I've been working HF CW mobile for many years--from my pickup truck, 
vans, cars, and my Gold Wing motorcycle (QST, Jul 93, p 21).  From about 
1985 to 1994 I used a Ten-Tec Century 22 in my Toyota van, running about 25 
watts output to an array of five monoband whips (each with its own feed 
line, with an antenna switch beside the rig).  The five Ham Stick whips were 
mounted on a homebrew five-foot-long mag mount on the van roof, one behind 
the other along the length of the roof.  It was a sight to behold.  And it 
worked out very well.  I could work VK long-path on 40 meters, and just 
about anything I heard, unless the pileup was humongeous.

     I started counting countries as I worked them, being absolutely sure 
that I had a valid contact before counting each new country.  I would work 
DX contests when I was on a trip, averaging about 30 contacts per hour 
(which included duping and logging by hand).  I worked my way up to 160 
countries before I got tired of keeping up with them and stopped counting.

     One evening as I was headed home to Damascus, Maryland, driving up 
I-270 from the metro DC area, I was making a few contacts just for fun in 
the ARRL DX Contest.  Tuning on up the band, I ran into a TRULY humongeous 
pileup.  I soon learned that it was in honor of HZ1AB, whom I could copy 
very well.  Even though there were obviously hundreds, and perhaps 
thousands, or stations calling, I joined the fray for about a half-dozen 
calls.  Then I saw it was hopeless, so I just listened, wishing I could work 
HZ1AB for another new country.

     The HZ1AB op suddenly said, "QRX TEN" and then went silent.  The 
frequency went completely quiet, as the huddled masses waited to begin anew.

     I looked at my digital wristwatch and timed off nine and a half 
minutes.  Then I called, on an absolutely crystal clear, silent frequency, 
with the commanding voice of my 25 watts and a mobile whip, "HZ1AB DE K3KMO 
AR".

     HZ1AB came right back to me, we made the exchange, and suddenly 
hundreds, if not thousands, of other signals roared back to life!

     I was laughing out loud as I drove on up I-270.  It's a wonder I wasn't 
stopped by a Montgomery County police officer on suspicion of severe drug 
abuse....

     (I could go back and search through my logs if you want a date.  That 
was truly one of my most memorable contacts ever, in 45 years of hamming.)

     Keep in touch.

                         73,   Al, W1AB

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Changes last made on: Sat Apr 12 1997 by K7JJ(SK)