[LCC] Short story of How I became friends wi KL7RA

[rfulco at suddenlink.net]

I just noticed KL7RA was inducted into the Contest Hall of Fame at Dayton this year...I thought you might like this story of how I came to meet him-on the air ,and in person. 
    14 years ago I set up a JOTA station at a St. Judes Catholic church in Bossier City for camping scouts to talk on the air.  I had a nice 80m delta up and sat afternoon on 15m SSB KL7RA called me...With the signal he had I asked "'surely you must be in CF!!" ! He said "no I am working on my 4 stack array on 15M for SS, and I have been listening to you and some of your kids."
      He then proceeded to tell me it was bringing  back memories of when he lived in Bossier City while his dad was stationed at Barksdale AFB many years ago. He then told me he took his swimming merit badge at Lake Bisteneau, and was it still there. 
  Years later I attended Dayton with Steve KG5VK. As I was walking to my table at the Contest Dinner-my eyes caught callsign badge of a guy sitting down in front of me...Was KL7RA.  .I stopped, and asked him if he remembered our  qso years ago, and this story. He perk'd up and said "I sure do"!!
 "I said I am the guy you were talking to."  The whole table was listening in, and smiling..
     Since that time, we always talked at Dayton, and I was present a few years later with KH7Y to congratulate him on winning the Grand Prize at the dinner.   This is one of the great things about making the Dayton Hamfest.

   Glad he was inducted-  RADIO ALASKA will be missed...

   Randy K5SL