[Elecraft] Wounded Warrior - Ham Operator

Tue Aug 20 21:57:13 EDT 2013

Unfortunately, I can’t contribute just now (too much month, you know), but definitely want to help as well. I love that he’s interested in learning morse, too. While I can’t go in on the KPA100/KAT100 project (I hope it gets fully funded by the time I could do something towards it), can I, I dunno, send him a good straight key (not to mention welcome him to the Straight Key Century Club)? Does he have a computer he can run something like the G4FON code trainer on? 

I know from personal experience that hams, and especially Elecraft hams, are top shelf, A number one people. While I’m not a wounded warrior, nor for that matter anyone particularly special, I, too, had a group of folks gift me Elecraft gear several years ago, in the name of my now deceased, though still much loved, first guide dog, Karl. Alan/1HYV, builder of a ton of kits, was the guy that built mine, and Don, W3FPR, recently helped me with some repairs that it needed last year. And I, too, want to give back, but it’ll be a couple weeks. 

Anyway, thanks from me as well for doing this. It’s one thing to know there are still good people in the world. It’s quite another to see this in action. 

Vy 73,
--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY

On Aug 20, 2013, at 9:36 PM, Don Wilhelm <w3fpr at embarqmail.com> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> Eric and Wayne have offered a 50% discount on a new KPA100 and KAT100-2 for this project -- Thank you Elecraft.  I will be doing the building at no cost.
> 
> We have 2 solid contributions of $100 each for this project with a possibility of a 3rd (unconfirmed).
> I have gone 'out on a limb' and ordered the kits charged to my credit card.  If there is a 3rd or a 4th individual who would like to help (in any amount), that would be greatly appreciated (less money out of my pocket).
> 
> Please let me know if you are also willing to help.  I will not accept anything in excess of my actual expenses.
> 
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
> 
> On 8/20/2013 2:48 AM, KC6CNN wrote:
>> I wanted to take a minute to thank a few hams that help me assist a wounded
>> warrior that just became a ham operator.
>> I would like to thank  John   KF7OM  for being patient while a bunch of ham
>> pooled their money to purchase a radio for the wounded warrior.
>> 
>> I would like to thank Don Wilhelm  W3FPR for his help trouble shooting and
>> walking me through a trouble shooting of a donated kio2 kit that did not
>> work. Don you assistance was right on and you hit the nail on the head and
>> solved the problem.
>> 
>> I would also like to thank the fine people at Elecraft. Once Don had
>> isolated the problem and it was a transistor. I called Elecraft and spoke
>> with Howard. I explained that Don and I had been trouble shooting a KIO2 for
>> a Wounded Warrior new ham and needed a transistor. I gave him a part number
>> and Howard said I will get it sent out to you tomorrow. It arrived fast and
>> resolved the problem.
>> 
>> The radio was given to the Wounded Warrior today and he was beaming with
>> pride. A bunch of local hams came out and built a dipole antenna and pitched
>> in to get him on the air.
>> 
>> When he found out that John, Don, Howard from Elecraft had all help a person
>> they did not know it brought a tear to his eyes. For a Wounded Warrior who
>> also suffers from PTSD. Ham radio allows him to met new people and talk
>> around the world. Right now he has a Elecraft K2/10, we are all going to
>> work on getting him a mic and eventually up to a 100 watts. But he showed
>> great interest in qrp. The mic will not be used much I suspect as he has
>> also expressed a great interest to do CW.
>> 
>> So, Thanks to all of you that help in this project. It reassured me that
>> hams are great people and that Elecraft is the very best in customer
>> service. I know that most the hams down here could not believe that Elecraft
>> would send the part out and that it was so easy to get ahold of a
>> knowledgeable person from the company. I can assure you that the Wounded
>> Warrior will not buy any other brand of rig, except Elecraft.
>> 
>> Thank you all. It was very touching.
>> 73's Gerald KC6CNN
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----
>> KC6CNN - Gerald
>> K2 # 5486
>> K3 # 6254
>> KX3 # 757
>> --
>> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Wounded-Warrior-Ham-Operator-tp7577952.html
>> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
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