[HCRA] Get on the air now!

[Mike N0HI]

And the solar cycle is starting to come around...believe it or not...

-- 
Mike DeChristopher, N0HI
http://www.n0hi.net




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> -------Hampden County Radio Association-------
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> I have been a ham for more than 33 years now.
>
> The thrill of making a contact with anyone, anywhere has not ended. I'm
> not a DX country chaser or any chaser, but I do like to ragchew.
>
> My stations are modest but they work well enough for me and barefoot with
> 100 watts max. I often run 5 watts though when condtitions let me.
>
> In the last 2 weeks I have started getting the "Get on the air" bug again.
> I started with my mobile HF last week during a ride between West Hartford
> and Ellington. I talked to a W4 station in Greenville, NC for over 25
> minutes. I was thrilled. Just yesterday on a trip to a Simsbury customer,
> I chatted with "Ivan" in Vienna, Austria. It's the first time in a long
> time that a DX station wanted something other than my name, report and
> QTH. Another thrill and while mobile yet. Later that afternoon, I worked
> Rick in Salt Lake City, Utah. The bands were starting to get flaky so I
> pulled over and talked for a while until I had to get going again. Same
> thrill. These were made on 17m (18 Mhz) during the day with 100 watts.
> (Yaesu FT-100D w/Atas-100 antenna)
>
> Today, Saturday I awoke much earlier than I usually am up (5:40am) and
> came downstairs and turned on the radio to 40 meters. I heard a super
> strong CQ, recognizing the call as someone I met a number of years ago at
> a HCRA meeting. It was Steve, WA1HFF. I lowered the power to 10 watts and
> chatted until my rig seemed to have some issues. Now Steve is what I would
> call "Super DX" as he lives here in town and just 2 streets away from me!
>
> For me, it's not the accomplisment of DX or some new country, it's just
> making the contact and learning something new about someone. I found out
> Steve likes to kayak as I do. We'll pair up and paddle somewhere soon.
>
> So I'm suggesting to you, dust off that HF rig that you haven't used in a
> while. Listen on the bands often. Sometimes (frequenctly) you won't hear
> anything as the bands are just plain dead. But, you may hear someone
> calling CQ and go back to them and find that that THRILL of making a QSO
> is back and you'll be hooked again. As I am again.
>
> Turn on your radio and make some new friends. You may find the excitement
> of ham radio still burns in your veins stronger than in a while.
>
> 73,
>
> Larry, WB1DBY
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