[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Announcement

[Kevin Rock]

Good Evening,
    The seasons are indeed changing.  They have gone from grouse calling in  
the afternoon to saw whet owls calling at night.  As the owls file away I  
keep wondering how such a small bird can make such a loud sound.  Then I  
think of a cricket's stridulations created by rubbing body parts  
together.  Another odd call we have up here is the veery; it creates a  
tone which rises and falls in tone simultaneously.  This reminds me of a  
passage in Copeland's "Appalachian Spring".  Where he uses multiple  
instruments to create the same tonal changes the veery uses one syrinx.  I  
am confused about how they can do that.
    I just finished tuning the front end of a new transceiver.  It now  
works on receive for both CW and SSB.  Next I get to tune the transmit  
section for best output.  However, while listening to the local oscillator  
and the receive section I had a chance to check both 80 and 40 meters.  I  
know 40 is working fairly well because there is a contest on at this  
time.  They helped me tune the first IF transformer.  Then I moved to SSB  
and found a group of folks chatting.  They helped me set the BFO for best  
tone.  I was listening to 20 meters early today while working on my  
computer.  Seems like both bands are working.
    At the ARES meeting on Tuesday evening one member stated the bands were  
in terrible shape.  I had to differ with him because I had been having a  
great time working folks on the other side of the world.  Then I asked him  
the crucial question, "What mode are you using?"  He looked at me funny  
and said, "SSB, of course!"  I demurred in stating the obvious; discretion  
is often the better part of valor.  This soul is the one who runs the ARES  
Field Day operation.  They try to make as many points as possible without  
getting on the air.  Luckily I've found some other folks to work with to  
get on the air and make contacts from the field.  I'll not be working from  
an EOC but I won't have their S8 noise floor either ;)  We are going to  
have fun and make contacts with other folks who are out to have a good  
time.

    Tomorrow:

1) Hail signs  (first letter or two of the suffix of your call)
2) NCS help (as well as QSP/QNP <relay> help)

    Please join us:

Sunday 2300z (Sunday 4 PM PDT) 14050 kHz
Monday 0200z (Sunday 7 PM PDT)  7045 kHz

         Kevin.  KD5ONS