[Fists] My First QSO

[Stan Reas]

Hi FISTS:

The stories about first QSO's are really interesting.

I got my ticket as W8AVT on July 11, 1947 and my first QSO was with Frank, 
W8AGF who lived about 5 miles away in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.  Frank was a 
postman and had helped me learn the code by sending text to me on 80 
Meters.  He had me well trained and I was not nervous during that first QSO

My second contact was "DX" - Alliance Ohio, probably 50 miles away.  But it 
was still a thrill to me, a 16 year old kid.

On December 18, 2001 I contacted Paul, W8EFW who said he was 86 years old 
and had been a ham for 71 years.  For some reason his call seemed to be so 
familiar that I checked my old log book and found that Paul was my third 
contact on July 14, 1947.  It had been 54 Years, 5 Months, 4 Days between 
those QSO's.  We had a great chat on 40 CW about the "old times" - Ham 
radio is sure a great hobby.

73, Stan - K4UK
Ex - W8AVT & K4IKF