[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Announcement - Notice the new times - One hour and two hours earlier.

[Kevin Rock]

Good Evening,
   Beware the ides of November.  Well since then it has snowed a number of times.  I think this morning's offering was number 6 for the season.  Between the snowfall, the torrential rain, and the howling winds it has been rather pleasant.  Having a large pile of well seasoned wood keeps life at bay as well as the wilderness.  There are a bunch of critters sitting outside the window looking at me with "puppy dog eyes" wanting to lay by the fire.  As long as they are fairly well house trained they can come in.  Who am I to complain?  My house keeping often requires a shovel and a shop vac.  
   Propagation has been good this week.  Solid contacts with little QSB.  Some noise but nothing to complain about.  The sun has had a few spots and there has been a solar stream hitting the earth for much of the week.  If the skies were not continuously cloudy I may get a look at them.  But there is this stream of storms aimed at mid to Northern Oregon on an almost permanent basis for the last few weeks.  When it drifts south the snow level drops.  When it moves northward the winds increase.  Luckily all the broken branches hung up in the trees have been blown free.  
   Oh, I did lose an antenna this week.  Not so much the antenna but the feedline.  I heard a whumping sound on the roof.  I wandered out to look after the light of dawn was bright enough to allow me to see things.  No, the antenna is still up.  However, later, when I tuned the antenna (#1) I found the SWR was vastly different than it had been.  But when my mentor called I forgot all about that and replied on antenna #1.  He thought I was kind of weak.  Hmmm... I wonder why?  He was hearing me transmit through a feedline coiled up on my very wet roof.  When I switched to antenna #2 the results were much better.  The antenna is still up however the feedline had broken cleanly at the connection to the two legs.  Hopefully there will be a break in the rain so I can get up there, drop the antenna, and solder it back together.  Maybe it will be during a period when the snow is falling.  Propagation is so much better when the antennas are hoisted or repaired during inclement weather.  No howling blizzards in Western Oregon so I will take what I can get.

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

Sunday 2300z (Sunday 3 PM PST) 14050 kHz
Monday 0000z (Sunday 4 PM PST)  7045 kHz

   Stay well,
      Kevin.  KD5ONS

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