[Fists] Thank you very much

[David Ring]

I've received many nice emails from people and I want to thank them
very much for sending them.  I also received one from someone who says
the he has received many emails saying that I'm showing FISTS to be
unwelcoming to the newcomer.

Absolutely not!  FISTS has always welcomed the newcomer with open arms.

For a reason unknown to me (and others) the subject of calling
frequency is one of historic misunderstanding.  Every time Geo G3ZQS
reminded us that we should move off frequency after making initial
contact, there were floods of letters!  Most of the Brits understood
the concept though.  It was mainly us rebelous Yanks who didn't grasp
the concept.  You would have thought that it was King Geo and the
Boston Tea Party by some of the writings.

It is probably the most misunderstood concept in amateur radio today.
Even on vhf it is so and that it is still used to good advantage.

I'll share with you one email below.  He makes some good points.  The
subject of calling frequencies came up because someone asked the
proceedure of how to use them.

If we don't use them by listening and by calling on them we loose the
effectiveness of them.

We also must continue to instruct the newcomer when he asks "How do I
use the calling frequencies and QSY".

I wonder how many of the those that got upset by the instruction from
myself and others on how to use calling frequencies have actually used
them in this way?

It does take a little work - but then again all of CW is a little work.

73

David

from David G3SCD/ Vk3DBD

Well done David Ring with that food for thought comments.
All good stuff indeed.   But as in most fields there is little
substitute for experience.   You have that. ...many do not and
therefore  would not necessarily fully understand the finer points.
Anyone who is a Fists member is keen on CW. That surely must be fact.
Sad to say there are many of them out there who seldom venture on air
for fear of embarrasment if they are unsure of their operating skills.
 We all know hams who say - "When I get better at the Morse I will
come on air"
Some do, some never get that far.  Practice makes perfect, not just
Morse but at having a qso.  So altho a calling freq is a good idea
(and Fists have one for each band) if no one listens there and no one
calls either, it fails miserably!
I call CQ on 3.558 and other likely bands most days but seldom do I
find a Fists stn.
So you  hesitant ops,  be brave put out a few CQs or listen out and do
not be afraid to send QRS if you need to. Any good op will immediatley
respond to that request.
                                73 from David G3SCD/ Vk3DBD
Member of Fists, SKCC, MEGS, FOC, RAOTA,
currently in Lincolnshire