STATION HISTORY

STORIES ABOUT THE OLD DAYS OF CB RADIO, AND THE EARLY DAYS OF THE IDX-511

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Jeff Alan began full-time CB broadcasting from Middletown, MD. in December, 1975 when he received a Royce-620 AM 23-channel radio with a stock mike and a 1/4' wave groundplane.  His first "handle" was "Mr. Party."   He was just 15 years old.

After he got to know the many CB operators in his local area, his knowledge of CB grew, as did his love for DX, or, as he used to call it; "talking skip."   He became friends with several "notorious" operators who had esoteric and powerful equipment.  He learned how to use this equipment, how to conduct himself as a professional, and the art of DX.  

Less than a year later, Jeff obtained a Cobra 139 SSB radio, and upgraded to a 5/8 ground plane from his Middletown, Maryland base.  As he began to explore SSB, he met and became friends with two of the most prestigious HF operators of the day: Greg Orris, the original 'Maryland 123',  one of the most well-known and respected HF CB operators on the east coast at the time, and (the late) Jim Cornell, the 'BFDQ.'   Jeff bought his first linear amplifier that Cornell built; a 100-watt unit that had to be manually keyed.  With that unit, Jeff worked 27 countries.   Additionally, Jeff founded the Interstate DX Club ----- IDX.  At it's peak, the IDX club had 1261 members in seventeen states.  Awards were given for confirmed QSO's.   When Orris 'retired' from active CB broadcasting, he was bestowed the AM 'handle' of the Maryland 303, and used that I.D when talking on AM to his local friends.

Jeff became involved in REACT at age 18, and organized outings and picnics for local CB'ers to meet and congregate.   He became very popular in the Frederick, Maryland area.  Eventually, he was nominated to the Frederick County CB Radio Hall-of-Fame.

Jeff eventually moved from Middletown in 1982, and took residence in nearby Braddock Heights, MD,  ironically moving into the very same apartment that Greg Orris (Maryland 123) lived in and broadcasted from.   At an elevation of 980 feet, and using the same 33-foot tower that Greg used, Jeff erected a Wilson-V Quad on it, and with his new Palomar Skipper 300 amplifier, he began to enjoy serious DX.

Combined with almost 1000 feet of elevation, 300 watts of RF, and a hi-gain beam antenna, the IDX511/WA7ED was the most powerful signal in central Maryland.  The effective radiated (ERP) power of the station was well over 12,500 watts!!!  

On AM, the station could routinely exchange chat with stations in Richmond, Virginia ------ 165 miles away, ground wave.    On SSB, the station had a reach of almost 200 miles, and could throw a "local signal" (+9Db) within 100 miles.  And when the DX was showing the slightest propagation, the station could reach anyone it could hear --- at will. At the peak, the station had QSL confirmation of contacts with over 6000 operators in 71 countries.  

The IDX-511, Maryland 303 and WA7ED calls were heard by thousands of operators on the east coast, throughout the nation, and around the world in the early 1980's.  As such, his popularity led him to attend 'coffee breaks,' reunions, and meetings up and down the east coast.  Some people drove for several hours to visit the station and it's notorious operator, who's popularity was helped by the fact that he was also a local disk jockey for a high-profile radio station.

All good things come to an end.  The IDX-511 base closed for 8 years when Jeff moved from Braddock to nearby Frederick in 1985, where he was unable to erect an antenna. Eventually, Jeff moved to Florida and briefly ressurected the station from his Orlando, Florida location. Unable to use a linear amplifier, Jeff's DX exploits were limited.

In 2001, after being off the air for almost 16 years, the IDX-511 was put back on the air from it's present location near Ft. Myers, Florida.  Despite the WA7ED calls being abandoned due to its use in the Amateur Radio arena, Jeff is determined to continue the tradition of professionalism, courtesy and helpfulness that made the IDX-511 base station a CB icon for so many years.

To read a collection of Short Stories of the early days of Jeff Alan and his CB career, CLICK HERE

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