Ham Radio – A contact sport

Ever see the movie Frequency? You know, it’s that movie where James Caviezel’s character uses his deceased father’s ham radio (actually a Heathkit SB-301 receiver) to contact the past… his dead dad.

I didn’t exactly have that experience today, but it was an odd coincidence nonetheless.

I was driving through central Iowa and heard a special event station on 20 meters SSB. It was the Rochester, NY DX Association (W2RDX/60) celebrating their 60th anniversary. What caught my attention was that they were operating from the Antique Wireless Association museum in Bloomfield, NY. When I was about 13 (1982?) I had visited this museum (which has some great ham radio exhibits with boat anchors, telegraph keys, QSL cards, radio magazines and more). So I couldn’t pass up a chance for a QSO with these guys and worked them on the 2nd call from the car.

It was fun to tell the team that I had visited the museum 24 years ago. One of the things that had impressed me most when I was there were these huge coils used as ashtrays (or garbage cans). In fact I had taken a picture of them. Chris (the op) said that the museum curator was startled to hear that anyone remembered those. That and the spark transmitters.

Anyway, after I had signed off with Chris, I heard a familiar voice above the QRN throw out a call I’ve known my whole life… KØGVG. Dad happened to be tuning around and had heard Chris signing off with NØHR.  Dad and Chris chatted for a bit in a typical special event QSO – and dad let Chris know that this back-to-back QSO sequence was a bit unusual.

Dad and I have exchanged unscheduled QSOs a few times. That’s just part of the magic of ham radio.