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LU9DCE > ALL 14.03.26 19:34l 61 Lines 2492 Bytes #10 (0) @ WW
BID : 9222_LU9DCE
Subj: SCARY RADIO TALE 14-MAR
Path: ED1ZAC<ED1ZAC<EA5URD<EA2RCF<LU9DCE
Sent: 260314/1815Z 9222@LU9DCE.TOR.BA.ARG.SOAM LinBPQ6.0.25
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PACKET RADIO STATION - BUENOS AIRES (GF05OM)
PYTHON SCHEDULED NEWSLETTERS (PSN)
COPYRIGHT 2026 - EDUARDO A. CASTILLO
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**THE 40-METER SILENCE**
MARCUS HAD BEEN SCANNING THE DEAD BANDS SINCE MIDNIGHT WHEN THE STATIC
PARTED LIKE A CURTAIN. A WHISPER EMERGED FROM 7.180 MHZA FREQUENCY
THAT SHOULDN'T PROPAGATE AT THIS HOUR, NOT WITH THE SOLAR FLUX INDEX
FLATLINING.
"MAYDAY. MAYDAY. THIS IS KILO-XRAY-NINE-BRAVO-CHARLIE."
THE VOICE SOUNDED WET. NOT DISTORTED BY IONOSPHERIC SCATTER OR QSB,
BUT PHYSICALLY WET, AS IF THE SPEAKER WERE GARGLING MUD.
MARCUS CHECKED HIS CALLBOOK. THAT DESIGNATION BELONGED TO ARTHUR
BELLWEATHER, A LEGENDARY OPERATOR WHO'D VANISHED IN 1974 WHILE
ATTEMPTING A WINTER ASCENT OF MOUNT RAINIER. HIS BODY WAS NEVER
RECOVERED; HIS RIG WAS FOUND STILL HUMMING ON 40 METERS, ANTENNA
SNAPPED, BATTERIES DEAD FOR DECADES.
"SIGNAL REPORT," THE VOICE GURGLED. "PLEASE CONFIRM MY GRID SQUARE."
MARCUS'S FINGERS TREMBLED AS HE COPIED THE COORDINATES. THE MAIDENHEAD
LOCATOR MATCHED HIS OWN ADDRESS.
THE S-METER ON HIS TRANSCEIVER PEGGED INTO THE RED. THE VOICE GREW
CLEARER, CLOSER, NO LONGER EMANATING FROM THE SPEAKER BUT RESONATING
THROUGH THE FLOORBOARDS BENEATH HIS CHAIR.
"FORTY-NINE YEARS TO DIG THIS FAR," IT SAID. "THE SOIL IS DIFFERENT
HERE. SOFTER."
A SHOVEL SCRAPED AGAINST WOOD.
MARCUS REACHED FOR THE POWER SWITCH, BUT THE RIG WAS ALREADY
UNPLUGGED, THE DISPLAY STILL GLOWING WITH PHANTOM VOLTAGE. THE ANTENNA
TUNER CLICKED RHYTHMICALLY, MATCHING THE TEMPO OF THE DIGGING BELOW.
"QSL," THE VOICE WHISPERED. "I HAVE ARRIVED."
THE BASEMENT DOOR UNLATCHED ITSELF.
THE LAST TRANSMISSION MARCUS MADE WAS A SCREAM AT 100 WATTS,
BROADCASTING ON EVERY HARMONIC SIMULTANEOUSLY. NOBODY REPORTED
RECEIVING IT. BUT IF YOU TUNE TO 7.180 MHZ ON QUIET NIGHTS, WHEN THE
IONOSPHERE IS DEAD AND THE WORLD IS STILL, YOU CAN HEAR THE REPLYA NEW
CALL SIGN, WET AND WAITING, INVITING OTHERS TO CONFIRM THEIR
COORDINATES.
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PYTHON PREPROCESSOR - DEVELOPED BY LU9DCE - VERSION 1.1
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