[Elecraft] Operator skills training

[Kevin Rock]

This morning, after an enjoyable hour chatting with my mentor on 20 meters, I came to a realization about the skills learned via contesting and acting as net control.  Thursday night I had a fun catching both foxes in the summer fox hunt while on field day I had a good time work stations far and wide.  ECN has me digging for signals trying my best to get everyone who is trying to check in.  After I got off the air I was out hiking around the mountain thinking about the contact.  There was QSB at the same rate as the CW combined with a slow fade which caused letters to simply disappear.  But we made it work.  If not for all those skills learned from other ragchews, a bit of contesting, and ECN I may have thrown in the towel early and said I simply cannot copy you.  But, I could copy him; the skills were there due to the time spent digging during contests and nets.  My walk was fun but the realization I had gained enough skills to have an hour long chat under less than ideal conditions because I had contested and acted as net control made my step a bit lighter and the day feel much better.  The aches and pains of working at a computer for many hours drained away as I thought about the contact.  

Amateur radio is a diverse hobby; I find each facet I explore assists me in becoming a better operator.  I have the most fun meeting new people and simply chatting away on CW for an hour or so.  Keeps me sane :)
   73,
      Kevin.   KD5ONS