[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Announcement

[Kevin Rock]

Good Evening,
   Thistle and Shamrock is just ending; what a pleasant radio show, Gaelic music at its best.  Ever since I can remember radio has held a fascination that other mediums can not match.  The red Emerson radio in the kitchen was my first love.  Then my brother's Lafayette HA-1 so I could scan the globe and listen to the strange beeping on the ham bands.  Luckily it had a BFO so I could listen to the modern SSB squawking.  When we moved north I went to a few grades in a two room school where the radio provided classes for us quite often.  The state would send workbooks for the students and the teacher had materials to assist her in presenting the material visually.  With four grades in each room the "Radio of the Air" classes had to cover some ground.
   Propagation has been wonderful this week.  Forty meters each evening has been quite pleasant.  Lots of contacts made between 7102 and 7125 kHz.  I grabbed for my straight key once but was interrupted by someone else answering the CQ first.  So, instead of working him I copied along.  Then I found 7108 clear so I called CQ for a bit.  Not long though because I kept getting responses.  That was fun.  At one point I did have to ask if I was running too fast but the op explained his keyer was on the blink so he was using his key.  Then he tried his keyer again.  I agreed, it needed work!  So I was running 20 wpm and he was running 10 but it worked OK.  Another time I called CQ at 20 only to be answered at 5 wpm.  I slowed down only to have him break me to tell me to speed up!  He explained his arthritis was very bad that day but enjoyed hearing me rattle on ;)  Go figure :)  It was an interesting chat with a guy who had had his ticket since the '30s.  

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 warm,
      Kevin.  KD5ONS

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