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Winter 2003 Issue |
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Barging Through Britain - Part 1 |
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The phone rang at six in the morning. When I answered, there was a familiar voice with a Scottish accent on the other end. It was my wife’s sister. Without so much as a ”Hello, how are you?” she asked, “How about doing something mad for Christmas?” Not being known as the sanest people on the block, I immediately said, “Why not?” I turned over the phone to my wife so she could find out what crazy thing her sister had dreamed up. Then I went into the kitchen to start the coffee pot, all the while wondering what they were talking about. From the bedroom I heard laughter and exclamations. The only thing I could think was, “If my wife is this excited, what am I about to get myself into?” Fear gripped me as I walked back into the bedroom. “Well?” The question hung suspended in the air like a comic-book bubble. She replied, “How would you like to take a cruise, compliments of my sister?” With visions of Caribbean islands dancing in my head, I said, “Where to?” She was really enjoying my discomfort. Her hand was held in front of her mouth, so I could see only the twinkle in her eye and not the grin on her face as she answered, “Barging the Midlands of England.” She was serious! As a Christmas gift, her sister had arranged a barefoot cruise aboard a canal barge. The first picture that popped into my mind was that of a crusty, old mariner at the wheel of a ship with a cold, wet gale blowing in his face. Then it hit me (not the gale, but the idea). I could do some great “hamming” while operating marine mobile in the U.K.! Choice of Handheld My wife and I regularly visit Great Britain to see her friends and relatives. Every time we go, I want to take a radio and make contacts while we are there. The hassle of carrying an HF rig and equipment has always put me off, though, and I did not have a portable or handheld radio. There is never enough time to get around to doing everything we would like. Setting up a radio and antenna has not been feasible. When the chance of living on a barge for a week came, I began to see new possibilities. While I was at the Birmingham, Alabama hamfest in 2002, I sold some equipment and had enough money to buy a nice handheld. My friend Gene DeWitt, WA5KNV, recommended the Yaesu VX5R, which he was using at the time. I went to one of the vendors to see if he had one. He not only had one, he also had a show price below $300, including the drop-in fast charger. Click here to return to this month's highlights
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