Last night UT5UY, Alex, was very restless from the constant bombardment by Russian bombs and missiles. As the fighting was underway in the outskirts of Kyiv Alex was unable to sleep and wrote this short story.

Small receiver and its great story

In January 2022, I had a big trip to the USA, related to business and my favorite hobby HAM radio. In just seventeen days I was able to visit Nevada, New York, Arizona, California and Mexico. The plans also included attending HamCation in Florida. However, good friends suggested that these days Russia might start a war against Ukraine. Therefore, I decided to change the ticket and return to my family in Kyiv earlier than the scheduled date.

During the trip, I was glad to visit the exhibition in Las Vegas, walk all over Manhattan in New York with a visit to the UN HQ, participate in CQ WW 160 CW Contest as part of K6VHF great team, relax in sunny California and dine at a famous Caesar’s Restaurant founded almost 100 years ago in Tijuana Mexico.

A few final days of my trip I spent with my fellow countryman Vlad, WY6DX (ex UY5DX). On February 1, 2022, on the day of departure home from LAX, Vlad hands me a small box and says: “Take a gift for your son”. It was a small receiver. Then, less than a month before the war start’s, I could not even imagine how this receiver would be useful. In the bomb shelter, it received broadcast stations and became the only source of information for my family.

The receiver in the bomb shelter. Who would have ever thought life would change so much and so quickly.

This receiver seems to have been specially created for war: built-in LI-ion battery, can be powered by three AAA batteries or an external source, solar battery on top, powerful flashlight, 3 types of loud alarm, dynamo machine (fold-down handle on the back) and USB for charging gadgets.

I can’t even believe that less than a month separates my trip to the USA and the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Such a story about a random gift that became a significant event in my family’s life.

—

73, Alex UT5UY

1. EM5UIA (IOTA EU-180), C91UY, 3DA0UY, C91CW, C93DY (IOTA new one AF-098), E21EIC/P (IOTA AS-126), 3D2TZ (IOTA OC-016), 3D2UY (IOTA OC-016), 3D2RI (IOTA OC-189), HC8/UT5UY (IOTA SA-004), 5W0OX (IOTA OC-097), ZK3X (IOTA OC-048), TX3T (Tahiti, IOTA OC-046), TX5A (Marquesas Isl., IOTA OC-027, CQ WW SSB 2011), TX7M (Marquesas Isl., IOTA OC-027), 8Q7UY (IOTA AS-013), V5/UT5UY, 5H1XX (IOTA AF-032), 4S7AYG (IOTA AS-003), 5W0NA (IOTA OC-097), ZK3A (IOTA OC-048) Where do we go next…