12/23/2005 | W8BAR W8BAR is back!!

After a couple or more years of absence due to timbering destroying our
Beverage system, we have pretty much rebuilt our little modest
W8BAR contest station at W8WEJs farm at Tuckers Creek in Wirt County, WV.

Although we have hilltops, we are not on one of them; we are in a deep (as in deep hole) valley here.

For our coming out party, we decided to give the ARRL 160 contest a go.
We thought December would be better weather wise, than our usual CQ 160 Contest
in January, which is always terrible weather wise for us, we were WRONG,!!!!!
We had an ice storm and resulting mud etc. Are there any 160 meter contests in July?

Sooooo we gave the ARRL 160 contest a shot. We really wanted to work all 80 sections but we could not work SJV to save our lives, though God knows we tried.

This group began its friendship in high school 50 years ago. Operators were W1TO (who flew in from MA), AA4VV (who drove in from NC), W8WEJ, W8UI(first time and still in shock), WA8SDA, and W8VVE.

We ate well-- very well, W8VVE's chili was truly a gas.

We ran a 90 ft top loaded wire vertical with 6000ft of buried radials, and
6 Beverages. The rig was a very tired 850 and an even more tired old alpha 3 holer at about 1 kw out.

Again, we ate well, I may not know radio--but let me assure you I know
food and fellowship!!! It IS a hobby!!
It was very good to be back and at least make a footprint effort on 160,
and more important , fellowship, food, and get the bunch back together
again.

DX and 160 is!
We will be back.
all the best
73 John W8WEJ -- W1TO