[AMRadio] Other Calls from the Past

[Mike Duke, K5XU]

I remember hearing a guy from Kansas whose call was W0MAE. I think his name 
was Doug. He had a Viking 500, and he had the audio really hot.

There was another guy in Hannibal, Mo who I think also ran a 500, but I 
don't remember his call.

I usually heard these guys on 40 meters.

On 75, there was a guy from Milwaukee named Bud who would pound into 
Mississippi as loud as WLS on a winter night.

On 20 meters, I often heard W9ZKN from somewhere in Illinois, and W8YGH from 
Cincinnati.

Of course you can't talk about 20 meters without mentioning Les, K6HQI, 
Fred, W6QS, and Art, whose call I can't remember, from Bean Blossom Hill, 
Indiana. Those guys would be the first AM operators on the band every 
evening, and the last ones still there when the band died.

On 160 there was Les, W0GBV, from somewhere in MO. He always had a good 
signal, regardless of the power restrictions on top band. I have heard him 
as late in the morning as 9:30 AM with a readable signal into Mississippi.

A bit later, Vern, Wb0SUJ was very active on 160. I believe there is still a 
Santa Clause Watch Net on Christmas eve in his memory.

Speaking of 160, and sometimes 75, whatever became of Steve, N9FOY?

Another dedicated operator who never gave up on AM was Rus, Wa4JLQ, from 
London, KY. I never heard him with a weak or bad signal.




Mike Duke, K5XU
American Council of Blind Radio Amateurs