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 <[email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> 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: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Bill Priakos via ADXA <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2025 10:45 AM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>; 'Jon W. Reynolds' <[email protected]>
Cc: 'ADXA Reflector' <[email protected]>
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: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2025 7:37 PM
To: 'Jon W. Reynolds' <[email protected]>
Cc: 'ADXA Reflector' <[email protected]>
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: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Jon W. Reynolds via ADXA
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2025 4:37 PM
Cc: ADXA Reflector <[email protected]>
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 <[email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> 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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