|
About 26 Alfa Tango 048
I joined the 26 Alfa Tango Division in or around 1992 (I have slept
since and just know it was around that time). Based in Somerset I took my 50
confirmed countries (I joined as a 1st Class Operator) to the County Director
along with a couple of local people to me who were Alfa Tango members to have
them checked. it was about an hours drive, yet worth it in my opinion, Had the
cards checked, paid the fee and was allocated the call sign 26 Alfa Tango 249,
so here it begins.
After a year or two I upgraded to S Class as I had easily worked over the
required 100 countries by then, I was a very keen DX operator and spent any
spare time I had chasing DX. I was never one for chasing awards, yet set my own
goals to achieve, one was to work as many African countries as I
could, this was because I had a clear run in that direction with the beam and
just enjoyed the challenge. I lived in a great location for it, just on the
south side of the highest spot in the town, clear run, ideal for the path. I
made some amazing friends in the early days in 44 Div, 85 Div and 191 Div, to the
point I could be found on .495 LSB having regular contacts with guys in that
direction and not forgetting a friend I made 26 AT 239 Tim, as he was a frequent
user on the frequency too.
I made some great friends far and wide in my first 10 years or so as a member
and met some great people I knew in the county, we use to have the odd county
meeting as there were a good few of us then, when we say meeting, this was go to
a pub and meet up. Come the year 2000 I became Director of Somerset, who would have
thought it, as I am still the current Director for the Somerset. These days
though there are only a few members compared to how it was in the county, this
is because the whole hobby has taken a massive dive in popularity.
Now moving on in time to 2004 as up to then my Call sign was 26 Alfa Tango
249, I was given the call sign 26 Alfa Tango 048 which of course is what I have
today. It is nice to have a zero number, yet I will say it never seemed to get
me any more contacts and added some confusion to people I contacted to start
with, yet you soon get use to it. I did a lot of moving around from the early
2000's through to about 2005/06 including a period of time in 330 Division,
although I was never active there.
So present day, well yes you know I am 26 Alfa Tango 048, you also know I am
county Director for Somerset, I am also the England Division Website
Administrator. If you look on my page about me, you will see I am a geek for
the PC and internet type things. These days I have but a humble station with
bits of wire compared to what I have operated in the past and really do not get
much time at all for operating, yet that's just currently. Over the years I have seen many changes
in the Division, some
up, some down, some things for better, some for worse, not sure about the in
sickness and in health, yet I do know I have been in the Alfa Tango group longer
than any marriage I may have had and have no intention to change that.
|
DUBHq © 2024