[CW] Life Time Novice

[Richard Knoppow]

    An interesting piece of biography. I must say I am skeptical that 
getting an extra made ham radio less attractive. After twenty years I am 
sure other things happened.
    Now, I write because I am about the opposite; when I got my first 
license I decided that I had the technical chops to get a general. At 
the time the General had full privileges. I could read 5 WPM almost 
right away on learning the code but decided to practice a bit to get to 
13 WPM. Got to maybe 15 WPM and went down to the FCC and passed the 
test. I don't remember how long it took to get the license certificate, 
maybe a month.  Meanwhile, with the help of my mentor (I hate the term 
Elmer) I assembled a station consisting of surplus and used gear. Quite 
low power, maybe 50 Watts. Had a BC-375 modified to work with a home 
brew exciter. I actually had it on SSB but worked mostly CW. Keys were a 
J-38, bought new for less than a dollar and a J-36 costing maybe five 
dollars. I had a decent receiver, a Super-Pro I had modified.
     After a while my work took up too much time and I fell away from 
ham radio for quite a long hiatus. When I came back I had to take the 
test again. No code Extra this time. Got it. Applied for my original 
call and got it back. Not very active now mostly because I can't rig a 
decent antenna where I am. Will find a way. I had all the original gear 
but had to sell it when getting rid of expensive storage. Have Drake 
gear now and a Kenwood transceiver. All now antiques although thirty 
years newer than my original stuff. Modern gear is probably better but I 
understand this stuff pretty well. I also had a commercial license once, 
which I got mostly to see if I could do it.
    I am not super good at CW but enjoy it and it has become a lifetime 
endevour, which I practice at constantly. I take some pride in being 
reasonably good at it but know there are people who are far better.
     Enough.

On 9/18/2024 1:10 PM, D.J.J. Ring, Jr. wrote:
> I do not know if I can write a LITTLE article about being
> a novice. I will try.
> 
> Thank you for asking and researching the article about
> “The Lifetime Novice, April 1980 QST and then tracking me
> down.

-- 
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles
WB6KBL
SKCC 19998