[PPRAANet] Great DX Conditions or "Don't Look Now But Your S-Units Are Showing"

[W. Harris]

    Did 
anyone else catch the fantastic band opening last night? I could 
 
not sleep so I was up late and was tuning around 20 meters when I heard 

 the clock strike midnight. Suddenly the band really came to life with 

 some great DX stuff. First I heard Romeo Germany 8 Uniform really bang-
 
 ing in from somewhere in the south Atlantic with a big pile-up on 
the 
 frequency. I picked a spot and dropped in my call. "Mike India 
Lima go 
 ahead". "Germany 8 Uniform, you are 70 over 9, QSL info 
please." "Not to 
 worry India Lima, my card 63% to you via burro." 
"Aw-Right, got him!" 
   Then Charlie 0 Dog Echo gave me a call on CW
 running a modified Heathkit
 HW-8 at a KW output with a re-worked cash 
register as a keyboard keyer. 
   Maybe try a little more CW action. 
Called CQ on CW and answered by BIG 
 CARRIER, very weak audio from Victor
 0 India Charlie Echo. "Your audio is weak, 
 OM, try turning up the 
gain." Found out the audio section of his 
 transmitter was not 
working and he was modulating by screaming at the   
 final tubes. 

   Swung the beam further south and there was Charlie 0 Alpha X-ray in 
the 
 Feedline Islands. Gave him a call. "Kilo 5 Mike India Lima you 
broke 
 my S meter, do not transmit again I am afraid you may blow my
 rig." 
 "Roger roger Alpha X-Ray, what is QSL info please?" He 
didn't reply. 
   OK, lets see what's going on in the Pacific. Swing 
the beam on 
 around. Wow! there is Fox Ocean 0 Lima running 80 over 
9! "Fox Ocean 
 0 Lima this is Kilo 5 Mike India Lima you are 80 over
 9, what are you 
 running?" "Ok Mike India Lima, rig here is a 
converted cordless phone 
 running 1.63 watts using lamp cord 
feedline to a chicken wire fence." 
   Now this is great! Lets see 
what is going down on the European front. 
 Swing the ole beam on 
around just past north. Man listen to those signals! 
 Better catch this 
one. Dropped in my call. "Mike India Lima go ahead." 
 "Roger roger, 
Germany 0 Tango Charlie Hotel Alpha, you are 62.3 db over 
 S9, Q5 
copy. What is my report?" "Mike India Lima, you are minus S8, 
 can 
only copy on positive voice peaks, try again." "MINUS S8!!, 
 
WHADDYAMEAN MINUSE S8? Im running 14 bazillion watts to a 42 1/2 

 element Thunder Stick at 163.85 feet!! Minus S8 my Aunt Fanny!" Wait a 

 minute, what's that call again? G0TCHA? What's today? Let's see that 

 calendar. Aw rats! 
 73 - K5MIL