From n1ea at arrl.net Sun Sep 6 18:29:20 2015 From: n1ea at arrl.net (D.J.J. Ring, Jr.) Date: Sun, 6 Sep 2015 18:29:20 -0400 Subject: [Fists] Semi-Automatic Sending Video Message-ID: Hello FISTS, I thought some of you might be learning the semi-automatic key, so I wanted to send along this video link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NjjviNVaW8 Not a great quality production, but it might be interesting to you. The method is right on the money, roll the wrist, no finger muscles! 73 David N1EA FISTS 9227 From w2lj at verizon.net Sun Sep 6 22:44:46 2015 From: w2lj at verizon.net (Larry Makoski) Date: Sun, 06 Sep 2015 22:44:46 -0400 Subject: [Fists] 2015 NJQRP Skeeter Hunt Results Message-ID: A big and hearty "Thank You" to all who particpated in the 2015 NJQRP Skeeter Hunt last month. Wow, it was just a month ago? The results and soapbox have been published for your perusal. Scoreboard can be found at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lcRvpNb2jwgyJsqruCdecNiWXNpi6yz2l4vvJucp0UE/edit#gid=307219926 And the soapbox can be found at http://www.qsl.net/w2lj/index%20page%208 The main Skeeter Hunt page, if you want to take a gander at previous years results is (the links are at the bottom) http://www.qsl.net/w2lj/ I am hoping (and will do my best) to get certificates out to those who earned them by the end of September. See you again, on the second Sunday of August 2016! 72 de Larry W2LJ NJQRP Skeeter Hunt Manager From ac5shfistop at gmail.com Thu Sep 10 17:54:20 2015 From: ac5shfistop at gmail.com (Tim O) Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2015 16:54:20 -0500 Subject: [Fists] "How fast are you?" Message-ID: "So how fast are you?"..... AAAAUGH!! Speed is the most overworked concept in the world of Morse Code. I'm fast enough that I can get on and call CQ and get an answer, that's how fast. Sometimes that's really slow and sometimes it's somewhat above average. We think WAY too much about the dreaded speed issue and way too little about actually being on air. If you have all the characters, prosigns etc., and can copy solid at 5 wpm, you are fast enough to get on air and call CQ and and myself and many other ops are just sitting here waiting to answer you AT YOUR SPEED. You might get faster playing all the little computer training games but you will NEVER be a GOOD code op unless you get on the air. Here we are, fast, slow and in between. Instead of asking how fast other ops are, thinking you need to get to their speed to not be embarrassed, and NEVER getting there, how about just joining us on air, sweating it out like we did and being one of us. You have to crawl, then walk, then run. We all did and we are all here waiting to work you. I think I speak for all who have been asked how fast they are so many times, and wonder why we don?t work more slow newbies. Come on in, the water is fine :) Accuracy transcends speed. It doesn't replace it but it transcends it. Speed will come by itself for all who just spend regular time on air. "So how fast are you?" AAAAUGH!! 73 Tim, AC5SH From pgoemans at sbcglobal.net Thu Sep 10 20:34:11 2015 From: pgoemans at sbcglobal.net (Paul Goemans) Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2015 19:34:11 -0500 Subject: [Fists] "How fast are you?" In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <80FE538F1DD34E80AD48577DEEB36719@PaulHP> Yes, Well put, Tim! Please get on the air at your speed and call CQ. Or answer a CQ at your speed. I am thrilled when I contact a ham who says "You are my first contact", and I send them a special personalized certificate afterwards! Paul Goemans WA9PWP Stoughton, WI 1965 - 50 years of ham radio - 2015 FISTS 2153 -----Original Message----- From: Tim O Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2015 4:54 PM To: fists Subject: [Fists] "How fast are you?" "So how fast are you?"..... AAAAUGH!! Speed is the most overworked concept in the world of Morse Code. I'm fast enough that I can get on and call CQ and get an answer, that's how fast. Sometimes that's really slow and sometimes it's somewhat above average. We think WAY too much about the dreaded speed issue and way too little about actually being on air. If you have all the characters, prosigns etc., and can copy solid at 5 wpm, you are fast enough to get on air and call CQ and and myself and many other ops are just sitting here waiting to answer you AT YOUR SPEED. You might get faster playing all the little computer training games but you will NEVER be a GOOD code op unless you get on the air. Here we are, fast, slow and in between. Instead of asking how fast other ops are, thinking you need to get to their speed to not be embarrassed, and NEVER getting there, how about just joining us on air, sweating it out like we did and being one of us. You have to crawl, then walk, then run. We all did and we are all here waiting to work you. I think I speak for all who have been asked how fast they are so many times, and wonder why we don?t work more slow newbies. Come on in, the water is fine :) Accuracy transcends speed. It doesn't replace it but it transcends it. Speed will come by itself for all who just spend regular time on air. "So how fast are you?" AAAAUGH!! 