[SFDXA] 2.5 More Years of CW

[Mike Williams]

Good story!

Thanks and back to 15 meters now...

Good DX de W4DL   Mike in EL96wf


On 11/28/2020 9:39 AM, Bill wrote:
> From the CWops List:
>
>  From Mike Duke, K5XU:
> Dan’s story about 2.5 years more for CW operating VS dementia reminded 
> me of a QSO I had about 30 years ago.
> I was living in an apartment, and running a much beloved, very well 
> used, Yaesu FT7 with an almost hidden multi-band dipole called a 
> “Mor-Gain.”
> One Saturday morning I answered a CQ on 10 meters from a very strong, 
> obviously local operator whose call I did not recognize,
> . He was sending at around 15 WPM, so I replied at his speed.
> During the QSO, I learned that he was in his mid-80s, and lived about 
> a half mile from me, thus the strong signal.
> He asked me if I could give him the address for the W5 QSL bureau.
> I did not have the address, but told him I would get it and call him 
> on the phone.
> He gave me his number, and we signed.
>
> Later that morning, I got the address from another local on 2 meters, 
> then called him.
> “Please give it to me slowly,” he said. “I have to pay close attention 
> when I write things down over the phone.”
> He read the address back to me correctly, and then said:
>
> “I don’t work phone any more on the radio, only slow speed CW. I can 
> no longer process information very quickly, and cannot think fast 
> enough to have an intelligent qso on phone.
> I still do fine with conversations on CW as long as people answer me 
> near my sending speed.”
>
> We never met, but crossed paths on 10 and 15 meter CW a few more times 
> before he became a silent key about 2 years later.
> That candid explanation of his slower sending speed has remained with 
> me ever since.
> Mike Duke, K5XU
>
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