[Fists] W1AW

[Nancy Kott]

Hi FISTS,:

I got to Newington earlier than planned (it was about a three hour drive
from where I'm staying on Cape Cod) and was able to start operating at
about 10:30 am. I had to go QRT at noon so the OM watching the station
could go to lunch. He said I was welcome to come back at 1, but the
attention span of my OM had been exceeded by at least an hour, so we took a
quick tour of HQ - a separate building from W1AW-  (I didn't see anyone
except a couple office workers) and left the area.

40 meters was totally dead, even with the huge antenna farm, so I was set
up on 20 meters, beam facing west. Things were slow and steady, then word
must have gotten out because I suddenly had a pile up. Most people
commented that is was great to hear W1AW on CW.  The OM who worked at the
station could not have been nicer and seemed thrilled that I wanted to
operate using code. He said they had every type of key available; iambics,
a bug and a straight key.  I asked to use the $1400 Swedish key that I
heard the manufacturer was donating to W1AW, but they didn't have it yet. I
used the Schurr straight key I brought with me. 

I put about a dozen FISTS in the log. If you want a card from W1AW you have
to send a QSL and an SASE to HQ in Newington. They wouldn't give me cards
to send out.

It was a very good experience, I just wish I could have spent more time
there. Maybe on my 50th wedding anniversary, the OM will let me stay the
whole day (this is our 25th anniversary) HI HI.

73
Nancy