I have had a visit by a local ham, JL1UCH, Nobu, this morning. He was to deliver a greeting from Dave VK4YD. I had the slightest memory of that call. Looking it up in the PC log, I knew it was formerly VK4CEU, whom I remembered so well. Nobu was so kind to come by to me. We have enjoyed chatting old things we shared having a cup of coffee. He is about 16 years younger than me and owns his business at home. I was glad he was aiming conversational CW with his modest set up, a barefoot and G5RV. I encouraged him to carry it on and convince him regular training in English would let him enjoy conversational CW very soon. Nowadays, only few are aiming at it, either in Japan or even abroad.
The post I mentioned about Dave and the Night Owlers in Melbourne area.
https://nuttycellist-unknown.blogspot.com/2019/08/night-owlers.html
What a fond memory it is! When I came back on the air in 1980, I had only a barefoot and a vertical set on the roof of the dormitory. The path to DX including the States has not regularly opened especially in winter evening. I often adhered on 20m which sometimes opened to VK/ZL even late at night. It was a fun for me to find those who would ragchew with me and talk about old times of '60s. The Night Owlers were often still present there like in '60s.
If I remember it right, Dave used to operate radio with a bicycle generator, ordering his sibling to run the bicycle while he was enjoying radio. Or another guy? I have heard that story from someone in the Night Owlers. I was chuckling to hear that story.
Dave should be already 85 or 86 years of age. How nice it is he is still kicking himself on the radio! Sadly, most of that Night Owlers have gone SK. I still should come back with a barefoot with a vertical someday in the near future and would look for anyone who shares those great memories.
I thanked Nobu a lot and wished him good luck in the journey for conversational CW.
It is still a fact that I feel I have been put into a museum as a sample of old timer for now.
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