73 Tim, AC5SH ______________________________________________________________ FISTS mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/fists Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:FISTS at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From cwgeek at kb6nu.com Fri Sep 11 08:10:26 2015 From: cwgeek at kb6nu.com (Dan Romanchik KB6NU) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2015 08:10:26 -0400 Subject: [Fists] "How fast are you?" In-Reply-To: <80FE538F1DD34E80AD48577DEEB36719@PaulHP> References: <80FE538F1DD34E80AD48577DEEB36719@PaulHP> Message-ID: <7C006C7C-C726-4771-A6FC-7FE9BE1ADA78@kb6nu.com> I agree wholeheartedly with both Tim and Paul. Making contacts on the air is the best practice, and I'm always happy to work someone no matter how fast or slow they want to go. Like Tim, it's a special treat for me when someone tells me that this is his or her first CW contact. If you ever hear me on the air, please give me a call. 73! Dan KB6NU ---------------------------------------------------------- CW Geek, Ham Radio Instructor Author, The CW Geek's Guide to Having FUN with Morse Code Read my ham radio blog at http://www.kb6nu.com On Sep 10, 2015, at Sep 10,8:34 PM, "Paul Goemans" wrote: > Yes, > Well put, Tim! Please get on the air at your speed and call CQ. Or answer a CQ at your speed. I am thrilled when I contact a ham who says "You are my first contact", and I send them a special personalized certificate afterwards! > > Paul Goemans WA9PWP > Stoughton, WI > 1965 - 50 years of ham radio - 2015 > FISTS 2153 > > > -----Original Message----- From: Tim O > Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2015 4:54 PM > To: fists > Subject: [Fists] "How fast are you?" > > > > "So how fast are you?"..... AAAAUGH!! > > Speed is the most overworked concept in the world of Morse Code. > > I'm fast enough that I can get on and call CQ and get an answer, that's how > fast. Sometimes that's really slow and sometimes it's somewhat above > average. > > We think WAY too much about the dreaded speed issue and way too little > about actually being on air. If you have all the characters, prosigns etc., > and can copy solid at 5 wpm, you are fast enough to get on air and call CQ > and and myself and many other ops are just sitting here waiting to answer > you AT YOUR SPEED. > > You might get faster playing all the little computer training games but you > will NEVER be a GOOD code op unless you get on the air. > > Here we are, fast, slow and in between. Instead of asking how fast other > ops are, thinking you need to get to their speed to not be embarrassed, and > NEVER getting there, how about just joining us on air, sweating it out like > we did and being one of us. > > You have to crawl, then walk, then run. We all did and we are all here > waiting to work you. > > I think I speak for all who have been asked how fast they are so many > times, and wonder why we don?t work more slow newbies. Come on in, the > water is fine :) > > Accuracy transcends speed. It doesn't replace it but it transcends it. > Speed will come by itself for all who just spend regular time on air. > > "So how fast are you?" AAAAUGH!! > > 73 > Tim, AC5SH From ae4pb at carolinaheli.com Fri Sep 11 08:23:50 2015 From: ae4pb at carolinaheli.com (ae4pb at carolinaheli.com) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2015 08:23:50 -0400 Subject: [Fists] "How fast are you?" In-Reply-To: <7C006C7C-C726-4771-A6FC-7FE9BE1ADA78@kb6nu.com> References: <80FE538F1DD34E80AD48577DEEB36719@PaulHP> <7C006C7C-C726-4771-A6FC-7FE9BE1ADA78@kb6nu.com> Message-ID: <031a01d0ec8c$b8c291c0$2a47b540$@carolinaheli.com> Well my radio kit should arrive near the end of next week. With a little work and sweat I may be on the air before the end of the weekend. We'll see how it goes. I'm returning to the hobby after a many year break and intent CW to be my PRIMARY mode. Previously my primary mode was SSB. Jer AE4PB -----Original Message----- From: FISTS [mailto:fists-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dan Romanchik KB6NU Sent: Friday, September 11, 2015 8:10 AM To: FISTS-L Subject: Re: [Fists] "How fast are you?" I agree wholeheartedly with both Tim and Paul. Making contacts on the air is the best practice, and I'm always happy to work someone no matter how fast or slow they want to go. Like Tim, it's a special treat for me when someone tells me that this is his or her first CW contact. If you ever hear me on the air, please give me a call. 73! Dan KB6NU ---------------------------------------------------------- CW Geek, Ham Radio Instructor Author, The CW Geek's Guide to Having FUN with Morse Code Read my ham radio blog at http://www.kb6nu.com On Sep 10, 2015, at Sep 10,8:34 PM, "Paul Goemans" wrote: > Yes, > Well put, Tim! Please get on the air at your speed and call CQ. Or answer a CQ at your speed. I am thrilled when I contact a ham who says "You are my first contact", and I send them a special personalized certificate afterwards! > > Paul Goemans WA9PWP > Stoughton, WI > 1965 - 50 years of ham radio - 2015 > FISTS 2153 > > > -----Original Message----- From: Tim O > Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2015 4:54 PM > To: fists > Subject: [Fists] "How fast are you?" > > > > "So how fast are you?"