[ADXA] I made it, I made it!!

Fri Aug 29 20:18:01 EDT 2025

Joel,
That novice combo would be interesting to hear for sure!  I will be listening for it during the next SKN or novice roundup.

Several of the guys in Fort Smith are very good bug ops!  K5JUC and W5SJ.  Levi, WA5WRN, was the best, IMO.  You could not tell he was even on a bug!  Then his health turned bad and I had for fix him up with a Keyer.  I don't remember what his first paddle was, but it was interesting to watch such an advanced bug guy struggle just a bit on a new keying setup!

73 de jay..
________________________________
From: w5znjoel at gmail.com <w5znjoel at gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2025 5:25 PM
To: 'Jay Bromley' <jayw5jay at outlook.com>; 'ADXA Reflector' <adxa at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: RE: [ADXA] I made it, I made it!!

I only weight it down for Novice Rig Roundup. No one sends fast during that event and I mostly use the straight key, but on occasion I can’t resist using the bug. Beyond that, I take that big weight off and the other weights on the near end to “speed it up” but I only use that with a code oscillator to impress myself with my “bug fist !!  No one else would be!!! 😊

I had been checking into OZK with my straight key. When I got the bug I couldn’t resist firing it up. It probably sounded like the Lake Erie Swing with an extra “dit” or two (maybe 3 ??) when I sent a “5” 😊

73 Joel W5ZN

From: Jay Bromley <jayw5jay at outlook.com>
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2025 4:50 PM
To: w5znjoel at gmail.com; 'Stan Ross' <k5vr.stan at gmail.com>; k5ur at aol.com; 'ADXA Reflector' <adxa at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ADXA] I made it, I made it!!

Wow Joel that is a lot of weight on your bug!  I've seen some of the guys in Fort Smith use a Silver Dollar for extra weight.  That gives it a little bit of extra class and caused one school group of kids to ask a bunch of questions about why it was there.  Neat!

My only bug was one I got from Chuck Adams (K7QO at the time)  and he asked for it back a few years ago.  I got him fixed up.  I could help to chuckle at this request, because Chuck use to say "All Bugs Should Be Stomped On!"  Grin.

I never was good enough to learned Bug Talk or Bug Speak!  🙂  73 de w5jay/jay..

________________________________

From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> <adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net>> on behalf of w5znjoel at gmail.com<mailto:w5znjoel at gmail.com> <w5znjoel at gmail.com<mailto:w5znjoel at gmail.com>>
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2025 9:59 AM
To: 'Stan Ross' <k5vr.stan at gmail.com<mailto:k5vr.stan at gmail.com>>; k5ur at aol.com<mailto:k5ur at aol.com> <k5ur at aol.com<mailto:k5ur at aol.com>>; 'ADXA Reflector' <adxa at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa at mailman.qth.net>>
Subject: Re: [ADXA] I made it, I made it!!

Stan,

Interesting you should mention Tracy. You recall he had several bugs (and three stations 1 in the attic, 1 in the basement, and his main one in the “house”) and one of his favorites was the “Blue Racer”. I was salivating over it one day during a visit and he gave it to me. It is still prominently displayed on the “vintage” desk. You probably saw it when you were here. See photo.

73 Joel W5ZN

p.s. you’ll also notice I have it “weighted” down for slower speed. Last time I used it was in the Novice Rig Roundup this year and we take it “slow” for those contacts!

From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> <adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net>> On Behalf Of Stan Ross
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2025 8:31 AM
To: k5ur at aol.com<mailto:k5ur at aol.com>
Cc: adxa <adxa at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa at mailman.qth.net>>; adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ADXA] I made it, I made it!!

Hey Rick,

Do you remember Kermit Tracy, W5AY from Little Rock? I remember his bug sending on the Army MARS CW nets back in the early 70s. Exactly as you described.

 My parents took me by his house on one of my trips to the old Little Rock post office where the FCC exams were being given, probably in 73 or so. He would always check in on the MARS CW nets with his bug when I was net control, made for interesting copy!

73,

Stan K5VR.

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 28, 2025, at 10:27 PM, k5ur--- via ADXA <adxa at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa at mailman.qth.net>> wrote:

"Lake Erie Swing"

Yep, sending very fast dits compared to the dahs.

