[Elecraft] Yippee, M0KWV finally gets on air with K1-K1-4 #1534

Mon Jun 23 07:18:01 2003

Well folks I finally did it! It has taken nearly 7 months including the
RAE, 5WPM morse test, license application, building and testing K1 (many
hrs of soldering fun), making a 40m dipole (2.5sqmm solid copper PVC
insulated wiring cable and home brew centre piece), climbing trees and
hanging out of attic window etc etc. But on Tuesday June 17 12.30am I
finally hoisted the 40m dipole strung the feeder across the lawn plugged
into the PWR/SWR meter and fired up the K1. SWR was 1.5 on 40. Looking
good. With the K1 set to 5W, power out went right up to nearly 10W and
current 1.5A! Backed off K1 setting to 2W and got 5W out and 0.9A drain.
Didn't fully understand why but continued. I put out a slow CQ on 7.030
fully expecting to hear nothing in reply and totally unprepared if I did.
WOW OH BOY I DID!!!. My call came straight back loud and clear. To hear
your own call come back for the first time is a strange mixture of
disbelief, intense excitement and total panic in equal proportions. My hand
was shaking so much on my straight key that I'm surprised the other guy
could copy anything at all. The "other guy" was G3JXC running QRP from
Sidcup, Kent. He gave me a 569-599 with QSB. I was totally gob smacked.
Many TNX to Chas if he ever reads this for his nice slow CW and patience.

Since then I've had about a dozen QSO's on 40m around Europe with amazing
reports from the K1, 5W and dipole. I seem to get answers to my CQ's
without fail. This little box is just fantastic. Quickly got the hang of
zero beating on my sidetone and using the filters. So here are my current
questions to you experts:

1)    How come on 40m the power output is  10W and 1.5A drain when set for
5W. Is it that the dipole Z is much lower than 50ohms. Power output matches
K1 setting on 15m.

2)    Why is SWR 1.5 on 40m and 1.0 on 15m. I was expecting the opposite.
BTW I'm not using any ATU. I have the KAT1 but haven't built it yet.

3)    Is it worth trying to alter the dipole length to get SWR of 1.0 on
40m. I'm tempted to leave it if it works. (if it works don't fix it)

4)    My CW sending is fine and I get compliments on it but my copy speed
is slow (10WPM approx). Copying live on the air is a different kettle of
fish to doing it from a tape. I get nervous and mind goes blank. Some ops
have great slow speed CW and I've got everything, but others either can't
slow down, won't slow down or when they do it looses all the rhythm and
becomes a jerky mess. Is this because they are using keyers. Some start
slow and get faster. Some guys roll letters together and I can't make any
sense of it. On some QSO's I've only copied 25%. I'm going to stick with it
though and not get discouraged now that I've got this far. Not sure whether
to use tapes or just practise as much as poss on the air. On the air is far
more fun than a tape. Any suggestions or just some encouragment.

Well getting on the air has been a great experience for me and something
I've wanted to do for years. The rest of the family think I'm crazy but who
cares it's great fun and beats the internet any day. Doing it with the K1
has made it even more rewarding. Looking forward to working some of you
guys in the future. I shall be around 7.030 in the evenings.

Thanks again to all on this reflector that have helped me along the way.
When I get time I'll try to get out on the other bands and maybe across the
pond.

MNI 73
MARTIN
M0KWV, K1/K1-4  #1534

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