My brief story covers two points which I think are of some interest:

How many people can say that they were grateful to a hurricane?

Do you believe that sometimes we are prompted to take some action we would not otherwise take and which then leads to the totally unexpected? Coincidence? Fate? God?

I rarely monitor VHF in the early evenings and I wonder what prompted me to switch on and monitor 2 metres that dark, cold evening in March 1988? But I did, and heard a local amateur (subsequently proved to be Mel G4WMP) in discussion with another station about Hurricane Bola which had just struck North Island, New Zealand, causing great damage but, luckily, no loss of life. Mel intended to find out more about the position the next morning and would call a ZL friend of his.

I had never copied a ZL station but, since my XYL Pat is a New Zealander by birth, I thought I might hear something of interest. Pat has lived in the UK since she was a young girl, her parents had died and she had completely lost touch with any family in NZ.

Despite the fact that the sked was fixed for a very early hour I made a special effort to get up and tune in my weary old KW2000B. Yes, I found Mel and ZL4AK—another Bill incidentally – and I listened attentively. Mel was Q5 plus a million but Bill was about 4x4. After a while excitement got the better of me and, at a break I called ZL4AK. Yes, you are right, I got no response. Doesn’t it just happen to all of us? “I’m not getting out– this d....d rig has had it!”

However, I tried again and this time it was actually Mel who heard me and asked the ZL station to listen and asked me to call again. A laconic Kiwi voice said something like...” I don’t know what you’re using—could be a piece of string I suppose—but you are about 3 and 2 in the clear."

To cut a long story short, I explained why I had called in and apologised suitably. ZL1AK asked for Pat’s family name and where she had been born. Back came the response— “Yeah, there are a lot of them about and her

hometown is half an hour away from here by car”. If you knew Bill ZL4AK as I now know him you would accept this as typical of his pithy comments!

Some days later curiosity got the better of me. Maybe at the back of my mind was the challenge of another 12,000 mile contact. I called and Bill’s voice came crackling across—”Where the h.... have you been fella? I’ve called you every day since. Spent most of the day on the telephone and tracked down your XYL’s family— thirteen cousins up and down North and South Island and you are to get out here as quick as that!” You can imagine how I felt.

Overwhelmed at what I had done and, I suppose, thrilled at the technical achievement of my first real DX, but so happy for Pat, to whom I now had to break the news.

Since that time we have been four times to New Zealand for lengthy stays. We have been spoiled completely by the kindnesses we have received and we now fly the New Zealand flag from the ramparts as our Kiwi friends and relations beat a long path to our door.

During our trips to ZL I’ve also had some interesting experiences. For example, I have driven a flock of 200 sheep along public roads whilst driving a battered old Mini with a clever collie loping along beside me! I dare say that speaks more for the dearth of road traffic than it does of my talents as a shepherd!

On another occasion I found myself facing twenty or so young bullocks cantering toward me on a narrow path beside an irrigation channel. It took all my previous experience as a boy on my grandparents’ farm to stop and turn them. The channel was deep and I can’t swim!

New Zealand is a great country. For those of you who have never been, try it sometime, and on the way stop off at the Cook Islands—the music and dancing is something else, believe me.

From time to time we have all heard a bit of unkind comment about amateur radio but I consider this narrative proves the opposite—the true spirit of amateur radio.

Was it coincidence, Kismet, or a guiding hand which caused me to press the PTT on a March morning in 1988? We may never know, but Pat and I will be forever grateful.

Bill G0DVW

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