WHAT IT TOOK TO GET CHINA BACK ON THE AIR

BY C.P. WEST * _ W7EA

It was 9:45 p.m. in Beijing (Peking). We had 15 minutes to uncrate. put up antennas. hook up equipment, and be ready to demonstrate. That is the message we were given that eventful evening of September 6, 1981, by our Chinese interpreter Chang Li-m!ng. In accordance with our pre-arranged plans, Bill Showers. KC7CF, and Henry Oman. K7HO, handled the antenna installation; Bob Hudson, K7LAY, and I installed the station equipment. We were eagerly helped by the Chinese old timers and the Chinese Institute of Electronics (CIE) officials. The Telex Hy-Gain Model 18TD Tape Dipole antenna was installed on a balcony on the 11th floor of the new Yan Jing Hotel in Beijing, and the Drake TR- 7 equipment was installed In a room on the first floor.

Bob and I removed the Drake TR-7 transceiver and power supply from the packing boxes and placed them on the desk. I unplugged the room TV power connector and tried to plug-in the TA-7. We had several types of adapters, but none of them worked. Chen Ke-Guong, formerly XU6CR. currently Director Chief Engineer, Peking Second Radio Appliance Factory, joined me on the floor. We had two alternatives: either cut and swap plugs with the room TV set, or obtain some wire and make a couple of jumpers.

We selected the jumper-wire alternative, and ex-XU6CR did the work. He disconnected the room telephone and cut two wires, each about 4 inches long. He stripped the insulation from each end of each wire. I then made a twisted wire connection between the TV plug and the TR-7 plug and inserted the TV plug into the wall receptacle. About this time, someone handed me the business end of a coax cable through the window. This was plugged in. Bob turned the set on, adjusted the tuning. and behold, there was Bilt Bennett, W7PHO, from Seattle coming in 5 by 9. take the microphone?" There were no takers! At an opportune moment, Bob called "W7PHO, W7PHO. here

There was tremendous excitement in the room. Bob turned to our Chinese friends and said, "Who wants to talk? (silence) Then "This Is K7LAY portable BY, operating from the Yan Jlng Hotel, Beijing, China. This is Bob at the mike. You are 5 by 9. Do you copy us, Bill? Over," There was tremendous excite-ment in the voice from Seattle: "Oh. my goodness! Is that you Bob? K7l.AY. portable BY, this is W7PHO, You are 5 by 6 in Seattle. How loog will you be on the air? Go ahead." Bob responded. "Probably just minutes. BI!!, only just minutes. It's a demonstration, Bill, it's a demonstration only."

Our Chinese friends indicated that that we should terminate our demonstration Bob came on:  "I have to sign. We have made the demonstration W7PHO/W7FR this is K7LAY, portable BY signing Good Night Bill".¨ Bill¨ "OK, oh! No! No! "¨ In the W7PHO's log the frequency is 14.225 MHZ, and the time is 1418Z (7:18 a.m. Seattle time) September 6, 1981