|
|
|
|
|
After Gene became a silent key, I accepted the generous invitation of a number of New Zealand hams to visit and get to know your country. It was my privilege to meet a number of your famous YLs including Thelma Souper, ZL2JO; Myrtle Earland, ZL4GR; Pearl Neilson, ZL2QY; Aola Johnston, ZL1 ALE Carol, ZL1AJL; and many others. While I was a house guest of Jack and Iris Chew, I utilized his amateur radio station and became very active on a net run by VE3IG. This net included stations from Fiji, Tonga, Australia, Mauritius, Tanzania, etc. and that led to me making plans to operate from the Island of Rodriguez in the Indian Ocean. With the capable assistance of many hams, the arrangements were completed for me to travel and operate from this rare island as 3B9DK in June, 1971. It was while I was operating as 3B9DK that Mary Ann Crider, WA3HUP, kindly arranged a schedule for me with His Majesty, King Hussein, JY1 which was a big thrill for me. JY1 invited me to visit Jordan which I did several months later where I was given the call sign of JY9DK. When I left Jordan, I was granted the privilege of operating Aeronautical Mobile as JY9DK.
During this unplanned Dxpedition around the world, I
operated from 39 different countries and met many
wonderful people. I was even given permission to operate
from The Vatican as HV3SJ. When I operated
from the Galapagos Islands as WA6FSC/HC8, I became
acquainted with HC2LB who was the American Consul for
Ecuador and he held a party in my honor when I came to
Guayaquil. At this party, I was introduced to Joe Magen,
HC2OM and it was love at first sight and 3 months later we
got married in the States and I returned to Ecuador and
was granted the call sign of HC2YL and Joe had already
held the call sign of HC2OM. I lived there for 5 years and
our daughter, Diane, KG5CS, was born there. I was
extremely active from Ecuador and made thousands of QSOs
around the world and we had many foreign visitors. In 1977
Joe retired and we moved back to the States to Hot
Springs, Arkansas. In 1992 Joe suffered a stroke and
passed away December 26, 1993. |
|
|
|
|
I received my novice license as WA6FSC in June of 1969. I made my first brief visit to New Zealand in
1969 with my first husband, WA6DKW. Gene had talked to
Jack Chew, ZL1BL, many times on the radio and while
enroute back to the States from a Circle the Pacific trip
we stopped briefly in New Zealand and rented a car and
drove to Huntly where we met Jack and his lovely wife,
Iris. My first ZL contact was with ZL1TB, who
was named "Ham of the Year" by NZART in 1971.