Began to be intrigued with radio at the early age of 10 building my first crystal set, afterwards advanced to transistor radios, and was able to hear many a medium wave station, back on the farm, near Chatham, Ontario. It wasn’t till I was in High School, that I was ‘drawn’ to a Radio receiver in the electronics class that I was majoring in (1965-1967) a National NC-190, that I discovered the shortwave bands. Hearing what was possible, I was able to obtain an old RCA A-25 Multi -Band Table Radio. The RCA had 7 tubes, one for RF and had AM, shortwave from 3.0 to 7.0 plus electrical band spread for 31,19,16, and 13 meters. The first station, that I heard on this set, was AFRTS out of San Francisco, on 19-meters, broadcasting a football game in late November 1965. My Teacher (electronic class) told me about “QSL” s and so I sent my first reception report, a 3-hour report to KGEL. This, for a football game aired and on Dec the 19th …I got my first QSL from KGEI …which still to date is still my most prized as it set my path on DX’ing……… You might ask what I used for reference material, well, it was the old White’s Radio Log, in the back of the Radio & T.V magazines, checking for the stations. The one I tried but never was possible was HSK9 Radio Thailand with an evening broadcast to North America, which to me, was a magical…..no-way-that it can be heard……
Afterwards, I started listening and sending out reports..to Europe, South America, Australia, Africa and into Asia. That RCA A-25 was an amazing radio and by varying the RF Oscillator I was able to expand the bands, example 3.0-7.0, 7.0 up to 7.3 MHz.Some of best catches was CR4AA, Cape Verde Islands, Windward Islands BC’ing, and total of about 60+ countries verified on this radio set. Quite amazing for radio set from the early 50’s! Then I moved on too much better radios, Hallicrafters SX-28A, Nacional NC-173, and finally a Hammurlund HQ-129-X (which I considered to be the best communications received that I used to date) And the QSL’s kept coming in…..Fiji, Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Cook Islands, Indian Regionals, PNG’s and Indo’s.
On the farm, I had a Murich 86-D Tuned dipole up over 70 feet, strung between a massive Maple Tree and a Pine Tree, over the Farm House. My Dad, kept wondering if that antenna would attract lighting, which I said ..ha..no way….it’s too thin….
In 1971, my wife and I moved (newly married) into a Townhouse, where I converted one bedroom into my radio room, where I had the HQ-129X connected to a 19-meter dipole, strung around the room. With this antenna I was able to log and verify Greenland on 11760 kHz as well as Fiji on their 90 meters frequency! What DX!
In 1973, my wife and I built a house just outside of Chatham, and started a family, and for me I was able to expand my listening, putting up massive antennas. Being that I was able to hear and verify Reunion 2446 Comoros 7290 Antarctic AFAN, Mauritius and others and by now I was hitting up to over 200 countries. Now the advent, better receivers came along, being Collins R-388/URR-51J3 and a Collins R-390A, which were just a bit better than the old HQ-129X.
During this time, I was with the Ontario DX Association, being their QSL Editor, and hosting Shortwave Get-together s at our country home in 1977.1978 and the last one in 1980. As well, I have belonged to numerous associations such as Numero-Uno, SpeedDX, FRENDX-NASWA,CIDX, FineTuning…..
In 1980, my wife and my three children moved to Alberta, to Coal dale, at which I obtained employment with the City of Lethbridge. Again, this time focus on the Middle East, and Southeast Asia…with the results have over 75 Indo’s verified, all of the PNG’s (all of them!) and finally into clandestine stations. In 1991, I finally got my Ham License, with call of VE6EFK, with Honors plus 5 wpm.
In 2009, I was able to retire from the City, my wife and I moved to Days land, where we settled into retirement, well sort of, completely re-model this 2-bedroom rancher house. In the fall of 2011, the next venture was into politics, at which I ran for Town Council, won a seat, re-elected in 2014, and in the last municipal election, became the Town of Daysland’s Mayor. But I never ran for this past municipal elections, as I felt that ten years on council was enough…
BUT, on a sad note I lost my wife to cancer in 2012 ……….
To date I have heard close to 1700+ or so stations, with 251 out of 250 countries verified, the one being is Radio Abkhazia which has been the one country have tried to get verified by all sorts of means! Plus, The latest is hearing Radio DX from Norfolk Island. As of today, I have over 60 binders of verification, as I house them in plastic sheets. Presently, I use a Perseus SDR, which is the new generation of receiving ….
I could go on and on but I would have to write a book about my experiences within the radio hobby but to me it keeps me going forward always trying for the next station and getting a verification……..
Edward Kusalik …….a DX’er since 1965…