noise in some parts of North
America. They even were being heard a little in KH6.
Finally - signal levels improved around 15 minutes before sunrise and the
first station made it into the log - although the call was busted by one
letter. Typically - this is good enough.
Following that - one by one - the lucky were picked up out of the pileup.
It seemed that there were a bunch of people all hoping the spotlight would
shine on them - and like a game show where someone yells "come on down" -
lucky stations were plucked out of the mass and cheered by everyone. N4RJ,
W5ZN, N6VR (a heart stopping moment for this N6TR guy), K9NW and another
heart stopping N8TR.
Finally - the signals started to fade and people put it back in their
pants... but one station kept trying against the odds and KY7M made it in
the log after most people had already gone upstairs and got comfort from
their wives about the one that got away.
For the dozen or so who worked them - another notch on their country total.
For the hundreds who did not - there is still one out there and sometime in
the next 20 years, maybe they will have another shot.
And that is why we love the band.
73 Tree N6TR
Manning, OR
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