[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Report for August 2nd & 3rd, 2009

[Kevin Rock]

Good Evening,
   Both nets were rather noisy but the second one had more lightning crashes.  I had reports there were storms in the Sierras so that would be why they were so loud here.  Colorado was hot as were reports from California and from my front yard.  Hopefully the rain forecast for my future will materialize because fire danger is very high bordering on extreme.  I had reports of QRM early in the twenty meter net but did not hear any until later.  I was not sure if the person was sending Morse code or simply tuning up because I could not decipher anything from the sporadically intermixed dits and dahs.  The timing was very, very strange.  The dah to dit ratio was around 20:1 and the dahs seemed particularly rare.  I thought the key was jammed at times but then it would stop and I would hear a tuning signal.  Not sure what was going on.
   Since the weather was so warm here I decided to use that to my advantage this week.  I swept and mopped the deck a couple times in preparation for sealing it for the winter.  Then, yesterday, I swept it again and sealed it.  I added sand to the mixture so I will have some traction when the rains come back.  The algae was cleaned off with a stiff mixture of bleach and water.  That took a couple washings but it came out very nice.  The deck should be good for another few years before I seal it again.  Pat and I built the frame before we moved to Albuquerque and then set the boards in 2005.  Multiple levels and a lot of square footage, it came out very nice even if all of the planned levels were not completed.  I plan on adding a couple more decks around the house so this experience has helped me design the next one a little differently.  A twenty by twenty main deck with a fourteen by eight level leading to the entryway provide lots of space for potted plants and furniture.  Now that the hummers are gone it is safe to sit and read again :)

  On to the lists =>

On 14050 kHz at 2300z:
W6ZH - Pete - CA - K1 - 553
NO8V - John - MI - K3 - 820
K1THP - Dave - CT - K3 - 686 
AB9V - Mike - IN - K3 - 398
N0SS - Tom - MO - K3 - 008
W6UDX - Ron - CA - K2 - 6687
K6PJV - Dale - CA - K3 - 1183
NS7P - Phil - OR - K3 - 1826
W0RSR - Mike - CO - K2 - 5767
N6VX - Robert - FL
NK6A - Don - CA - K2 - 1217
K2HYD - Ray - NC - KX1 - 608    * QNI #125 *
W0NTA - Dick - CO - K3 - 1208
K6DGW - Fred - CA - K3 - 642
W6SU - John - CA - K3 - 1303
W0CZ - Ken - MN - K3 - 457      ** QNI #285 **

On 7045 kHz at 0100z:
NO8V - John - MI - K3 - 820
W6ZH - Pete - CA - K1 - 553      * QNI #190 *
W0CZ - Ken - MN - K3 - 457
K6DGW - Fred - CA - K3 - 642
K6PJV - Dale - CA - K3 - 1183
NK6A - Don - CA - K2 - 1217
N0TA - John - CO - K3 - 994
N0AR - Scott - MN - K2 - 4866
K1THP - Dave - CT - K3 - 686
NS7P - Phil - OR - K3 - 1826
W0NTA - Dick - CO - K3 - 1208    QNI #95!!!!
N4SAM - Sam - AL - K3 - 3167

   If there are any errors in the above lists please send me an email with the corrections.  I am happy with propagation lately.  It seems to be gradually improving.  Maybe were are past the bottom of this cycle.  There have not been any sunspots in the last week or so but there was some aurora borealis.  Sporadic E conditions were reported for most of the US too.  I will keep my rig tuned to the beacons on 10 meters and see if I can hear an opening there.  Then maybe try 15 and 6 meters to see who I can find.
   Until next week stay cool and stay well,
      73,
          Kevin.  KD5ONS  (Net Control Operator 5th Class)

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