This is my favorite season to play radio. I am not sure about the origins of this feeling, but it may have something to do with my youth and getting to play radio all day during snow days home from school in Pennsylvania. Back before my father would allow me to have an outdoor antenna, when it snowed and I was confined to the house with my old desk top shortwave receiver, which came packaged in a wood box, I had many enjoyable hours day and night. I could only listen to AM at that time and favorite hangouts included 20 Meters AM and evenings spent with the loud and unavoidable man and woman team on Radio Moscow within the confines of 40 Meters. I was always fascinated by the Russian Bear and by extension Radio Moscow. That was at the height of the cold war and around the time of Cuba, Khrushchev and Kennedy and my parents were framing out Bomb Shelters in the basement. One 20 Meter curiosity was a fellow on that band that always talked through some sort of echo chamber and his audio was W I D E! I don’t think I will soon forget him!
Well, we have no snow here yet, and it looks as though it may not happen at all this year, but when the weather turns brisk and leaves fall while the sky turns a deep shade of cerulean blue, radio activities begin to percolate in my minds eye. Propagation is better than in summer and there is certainly more incentive to remain indoors. I no longer have access to a basement nor any would be bomb shelters are near, however early darkness and crisp fall weather conjures up ideas of faraway places, lost old radios and waiting for a special card from a new friend just across the globe. There are only two glow jugs in my shack now vs several boxes full of them then, but I keep the memory alive and well by keeping the lights low and living in the glow of face panel lighting. It is a crude substitute but it works for me and who am I to brush off memories lightly? Now, where is that South Pacific station on the low end of 40 Meters? I wonder if he is an ex Coast Watcher? …Lets ask, shall we?
Soloman Islands Coast Watch Stations during WWII
Thanks for reading my Blog. Best, Chas W5PG
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