[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Report for August 16 & 17th, 2009

[Kevin Rock]

Good Evening!
   What a contrast between the two bands.  Twenty was weak and noisy while forty was very, very strong with a little QSB and summer QRN.  My walk after the second net was not to clear my head of heavy QRN but from the very strong signals.  It was a nice walk on a sunny evening.  Last week's rains have lowered the fire danger to low.  The fogs each morning have brought me a lot of moisture as the fir, hemlock, and cedar mine it directly from the sky.  The large old fir which towers over my house and supports the center of two doublets was raining heavily over my bedroom and over exactly half the deck.  Simply walking out the front door was enough to curl my hair :)  With the added moisture the forest smells good again.  Too dry and it smells scary!  
   
    On to the lists =>

  On 14050.5 kHz at 2300z:
W6ZH - Pete - CA - K2 - 5138
NO8V - John - MI - K3 - 820
N0SS - Tom - MO - K3 - 008
N0AR - Scott - MN - K2 - 4866
K1THP - Dave - CT - K3 - 686
W0RSR - Mike - CO - K2 - 5767
AB9V - Mike - IN - K3 - 398
W0CZ - Ken - ND - K3 - 457
K6DGW - Fred - CA - K3 - 642      * QNI #140 *
NK6A - Don - CA - K3 - 517
KL7CW - Rick - AK - KX1 - 798
WB5BKL - Nick - TX - K3 - 231

  On 7045.5 kHz at 0100z:
NO8V - John - MI - K3 - 820            QNI #85!!!
W0CZ - Ken - ND - K3 - 457        ** QNI #290 **
AB9V - Mike - IN - K3 - 398         ** QNI #240 **
W6ZH - Pete - CA - K2 - 5138
K6DGW - Fred - CA - K3 - 642
W0RSR - Mike - CO - K2 - 5767    * QNI #100 *
N0TA - John - CO - K3 - 994
K6PJV - Dale - CA - K3 - 1183
W7AQK - Dave - AZ - K3 - 96           QNI #10!
NK6A - Don - CA - K3 - 517
N0AR - Scott - MN - K2 - 4866
  
    The sun has really moved in only two weeks.  Soon it won't set within sight of this window.  During the last week the deer have started moving at mid-day.  I have seen them on my way home from town three times in only five days.  I had not seen one in months.  They are not too concerned with me as I drive by but that will soon change.  The hunters are already sighting in their guns but the deer need to avoid the bow hunters during the first season.  I have been seeing more elk sign lately as I split wood.  I know they are only a hundred yards from the house but I have not seen one in many years.  Sneaky :)  The foxgloves are blooming quite near the top so summer is almost done.  While I was trimming alder from the back 'yard' I had to cut around the one supporting my antenna.  Once I had access to that one I cut above and below the point at which the line was tied because I could no longer untie it.  The tree had grown completely around the line in one year.  Now the line is tied around a hemlock so I should be safer.  They don't grow nearly as fast as the weedy alder.  
   I am happy the noise I have on 80 meters is not present on 40 or 20 meters.  I tried turning off power to the house to see if I could eliminate the noise but that did not cause it to cease.  Next step is to go for a walk with a transistor radio so I can do some DFing.  The power line was just replaced for the mile from my transformer to the top of the mountain.  Yes, it was 5260 feet of cable and they had to add 20 feet to make the last connection.  The noise was not present before their repairs so I think they may have some more work to do.  One transformer was relocated behind a logging gate so either that one or the one in front of my house may be the culprit.  It will be easy to separate them with a ferrite rod antenna.  
   Until next week stay well,
      73,
          Kevin.  KD5ONS  (Net Control Operator 5th Class)

-