CO2BB use to have a fist similar to that.

73,

K5UR

On Thursday, August 28, 2025 at 10:13:41 PM CDT, EJ Jones <k5ej at outlook.com<mailto:k5ej at outlook.com>> wrote:

"some who thought they were “proficient” at using a Bug !"

Anyone remember the "Lake Erie Swing"? No it's not a song but keying style popular with the bug crowd

EJ

________________________________

From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> <adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net>> on behalf of Bill Priakos via ADXA <adxa at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa at mailman.qth.net>>
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2025 10:45 AM
To: w5znjoel at gmail.com<mailto:w5znjoel at gmail.com> <w5znjoel at gmail.com<mailto:w5znjoel at gmail.com>>; 'Jon W. Reynolds' <KI5UCZ at jonwreynolds.com<mailto:KI5UCZ at jonwreynolds.com>>
Cc: 'ADXA Reflector' <adxa at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa at mailman.qth.net>>
Subject: Re: [ADXA] I made it, I made it!!

Well said, Joel….excellent assessment of our CW skills in the VERY old days 😊

Bill Priakos - W5SJ

10 Free Ferry Heights

Fort Smith, AR 72903

479.461.8368

<image001.jpg>

From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> <adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net>> On Behalf Of w5znjoel at gmail.com<mailto:w5znjoel at gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2025 7:37 PM
To: 'Jon W. Reynolds' <KI5UCZ at jonwreynolds.com<mailto:KI5UCZ at jonwreynolds.com>>
Cc: 'ADXA Reflector' <adxa at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa at mailman.qth.net>>
Subject: Re: [ADXA] I made it, I made it!!

Jon,

Way back when 😊 a lot of us old dogs got our licenses back in the 60’s up until about 1973 (and some in the 50’s when the Novice license became available in 1951) we were proud to have mastered 5 WPM to pass the CW exam and get our Novice license. Back then you had to pass the Morse exam or you never got a shot at the written exam, and if you passed the Morse exam but failed the written you had to take the Morse exam all over the next time you tried the written!

I doubt any of us old dogs, if we’re truthful and will admit it, had achieved “perfect” send and receive when we got on the air. Listening on the air during that time proved it because there were some really bad fists, especially some who thought they were “proficient” at using a Bug !

My point is, regardless of our CW prowess today we NEVER had “perfect” send and receive when we got our Novice licenses and got on the air. It was that on-the-air experience (us Novice dudes could only use CW back then) that allowed us to master the skill of copying Morse at elevated speeds.

You’re on the right track. Keep it up OM!

73 Joel W5ZN

From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> <adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net>> On Behalf Of Jon W. Reynolds via ADXA
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2025 4:37 PM
Cc: ADXA Reflector <adxa at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa at mailman.qth.net>>
Subject: Re: [ADXA] I made it, I made it!!

Thanks everyone for the encouragement! It's been a process, and it's not where I'd like to be on my recognition,  but from what I'm understanding and thinking, if I waited until my send and receive is perfect, I'll would never have gotten on the air.

I'm currently 4/50 on WAS and 2/100 to dxcc on LOTW. Cue our fearless leader's favorite saying!!!

73s

Jon

KI5UCZ

-------- Original Message --------
On Tuesday, 08/26/25 at 15:56 Dennis Schaefer <dennisw5rz at gmail.com<mailto:dennisw5rz at gmail.com>> wrote:

Congratulations, Jon!  Even those of us who have been doing CW for a long time remember the excitement and trepidation of those first contacts!  It’s kind of a big deal.

73,

Dennis/RZ

On Mon, Aug 25, 2025 at 7:44 AM Jon W. Reynolds via ADXA <adxa at mailman.qth.net<mailto:adxa at mailman.qth.net>> wrote:

Just thought I'd let everyone know, after about 7 months give or take of study,  last night I made my first and second cw contact. I was so excited I emailed the station for qsl confirmation because things were happening fast for me with the keyer and speaker. Got a return email confirmation KH6LC is in the log book,  8/25/25 02:47utc 14.028, 20wpm 50W out to my home made vertical antenna!

73s

KI5UCZ

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