[Elecraft] Meteor explosion in Chelyabinsk, Russia

[Richard Fjeld]

Wow, I remember the call UK9AAN well as I have his card from May 1976. I worked him QRP using 2 watts SSB with a TenTec Argonaut on 20 meters no less. Here is the best part; it was a pile-up and I only gave him one call. I had just installed the rig.  Man, was I elated.  Thank you for that information.

Rich, n0ce (but not back then)
  
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Paul VanOveren 
  To: elecraft reflector 
  Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 5:51 AM
  Subject: [Elecraft] Meteor explosion in Chelyabinsk, Russia


  Many on this reflector may know Willy, UA9BA, (UK9AAN) (UP2L) He is
  probably one of the most well known Russian hams..He and I have been
  friends since 1977. Here is the return email I received from him regarding
  his
  Vladimir Umanets
  Feb 16 (2 days ago)
  to Paul
  Hey buddy!!!

  Yes we're ALL fine!

  I  was at my office with window jalousie closed. The windows are looking
  North.
  The meteor exploded  about 20km South of Chelyabinsk and 50 km high. So the
  explosion couldn't
  be seen from my windows. Nevertheless it was like this - it started getting
  brighter and brighter in my office
  for  about 1,5 second then it got very bright for maybe ,5 second, so
  bright that I almost got blind for a moment and then
  the light quickly disappeard. I was asking myself what could that be and
  thought of a nuclear explosion and waited for two minutes
  if anything else would follow, but nothing happened. But in one more minute
  this horroble very long and loud crashing sound came!
  The whole building was quaking with this sound and I clearly felt that the
  sound and the force came from the above. We all were
  ordered to leave the building and when we came out we saw this two line
  trace turning into one line trace with junction point just
  above our heads and little bit to the South. This cloud was very big and it
  seemed in very close proximity even though it turned out
  to be over 50 km away. I looked around and found out that lots and lots of
  windows were broken. The ambulances started coming in
  and I saw many people were injured and bleeding some couldn't walk by
  themselves. It was a very frustrating expirience and many
  people  are still under shock. Even I go over and over those moments and
  don't feel normal, still kind of excited or something.
  I don't know what frightened me more the spectacular light, or the hit
  wave, or those bleeding people. All this happened on Friday
  morning  at the plant I work for. The plant loss is estimated at 85 000 000
  R which is en equivl. of 1.5 month salory of our 1900
  employees. The plant lost about 25000 sq.m of windows, over 50 doors, lots
  of equipment (measuring, PCs and so on).
  This was the day I will remember till my last day.  My family is OK. My
  house (42 km South of Chelyabinsk) lost its windows and that was
  the only damage to my family. By the way, this explosion woke up my 81 year
  old mother with its spectacular light. She lives in Troitsk
  136 km South of Chelyabinsk. The hit wave came 6+ minutes later and was
  very strong as mother said.

  That's how it was. I now feel like I trust in God more and more...

  73's & GL, Willy UA9BA

  l