New Ones for 5/11

Had a nice QSO with MI0MVP on 15 SSB. Yes, I worked him last week, but he was calling CQ with no one answering so I figured I'd say 'Hi'. It's nice to have a real QSO once in a while. Towards the end, the signal started to fade, but

Worked
OE9MON 15SSB
VP2VQ 20SSB
HP1/IQ6CC 17SSB
ON7CD 17SSB
YL2GB 40SSB
V31XB 17SSB
for bandfills

IS0RXF on 20SSB for a mode fill! I'm NOT much of a CW guy (understatement of the year there) but I had Sardinia on CW, and not phone. Nice to fi;; in the phone, even if it is a band I already had (actually the ONLY band I have)


Brings my DXCC stats (with deleteds) to
10m 33w/27cfm
15m 65/49
17m 57/41
20m 175/159
40m 78/63
80m 24/15 (hey, it's a low wire that makes up for it by being short)
160m 1/1 - QSO from a friends place (not sure which Pete)

and
194/182 overall (2 are deleted, so have to work at least 8 more this year to hit 200, and then get them confirmed - 200 is my goal for the year)

Bencher BY-1 Paddle Mod

I had some ham radio fun this weekend. For a while, I've been thinking of modifying my old Bencher BY-1 paddles to use a 1/8" mini-jack instead of a cable. Makes things a bit easier to swap in and out. I'll modify my Kent paddles next.

Take a look

Contesting and CW

This year, during FD, I tried contesting a bit on CW. Now I'll admit my CW stinks. I'm slow, and VERY rusty, so I was using CWGet to back me up, which basiclly means I only got to work strong stations.

I liked it - I liked it a LOT. The QSOs went a LOT faster. Stations actually sent their call sign every QSO! I'll tell you, it's a real incentive to actually sit down and practive my morse code. 5wpm doesn't cut it for contests - contest CW is 25-30wpm, but is VERY stylized - you KNOW what is coming - call sign, and exchange.

Well, it's time to break out g4fon's program, and get back to it