[Boatanchors] reverted to the good olde days

[Bill Cromwell]

Hi,

I have an end fed wire outside in the trees that is around about a 
quarter wave om 160 meters. I have been trying to use it (with very 
modest results) on 160, 80, and 40 meters with a big honking antenna 
tuner. I was playing in the daytime a couple of days ago loading the 
wire with my Pi network transmitter tuned into a 50 ohm dummy 
load....followed by trying to match the wire to that same 50 ohms. Then 
I decided to follow that up by "tuning for maximum smoke". Nobody lives 
on 160 meters in summer (what a shame) and apparently North Americcan 
RBN stations don't listen on 160 either. I took the same approach on 80 
meters and I got results according to the RBN - AND - I snagged a real 
nice ragchew QSO. None of that canned QSO baloney with RST, name, QTH, 
73! My notes from that chat covered up both sides of a sheet of paper!! 
I heard one lil "ZZZap" sound during that hour - I think a spider bit 
the dust <evil grin>.

I ain't going to try that with my pretty, all solid state radio! 
Transmitters with tubes still 'got it'.

73,

Bill  KU8H