[Hallicrafters] VHF DX

[TC Dailey]

Ducting, Sporadic E, and auroral stuff was all pretty common in Kansas.  I
learned early on, that one aims at about a 45 degree angle to an incoming
cold-front, and results always come.  2m DX was pretty common back there in
the 70's, most likely still is - It was not uncommon to hear the Chicago
stations around KC, and even from further on.  There's even a famous story
about a NJ ham, during WW-II, who was receiving some of Rommell's Afrika
Corps tanks; I think they were on around 45 mHz or so.

My trick for gleaning the 6 meter DX when nobody else got it, was in KC.  We
had no TV Channel-2 (still don't), so I took an old beater TV, ran a line
from the AGC, amplified via darlington-pair, which activated a relay when
the voltage got high enough.  I'd hook the tri-ex 4-element beam up to it,
and leave it running on Ch-2 (which happened to be due-North of Kansas City,
very conviently).  Whenever Chan-2 began coming in, the voltage would rise,
activate the relay, and ring a bell in the kitchen - then I'd run upstairs,
change the antenna over to my Clegg Venus, and joila' - I hardly ever missed
an opening.

Tom - WØEAJ
Denver