[CW] Mac Key

Sun Mar 28 20:21:37 EDT 2010

Was interested in this, because hadnt heard of Rexs' CW files.  A very old and good friend of mine from days (way) past.  Rex was my very first contact, when I, as a newly minted Novice was calling CQ and Rex phoned me and told me I was on 20 meters, not the 15 that I thought the old WRL transmitter was tuned for.  I invited him over t the house and he came in a showed me the difference that that rigs markings (leading many to apparently be on the wrong band).  We have kept in touch over these many years, and I have visited him on ocassion, when he was back in the states, at the same times I was.We make a few contacts on the band, every year, but havent been able to have an in-person face to face for a few years now. Ive still got the old Navy flame proof key, (and its still plugged into this 5th generation rig), which we used in that very first ham contact.  Its been around the world a few times now, but still bangs out pretty good CW on straight key nights, but never much faster than they day Rex first heard me (22 wpm or so).  I was a Novice on the air, but a professional on other bands, before that.  

Won the Washington Section first place that one year, with a whole 228 QSOs in 57 sections, for 12,996 points.  Things were certainly different back then - not to mention that one had only 40 hours of operation allowed, in a two week period.  None of these two day weekend operations then.  Sounds mighty sparce until one realizes that we were using crystal controlled transmitters, and few had the same exact crystals so split operation was the rule of the day, and sometimes that was many many cycles apart.  One actually had to listen back then.   The power was also 70 watts INPUT to the finals - so with those limitations I thought we did pretty well then.

Danny Douglas
N7DC
ex WN5QMX ET2US WA5UKR ET3USA SV0WPP VS6DD N7DC/YV5 G5CTB
All 2 years or more (except Novice). Short stints at:  DA/PA/SU/HZ/7X/DU
CR9/7Y/KH7/5A/GW/GM/F
Pls QSL direct, buro, or LOTW preferred,
I Do not use, but as a courtesy do upload to eQSL for those who do.  
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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mark Hogan 
  To: CW Reflector 
  Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2010 7:51 PM
  Subject: [CW] Mac Key

  While I was digging today I found my McElroy bug.   I cleaned it up and have also posted some pictures on my blog.  As I started in radio I always thought bugs were cool, then I heard the macs were the top of the line.  
  Wandereing he aisles of a local hamfest I all but fell out when I saw this bug, under it was a short blurb that told its story and the rest of the story is - its mine :)

  The Mac is here
  http://btfom.blogspot.com/2010/03/1939-delux-no-label-just-decal.html

  Guys I have more bugs and keys than cooter has grapes.  The bummer part is my cw skills never got any better by looking at all them.  A few years ago my wife gave me an ameco oscillator kit for christmass, and now that I am settled I'm pecking away at some sending and listening to K7QOs cw files more and more.  
  I repaired my vizkey vertical today, its always had some slack running from dah to dit, i soldered the dah bar to the thumb piece holder and added a weight to it.  I am pretty happy with that key now, figured I would never see a wirechiefs that I could afford.  
  I've had my Norcal qrp 38special on 30, made a few contacts so far off of my loaded gutter so look for my slowness on 30.

  -- 
  Mark Hogan N5OBC

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