..... AAAAUGH!! > > Speed is the most overworked concept in the world of Morse Code. > > I'm fast enough that I can get on and call CQ and get an answer, > that's how fast. Sometimes that's really slow and sometimes it's > somewhat above average. > > We think WAY too much about the dreaded speed issue and way too little > about actually being on air. If you have all the characters, prosigns > etc., and can copy solid at 5 wpm, you are fast enough to get on air > and call CQ and and myself and many other ops are just sitting here > waiting to answer you AT YOUR SPEED. > > You might get faster playing all the little computer training games > but you will NEVER be a GOOD code op unless you get on the air. > > Here we are, fast, slow and in between. Instead of asking how fast > other ops are, thinking you need to get to their speed to not be > embarrassed, and NEVER getting there, how about just joining us on > air, sweating it out like we did and being one of us. > > You have to crawl, then walk, then run. We all did and we are all here > waiting to work you. > > I think I speak for all who have been asked how fast they are so many > times, and wonder why we don't work more slow newbies. Come on in, the > water is fine :) > > Accuracy transcends speed. It doesn't replace it but it transcends it. > Speed will come by itself for all who just spend regular time on air. > > "So how fast are you?" AAAAUGH!! > > 73 > Tim, AC5SH ______________________________________________________________ FISTS mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/fists Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:FISTS at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From w2lj at verizon.net Sun Sep 13 18:56:47 2015 From: w2lj at verizon.net (Larry W2LJ) Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2015 18:56:47 -0400 Subject: [Fists] NAQCC Sprint this Wednesday Evening Message-ID: The September sprint is this coming Wednesday evening local time (September 16th, EDT - 8:30-10:30PM, CDT - 7:30-9:30PM, MDT - 6:30-8:30PM, PDT - 5:30-7:30PM), which translates as Thursday, September 17th, 0030 to 0230Z in all cases. For all the "official" information, please go to: http://naqcc.info/sprint201509.html There you will find all the details as to time, frequencies and other important information. Certificates: SWA (simple wire antennas) certificates by call area, VE and DX for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers (New!). A Certificate for top score in the GAIN antenna category. Prizes: Too many to list!! - check out the prizes page on our website. This is a monthly event that caters to the CW veteran, the CW newcomer, straight key and bug fans. All are welcome to participate (this includes QRO); but you must use QRP power levels to compete for awards. If you've been hesitant to join in our sprints because you hear other sprints running at breakneck speeds, have no fear. Our sprints are geared to the newcomer to CW and/or contesting. Virtually everyone including the many veteran contesters who regularly enter our sprints will slow down to YOUR speed to help you make your contacts. If you are not already a member of NAQCC... membership is FREE! Now is your chance to join the largest QRP CW Club in the world!! We currently have 7100+ members in: All 50 States - 9 VE Provinces - 100 Countries. Sign up on the NAQCC website today (http://naqcc.info/) and receive a handsome certificate, with your membership number on it, which is good for life. Come join us and have a real good time! 72/73 de Larry W2LJ NAQCC #35 for NAQCC http://naqcc.info/ From bcarling at cfl.rr.com Fri Sep 18 13:57:44 2015 From: bcarling at cfl.rr.com (Bry Carling AF4K) Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2015 13:57:44 -0400 Subject: [Fists] FS: Two Bugs for CW ops Message-ID: <55FC5098.26749.24A7B57@bcarling.cfl.rr.com> FOR SALE: Two Bug Keys 1) Vibroplex - complete and in nice working condition, gray base with shorting bar Serial number Available for $125.00 2) SPEED X Bug in super nice condition with a presentation case. Available for $145.00 plus shipping. Pictures and details available on request. 73 - Bry Carling, AF4K From w2lj at verizon.net Sat Sep 19 10:13:25 2015 From: w2lj at verizon.net (Larry W2LJ) Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2015 10:13:25 -0400 Subject: [Fists] Sunday night is the RFTB Message-ID: <5d0e4dc2dbc0fe45994224df4310be47@192.168.1.4> Sunday night is the September 2015 edition of the Run For The Bacon. A friendly QRP Sprint that is held on the 3rd Sunday evening of every month, and is sponsored by the Flying Pigs Amateur Radio Club, International. The sprint is the same time, ragardless of time change: East Coast - 9:00 to 11:00 PM local time Midwest - 8:00 to 10:00 PM local time. Mountains - 7:00 to 9:00 PM local time. West Coast - 6:00 to 8:00 PM local time. Complete rules can be found at http://fpqrp.org/pigrun 72, "oo" es see you on the bands! Larry W2LJ - Flying Pig #612 From ac5shfistop at gmail.com Sat Sep 26 20:00:49 2015 From: ac5shfistop at gmail.com (Tim O) Date: Sat, 26 Sep 2015 19:00:49 -0500 Subject: [Fists] New Fists Dues Structure Message-ID: New dues structure! Simpler and cheaper :) Regular membership now $10.00 per year. See details at our main website linked below. 73 Tim, AC5SH http://fistsna.org/howdoi.html#join