[ADXA] AK and JA opening on 6m!

Sun Oct 27 12:40:42 EDT 2024

 Funny one, Jay. I had not heard that story before.
Congrats on the AK and WAS!
73,K5UR
    On Sunday, October 27, 2024 at 01:42:45 AM CDT, Jay Bromley <jayw5jay at outlook.com> wrote:   

 BTW Steve, There is a funny story about how I came about this 7 element M2 beam that I am using now.  BTW I got it for free!  Plus, I have Rick K5UR and W5ZN Joel to thank for getting this beam in like new condition!  It was only one week old in the air when I took it back down.  Below is he rest of the story.  
There was a ham in Mena, I can't believe I am forgetting Dale's callsign, but I think his call was KB7UB?  Anyway, he worked for Icom on the side and somehow, we got to know each other via one of the Icom user groups.  We got to exchanging emails on gear, when I found out where Dale worked.  Then he told me he flew out of Fort Smith all the time.  At the time I was building a brand new cellsite in Mena right down the street from Mr Dale.   When I asked him why he was flying out of FS, because he had a KB7 callsign.  I was shocked to learn that he semi-retired in Mena working for Icom.  Dale got lots of B stock and I always got to play with the latest and greatest gear.  Dale also worked for HRO for many years and seemed to know everyone.  I even helped Dale set up the Icom Booth at Claremore, OK. for fun.  I got a free steak dinner for my trouble and he picked up all my expenses.  That was his semi-retirement gig was working the Icom booths at the big hamfests.
Dale loved 6m and had a pair of stacked 5 element M2s.  Everything Dale had was made by M2.  I had just put up the 7 element M2 for Dale while I was heading home from setting up the new cell site in Mena.  The 7 element is on a 30-foot boom and that is very close to a ¼ on 40m.  Just so happens it was interacting with his new 40m beam.  We had planned on turning just the 40m beam 90 degrees to help this problem.  However, 6m opened up and both Joel and Rick were running JAs on CW.  No matter what Dale did he didn't work one single JA that day.  I think Rick/Joel worked a few hundred of them or so it seems from Dale's report.  I will never forget the next conversation, do you know K5UR or W5ZN?  Dale was wanting all the details on their stations and I really didn't know much.  Now remember this was well before the internet is what it is today, with pictures and Google earth.  I did know Rick and when I was younger I would worked Rick on the Mt Magazine repeater nearly every night as he was heading home from college.  Great fun talking about Drake gear and big amplifiers.  Like I said I was young age back then, but Mr. Rick was bigger than life>>>>>>> even then! 
To make a long story short, Dale took the above very badly.  No amount of talk about propagation or take off angle helped ease the pain.  Not to mention Dale was on the east end of Talimena drive and in a hole looking straight into that huge rock of a mountain! Now during that time, I didn't know Joel, but I did know Rick.  I kept trying to tell Dale that Rick was a good op and had great antennas.  Nothing I said really cheer him up.  So, he asked if I would take down the 7 element M2.  Even the stacked 5 element beams in Dale's mind didn't work the same after I installed the 7 element, not to mention the 40m beam.  So, I said let's do it now.  Now there is little more to this story and any one that knows me knows I would never add fuel to the fire.    I had to build steps for his mast just to reach the 7 element on a chrome moly mast and then snake it down through all the other antennas.  By the time I got off the tower that 7 element and original box was loaded into the back of my truck.  
 Dale has been a SK for many years now and I am sure he wouldn't mind me telling this story now.  To think I had the beam in the box for over 23 years before finally put it up last year.  
As I type this, I guess I could not only thank Rick and Joel for the beam, but also for WAS on 6m today and if I get 6m DXCC someday that as well.  
That is my story and I am sticking to it.
Dale was the original Dart Vader.  I do miss all the fun things we use to get into like the story above.  73 de w5jay/jay..
From: Steven Rutledge <steven.t.rutledge at gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 26, 2024 9:31 PM
To: Richard Roderick <k5ur at aol.com>; Jay Bromley <jayw5jay at outlook.com>
Cc: adxa at mailman.qth.net <adxa at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ADXA] AK and JA opening on 6m! 
Rick, you don't have to dare me.  If they are there, I will be there.  :)))))

Steve, N4JQQ

Thanks Jay!
On 10/26/2024 8:31 PM, Richard Roderick wrote:
Get off that lazy mode and do it on CW. I dare ya….😀
73,K5UR
Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 26, 2024, at 7:53 PM, Jay Bromley <jayw5jay at outlook.com> wrote:

Steve the JA's were pouring into NWA.  I am still seeing a few at 2349 UTC, but not like it was a few ago.  Funny I got a few new grids in Japan, but right at the height of the opening I had to make a run to the local Pizzaria!  🙂
It was a great day.  I wasn't spotted up on DXMaps, but I was on GridTracker.  Forget the spotting network they use.  
KL2R's LOTW confirmation just came through.  I am a very happy camper.  Now come on 6m DXCC!
73 de jay/w5jay..From:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net <adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> on behalf of Steven Rutledge <steven.t.rutledge at gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 26, 2024 6:30 PM
To: adxa at mailman.qth.net <adxa at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ADXA] AK and JA opening on 6m! 
JA's pouring into the west coast.

Steve, N4JQQ

On 10/26/2024 6:18 PM, Lanny Aldrich wrote:
I'm sick!!! Jay's email was in my Junk file so I just now read it!  I had Jay stored asjayw5jay at cox.net; now changed to @outlook.com73, Lanny  K1LEC
From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net<adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> on behalf of Jussi Eloranta <eloranta at aa6kj.hopto.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 26, 2024 6:11 PM
To: adxa at mailman.qth.net<adxa at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ADXA] AK and JA opening on 6m! Heard JA7QVI (-20) and JA8LJL (-9) for a short moment but both appear to
be gone now.

Jussi (AA6KJ)

______________________________________________________________ADXA mailing listHome: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/adxaHelp: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htmPost: mailto:ADXA at mailman.qth.netThis list hosted by: http://www.qsl.netPlease help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html 
______________________________________________________________
ADXA mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/adxa
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:ADXA at mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/adxa/attachments/20241027/31eee386/attachment-0001.html>