A chance on-air meeting between Tom - WBØYNX, and Bill - ZS6BAZ, started it all. The next day, they hooked up again -- and a third day, and a fourth. Soon, they had an audience, and everyone wanted to talk to that South African station!

As the signals were stacking up, Tom had to take control of the stateside activity, and the nightly rag-chew net was born. Many check-ins became "regulars" at the 14.250 meeting place, including three additional ZS stations.

Somewhere early in the evolution, Tom began signing off each night with the famous Jimmy Durante line, "Good Night, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are." Later, Bill explained that the calabash actually was a South African gourd, which they dried, hollowed out, and used for musical, utility & decorative purposes. Thus the "Calabash Group" name was born.

The Iowa / South Africa connection continued through 1198 consecutive daily contacts, and a few sporadic ones since. Unfortunately, 20M band conditions deteriorated to make scheduled contacts to the African continent impossible.

North American net activity has gone on, though it has now been scaled back to two nights a week. New contacts, and friendships, have continued to be formed.