My radio shack is in my office. The gear sits on a desk along the back wall, an easy turn of the desk chair and I am ready to go. I normally keep the radio on whenever I am at my desk, assuming of course the power is on. This morning I flipped the switch and set the scanner for the 20 meter band. For quite some time the band was quiet, but I was busy at my desk and didn't really have time for radio.

Then a strong signal stopped the scanner at 14.250.50 MHz. The voice was that of a man coming through strong and clear. I could not hear the station with whom he was speaking but discovered from his comments that it was in Japan. The calling station asked for stations in Japan and the Pacific. He continued to do so for quite some time and I did not respond for that reason. I really wanted to work this station because of the exotic location of his call sign.

I got busy, someone came into the office, and I turned down the volume. After awhile I twisted the volume control expecting the voice to be gone. But, he was there as strong as ever, this time asking for Japan, the Far East, and Africa!

So I picked up the headset and put it on. I pressed the button on my homemade PTT switch and spoke, "Five X-ray Seven Juliet Delta."

He came right back. It was A71EM in Qatar! Not so far from here, just over 2000 miles, but a great contact! Juma's signal was quite strong, understandably so since he was running 300 watts through a large Yagi antenna. To my surprise the signal report called back to me was as strong 5db OVER 9! We exchanged equipment information and I could tell him I was running barefoot into a pieced together Hy-Gain multi band vertical sitting on a metal roof.

Then he said a friend was listening and wanted a contact too. So A71CT came on the air. An operator named Sultan added another great entry to the log.

Two contacts from Qatar in one call. Both very pleasant and very encouraging. I told them I had been listening for quite some time but did not want to break in because they were asking for Japan and the Pacific. Juma, A71EM, told me I made his day. Contacts from Uganda are very rare!

It has been a good day.