I know it's OT, but want to comment on FD operation here in NC. I wouldn't even consider going on SSB for FD!But our SSB station on 40/15 made over 700 QSO, with several ops of modest experience but sensible people. K3 and double bazooka. They were pleased. I made almost 400 CW QSOs, K3 and 80m dipole/window line/MFJ tuner. I had a 98% success when calling and many replies, often multiples, when running. There were MANY strong signals on 40 and 20 at all hours I was on, so I didn't do 80. Almost all CW was good, partly thanks to computer keying, and I encountered maybe three poor ops, not rude, just inexperienced/unpracticed. I like SK and used it about 30% of the time. I prefer SK for FD, because one can taylor speed/weight style to conditions and other op's experience. There's no reason to expect everyone to deal with 25 WPM from the computer. They all did fine with 15 WPM from the SK, sometimes with the dahs stretched a little. The little rudeness seen was obviously competent ops who couldn't muster the manners to wait their turn. A couple times I had to ignore them several times to ever get my weaker station's exchange! I expect they are the same people who call DX stations when the DX is trying to reply to someone else. Owning a big station and expensive gear IS NOT empowerment to trounce everyone in your way! All in all, one could hardly ask for better conditions and operation. Most, NOT ALL, people who go to the trouble to learn CW seem to pick up some manners along the way! Of course, there are many fine SSB ops, including a couple of our XYLs, but the low bar to entry does cause problems! Perhaps we need a new mode designator, CBSSB?
One problem I see is that people have the feeling that a slipshod antenna, or a commercial whizbang/wonderthingy, will get them by. It does, but with many fewer QSOs and more frustration than they could have with a little more work! After 66 years of hamming, I'm becoming fonder of ladder line and window line. The commercial window line has saved my bacon many times and tolerates more poor practice than expected. After some outdoor tuner problems, I gave up "proper" practice and ran my window line under our van and up through the port in the floor, past many other cables, to my little MFJ tuner. It worked very well, as reported above. Yes, I may have lost a dB or two, but the flat top at 65 feet got them back! Besides, there's no connector problem and I can make fine splices in one minute, using a pocket knife and a pair of pliers! I expect a better BALUN would get me a dB back, but the tiny one in the MFJ seems to be fine at 100W. We also had successful K3 digi which were successful, as was our HB BBQ/potluck dinner for 35 ops! End of OT report. Did YOU work W4EZ? Wilson W4BOH ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
