Liechstenstein 1974 (HB0/DA2QC)

This was my very first DX-pedition.

QTH:  Triesenberg, Liechtenstein

(about 1/3 of the way up the mountain).

OUR FIRST DX-PEDITION

The 1974 WAE SSB Contest from HB0.

 

Bill was in the Air Force, Dan was in the Army, and I was about 6 months into growing my hair and my beard back, after serving my 3 years in the Army.

 

The trip to Liechtenstein was almost as much fun as operating.  We were working 20m and 40m mobile, simultaneously out of my Audi 60.  (poor battery)

 

We were all as excited as kids in a candy shop when we crossed the boarder into Liechtenstein.  The anticipation and thrill on being on the other end of the pile-up was almost as good as operating itself.  HB0 was not exactly at the top of anybody's "most wanted" list, but it did attract a big crowd.

 

This QTH was not very good.  It was located in the lower section of Triesenberg, and there was hardly any place to put up antennas.

 

RIGS:

  • Heathkit HW-20, with SB-200 linear
  • Sommerkamp (Yaesu) FT-200
  • National NCX-3

 

ANTENNAS:

  • HyGAIN 203-BA  3-ele. 20m monoband beam
  • W3DZZ dipole

 

I had picked up the German language mostly through operating 2m FM and by dating the German YLs  during my two years serving in the Army in Berlin.  The locals in Liechtenstein did not speak English very well, but I was able to communicate with them.  Bill and Dan thought I was the smartest guy on the planet.

 

The only bad thing about DX-peditions is, although you plan them for months on end, once you get there the time goes by much too fast. It's over before you know it.

 

One thing was sure;  I knew this would not be my last DX-pedition.