the family that crams together hams together!
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First off, welcome to the ham community. You will love it.
Secondly, if you really want to learn CW, copy a lot. Back in the 70's, I had to copy 20wpm for my no-code extra I have today. What I did was work my way up through the lower speeds on w1aw and then copy the 18wpm bulletins from w1aw. Get to where you are 100% at that. For me, it's like a bicycle. You fall off and scrape your knees. Now I use computer programs to send, but there is really no substitute on the computer for copying by ear. Only computer assistance. CW never gets old. It is the best mode out there if you like DX. Learning it pays dividends in the hobby.
How time flies when you are having fun (or getting old)! It seems I have been lurking for over 2 months now, I reckon I should at least introduce myself;
I have been “doing” Ham Radio since 1993 but never got really serious about it until last summer. The Navy never allowed me to stay in one place very long and setting up temporary stations never really appealed to me. I guess I overlooked the only true and righteous purpose of amateur radio, that of being prepared for “When All Else Fails”. I am now a happy home owner. I looked long and hard to find a place with no restrictions – if I am going to pay a quarter of a million dollars for something, I am going to do with it what I want. Thus, the metallic trees have been sprouting well in my new yard. Only one neighbor seems to have taken notice at all, “I bet you can get TV all the way from NYC with that thing”.
I haven’t been booted from any of the other sites, but, I haven’t seen anything worth responding to on them either. I do, however, present the following as evidence of my “mis-fitness”;
I am not a contester.
I am not a “Big Gun”.
I have yet to earn an award. Maybe because I have yet to attempt any?
I am not a member of any ARES, RACES or SKYWARN group (I do not even own a neon yellow vest or a flashing orange light). I am a longtime member of the ARRL but only because I really like the back half of QST.
I often experiment with different modes but my attention span seems to be too short to stick with any one of them long enough to be able to declare to the world that it is the only one worth working. I am quite content with SSB ragchews and occasional net check-ins. Don’t tell anyone but, I even sometimes stop by 14.313 and take a listen just for a chuckle (although it hasn’t been as enjoyable since the Sheriff got Ol’ Jesse James).
I do not know all there is to know about everything and, stingily, I do not offer what I do know about anything unless I am specifically asked to.
There, Islanders, is my humble plea for acceptance. What say Ye?
WELCOME TO THE ISLAND!
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c7...psbb12d19f.jpg
Welcome to the Island. Enjoy you're stay, and I hope you find a cure for those monster crabs. Think pot of boiling water
Welcome to the Island! Don't worry, the natives are (mostly) friendly and the mahi are always biting down in the cove.
Barkeep, give this man the top shelf adult beverage of his choice and put it on the Vatican's tab. Those boys in red are sucking down so much "sacramental" wine right now that no one would ever notice.
Welcome to the Island!.
Not doing conntests just to give a few points away, max 1000 watts here ( FT 2000-D and Heathkit SB-1000) and a buch homebrew/given antenna's on the edge of the city, se qrz page.
Hope we meet up anywhere on the bands.
Have fun ;)
"The Vatican's tab"??? ... my,my, we're being presumptious......pass the Island pope test and now you believe the the rest of the cardinals can now be bought? ......
Hail Pope Carlo !!!!
....and to KC5AT .....welcome to the Island ........ The management keeps claiming the Pope's bar tab never gets paid,but it's not safe really to question the faith of a religious man.....:rofl:
WHAT? NO YELLOW VEST? Git a rope!
Welcome to the Island!