[ARC5] skn - Working Mark K3MSB

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 1 Jan 2014 at 12:32, Mark K3MSB wrote:

> Hi Guys -
> 
> I had a blast last night on SKN with my SCR-274N radios.    Made 18
> QSOs during the night in the following states:  OH, NY, NJ, CT, IL,
> TN, ME, VA, MD, WI and ID.

Wow! Quite a haul!

> Ken, you were also the highlight for me last night!  It was just like
> the Novice days when I heard a "far off" western station on 80M !!

Well, when you came back to my CQ, I about fell off my chair. I was so 
astonished, it took me a few minutes to remember your name!

> I was just about to pull the switch around 2 AM local and decided to
> make one more pass on 80M and heard your CQ.  You were in amongst a
> huge gaggle of SKN stations thus the 359 RST.

Well, you were a good 559 here, despite all the QRM. Chirpy, but nice to 
hear! :-)

> Note to self:  review threads on improving ARC-5 selectivity and DO
> something about it.....

It isn't too hard for the 3 - 6 MHz receiver, but almost impossible for the 6 - 
9.1 MHz receiver.

> Ronnie - do let us know when you´ll be on with your 274 so we can work
> you today.

Yes. BTW, 40 meters is STILL hot here. Signals from all over. I listened for 
a bit on 20 and the only signals with any strength here are all DX stations, 
and 6's. 6's always seem to come in here no matter what the propagation is 
to everywhere else. I heard only one SKN station.

> I´ll be on and off the air today as well.

I just got off 40 meters after working a vintage station in Washington, 
W7OS. Rich was using a museum station which consisted of a 3 stage 
transmitter with a 211 final amp, running about 60 watts output to a dipole. 
His receiver is an HQ-120, with which he isn't too familiar yet.

Look the call up on QRZ.com for some details.

He was calling CQ and a W3 answered him, but Rich couldn't make him out, 
so I answered him. We had a nice chat.

As I said, 40 is still hot, and looks like it will be all day today. You fellows 
might try 40 before you go anywhere else.

I am still hearing stations on 80, even.

Conditions are pretty strange right now, but are just fine for us. ;-)

Ken W7EKB