Good Evening and Happy New Year to you all,
Sorry folks but I had to be reminded it was a holiday today. I had
been very busy all day on chores, working on lists, invitations, and
planning for a memorial service. I have not announced this to anyone
other than those who have asked but I had a personal tragedy on the 10th
of December. My wife of ten and a half years passed away. This net is
good therapy for me so it will continue.
She very much enjoyed working around my two skeds on Sunday evening
always making a very nice meal for us to eat after the first one was
over. She enjoyed hearing the news from all the folks we had worked. Pat
had an amateur license but was more interested in public service than any
other aspect of the service. She and I had worked for ARES and RACES for
a few years. She had been trained as an EMT and a dispatcher while
working for the local county's 911 center. Between us we taught a number
of ECOM classes for the local ARES/RACES group. We had a lot of fun
making the classes effective and the training meaniful for our area.
Carter Craigie, N3AO, and his lovely wife Kay, N3KN, whom we had met while
staffing the Elecraft booth at the SeaPac hamfest a few years ago, helped
us on more than one occasion.
I would like to post a photo of KD5PZO but the rules of this Reflector
do not allow it. If you'd like you could send me a note and I'll return
it with an enigmatic photo of my very good friend. It looks like someone
is going to be told something but I am not sure if it would have been good
or not ;) She was most charming and I will miss her very, very much.
On the first net there was some QSB but we had fun. I chatted with
Tom a bit before the net and then reminded myself to slow down. When I
called CQ the first time VE1RGB and K4TO sent simultaneously. But Gary
lost to Dave due to the shortness of K4TO :) The same thing happens to me
but there is no way I will change my call ;) I like it and the way it
sounds on CW so in a contest I'll just have to take my lumps! Dave was
medium to weak but that's OK. Gary boomed in from NS very well. So well
in fact that Tom had him call CQ once or twice. Tom, K2TA, had a good
signal to me but as all the rest there was some QSB to contend with.
Fred, K6DGW, checked in from CA and has he had predicted his signal was
light. However, my bud Karl, N7NLU near the West Hills of Portland was
fair copy. I never can predict how he'll come in but then he may have
been hiking in the rain with his K1 :) AK7A, Jason in Washington was not
even ESP to me. At this point Tom had Gary call the net and he landed
KT5E, Jay in Colorado. Jay had a very fast, warbling QSB on his signal
but still not too hard to follow. Then we heard from Ric, VE3XL in
Ontario. It was good to hear him again. I hope he has his Elecraft rig
back in shape!
On to the lists.
At 2400z on 14050.50 kHz:
N0SS - Tom - MO - K2 - oo8
K4TO - Dave - KY - K2 - 4117
VE1RGB - Gary - NS - K2 - 2519
K2TA - Tom - NY - K2 - 1117
K6DGW - Fred - CA - K2 - 4398
N7NLU - Karl - OR - K2 - 4227 QNI #45!
AK7A - Jason - WA - K1 - 2024
KT5E - Jay - CO - K2 - 5037
VE3XL - Ric - ON - K1 - 968 ?? QNI #80!!
The second net began when I heard Tom tune in. We chatted a bit and then
I started my QRL routine. Dave called with a much better signal than he'd
had on 20 meters. Tom gathered in our lost sheep Ric who must be busy
since we've not heard much from him since just after he lost his K1 :( I
hope it is better now Ric. Randy called from Idaho with a large amount of
slow QSB. A note about Jay further down this account. Mark called but I
thought I was missing a letter between K and 8 but I had totally missed
the N the first few times. He had the same slow, deep QSB as everyone
East of me. Tom was quite good before the net but as Jay mentioned
signals went down within ten minutes of starting. Lastly Rick showed up
running his KX1 with a respectable signal. Some QSB: he went from S1 to
S6 but 80% copy is good enough to find out he enjoyed Christmas :)
At 0256z on 7045 kHz:
N0SS - Tom - MO - K2 - oo8
K4TO - Dave - KY - K2 - 4117 QNI #5
VE3XL - Ric - ON - K1 - 968 ??
K7TQ - Randy - ID - K2 - 213
KT5E - Jay - CO - K2 - 5037
NK8Q - Mark - PA - K2 - 4786 QNI #5
KL7CW - Rick - AK - KX1 - 798
I am still awaiting Tom since I sent him off on a mission and did not hear
him call back. QSB was INTERESTing to say the least. The difference
between 20 and 40 meters was pronounced, most especially on KT5E's
signal. On 20 I could make him out through the rapid flutter but on 40 it
was a very slow surf. He was easy copy but could not hear me. Much like
talking to my deaf aunt :) She is very nice and has great stories but my
part of the conversation is pretty much left to nodding and smiling! Tom
may have gained further QNI on 40 meters but we'll list those later. I
still have further chores to do and am learning how much my Ms Pat did
around here behind my back. Or was it front of my insensitive nose? No
wonder she was a blur when she walked through the door. But I miss her
more than I have ever missed any of my lost family or friends. I had an
email exchange with Fred about the friends we lost in SE Asia. I cannot
go to a Vietnam war memorial and leave with dry eyes. He has me
remembering again. I do not believe Ms Pat would be jealous of a few more
shed tears. No matter what we may think of any war the folks who serve
must be remembered and respected for their sacrifices. My family has lost
a few but most of them came back as different men and women. I remember
and thank them. Semper fidelis!
If there are any errors please send me the corrections and I will fix the
database to reflect your request.
Your faithful operator,
Kevin. KD5ONS (Net Control Operator 5th Class)
Happy New Year
_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
