[Elecraft] KPA500 - just 500 watts?

[Phil Hystad]

Ron,

Apparently you are not a woodworker.  There isn't a machine on the planet that
can do a better job of finely cut dovetails by hand or a surface of a cabinet
polished to a mirror smoothness with a hand plane. 

I do a lot of hand joinery as my other hobby and although I am not as skilled
as some of the greats, I have done work that I could never do as well using
my powered tools -- and, I have a fairly elaborate wood working shop, certainly
more money invested then in my ham radio gear.

73, phil, K7PEH


On Jan 25, 2011, at 8:16 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> Using a straight key (or bug) is like using a hand plane and chisels to make
> furniture. The end result will never be as perfect as something done with
> power tools, but the satisfaction is in the challenge of learning to do the
> best job possible with something that demands physical skill. 
> 
> I am immediately alerted whenever I hear a bug or straight key on the bands.
> I find keyers boring by comparison. Not that I won't work someone sending
> machine-perfect CW and enjoy the contact, but to me it's like listening to a
> "computer voice" instead of a real person speaking. 
> 
> I quite agree that the skill in working QRP goes to the receiving station. I
> get a much bigger personal thrill out of achieving Q5 copy from a guy
> running 100 mW than I do when someone reports Q5 copy when I'm running 100
> mW. 
> 
> Ron AC7AC
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Pete Smith
> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 1:33 PM
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 - just 500 watts?
> 
> And I think a lot of the "skill" should be credited to the ops on the 
> other end who manage to pull out the QRP stations.  That said, operator 
> skill is particularly important for any QRP station - I will never 
> understand why many still use straight keys, badly formed cw, and 
> unnecessary verbiage (like "/QRP", for example).
> 
> 
> 73, Pete N4ZR
> 
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