Again, at our sunset today, I was called by a weak DX on 40m. It was PZ5AA operated by a JA ham, JH1ROJ. He and his company seemed to have just started DXpedition there for 5 days. Even though we could hardly converse enough, I knew how much he was excited to hear JA from PZ. I wished him good luck and much fun. This QSO has reminded me of our trip to Cambodia in 1991. I went there with JH0FBH and JH1OJU, who are not on the radio any longer.
I have written about that trip to XU somewhere. After a hectic night at the transit lobby of Bangkok International airport, a small propellar plane has brought us to Phnom Phen. It was already October but was still burning hot. I remember the heat reflecting from the asphalt on us when we landed there. Sokun, the operator of XU8DX, and some personnel were welcoming us at the small lobby. Our one week stay has started that way. At that time, it was just after the civil war had ended. There was curfew imposed at night. Having operated XU0JA until late at night, we were scared to hurry to the hotel from the PTT where the station was located. No one on the street. Still muggy and quiet. Since XU was not so common as right now, we have had huge pile ups especially from Western Europe and East Coast. A fun to handle the pile ups. For me, that fun won't last longer than an hour. I always got bored. Maybe, I was born to be a ragchewer but not a DXpeditioner.
I was sure Isao JH1ROJ was feeling the same way as we were those days. Though I won't experience that heat and mess again, I could understand what he had felt there.
My DXing days have already gone.
I stopped serious DXing in 1993. It was too stressful. After that time my log is full of rag chews. After my double pulmonary embolism in 2004 I started meditation and Yoga, now I live stress free, in the present moment.
ReplyDeleteBill,
ReplyDeleteYes, joining pile up was a cause of stress for me, too. When I could get reply from certain DX, it was release from that stressor. At that moment, we feel a kind of joy as relief from that stress. It did not pay for the time and stress we felt.
Another reason why I quit DXing was that some DXpeditioners behaved out of manner. Some did not work with certain people because of different thoughts in DXing etc. The others have ruined the existing amateur radio by the native people. I felt disgusted at them. It won't take me too long to lose interests in DXing.
You have survived pulmonary embolism, which is always pretty serious. That experience has lead you to the world of meditation and Yoga. It sounds great. Thinking of the rarity we could live as we do now, we should think of something beyond of our common sense or even science. Devastating natural disasters like caldera type volcano explosion could have human beings and human culture perished someday. We are living as if it won't occur in our lives. But it is not right, I think. We are destined to live lives destined to death, which could occur any time in our lives. I don't think it is a pessimism but a reality. Recognizing ourselves as it is, we should ask for relief by some means. I don't know how you have reached the world of meditation. My idea is what I have written here.
Shin
It was as if my spirit wanted me to meditate Shin, so I could live a stress free life. I took a class in meditation and found it very natural. From the beginning I could sit for 1/2 hour at a time with a clear mind. Now I live in a way that minimizes my footprint on the Earth. We need to stop the destructive practices used for mining and oil/gas production. I believe that if everyone does this the Earth will respond with fewer natural disasters and start a healing process.
Delete