[Fists] How to break in?

[Fred Adsit]

Well, you got a taste of the problems I am having getting back to my usual
speed, and the keyer in the TS-570DG was no big help - it really rattled
me and I was ashamed to be there, in public, having code practice. I never
had trouble like that before, so it is back to the traffic nets next week.
Time WILL be set aside to help NYSCW, 2RN, EAN out.

I am one of those hotshots who can read (head copy) at 60 once I get in
the groove, but cannot send that fast even with a keyboard. My bug fist
has gone to pot. The KN0WCW op today was Don, WD8OCV, who seemed to really
like to ragchew. I did have supper going cold but not until we discussed
how to cut a field with a scythe first - his grass in Ashtabula has turned
into a hayfield due to the incessant rainstorms. I felt like I was hogging
the freq but he is a great ragchewer and we will meet again with him as
WD8OCV.

I heard that guy testing. It could be anyone - The 570DG has a vox switch
and if on, it is embarrassing what one can do. I am rusty enough not to
fully understand how the darned rig even works, but the QRMer was strong
and surely must have heard us - was dead on freq. It rattled me but he
stopped immediately, so at least that was progress. NOW -

What to do to break in? Especially in a case like this one, just send BK
and I, and I am sure Don, would have frozen to see who was asking in. And
am sorry we didn't get a chance to bring you in, Bob. I think I might have
let supper get cold. I won't be on tonight, Bob, but hang in there. If I
can fit into the breaks in storms this weekend, I plan to hang around the
40M FISTS freq and will be happy to QSO. I can give no points - don't have
any - but will be very happy chat and give you one more new contact. I
have the luxury of being able after a decent pause to find the other
logbook, to become the ZUT ARC (W2ZOJ / 7900) station. We could move off
freq and use that, which would be satisfaction guaranteed or double my
garbage back, although I do hope my fist improves rapidly with
practice.W2ZOJ has a widespread membership so it is not easy to man it as
a FISTS club station, so that is a FISTS club number, but it is Not a true
FISTS station (I don't think). I gather that is why KN0WCW was created.
Great idea.

Fred NY2V / 1293
Syracuse NY

----- Original Message ----- 
From: W2SR - Robert I. Block
To: fists@mailman.qth.net
Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2003 7:23 PM
Subject: [Fists] How to break in?

I'm one of the more bashful types who waits for a QSO to end before
tail-ending
on of the stations.  But I'd also like to complete my CC and sometimes I
find
that the dinner bell wins before I can get my QSO.  What is the etiquette
for
breaking in?

This afternoon, for example, Fred was having a FB QSO with Don, KN0WCW.
Fred
was 599+ here and Don was 589.  Now I already have KN0WCW in the log, but
Fred
would have been a new one.  So I followed the QSO until the dinner bell
won and
Fred signed CL.

Now it so happened, that during the QSO, some OM had an uncontrollable
urge to
tune up (no call sign, maybe it was IM1LID?) and Fred paused and sent QRZ?
to
invite him in.   In reflection, if I had send BK or some such, I might
have been
invited and we could have exchanged RST and FISTS numbers and then I could
have
either continued with the QSO or dropped out.

What is the right way to break in to a QSO and is jumping in and out after
exchanging a report welcomed or deprecated?

73
Bob Block
W2SR