A dangerous combination

Thanks to all who worked me yesterday on G/TW-002 (Cringle Moor).

I have been trying my hand at CW for only 6 weeks now at home and am thoroughly enjoying the new challenge having been mainly SSB and digital only.

So when SSB was a bit of a washout I made the brave (foolish some may say) decision to try CW. Well I can tell you Sotaspot works well and my heart rate went up when the pile up ensued.

Good fun and very challenging. Max my Border Collie who travels with me (sorry no SOTA goats - yet!) was wondering what all the expletives were for.

So my apologies to all who worked me and also to those who moved on (hi hi).

So the dangerous combination is a little knowledge of CW and SOTA!! But what a blast and spurs me on for better CW.

73’s

Bob
M0KLO

In reply to M0KLO:

Congratulations Bob!

I saw your call sign among the SOTA spots and thought I hadn’t seen it before.

I’ve been using CW for SOTA for just over a year and I still utter expletives when I make mistakes on most activations. The strange thing is that although I find CW quite difficult, there is something magic and addictive about it - at times I think why am I pushing myself to struggle away at CW, but then very soon I find myself yearning for a session on the key!

SOTA CW is very addictive!

Best wishes for the future.

73
Colin
M0CGH

In reply to M0KLO:

I have been trying my hand at CW for only 6 week

Spotted @ 21wpm… methinks some pullage of the leg is occuring :wink:

Andy, MM0FMF
(somewhere around 16-18wpm after 3years)

In reply to M0KLO:
Very addictive indeed Bob. I used to be really good at CW in the eighties, but I’ve slowed down now and yet still make more mistakes than ever. But I don’t worry too much about the mistakes since most of the Ops I work also make mistakes…(just faster mistakes than mine!). There is no doubt though, it is fantastic mode for SOTA.

72

de Keith GW4OKT

In reply to M0KLO:

Bob;

Thanks for the contact yesterday with Cringle Moor.

Congratulations on braving the lions den of 40m cw for the first time, I hope that you realise that you have now been infected and that there is no going back !!
Thanks also to the more considerate chasers who recognising a new operator slowed down for you.

I look forward to working you many more times in the future.

73 de Ken G3XQE

In reply to GW4OKT:

It’s surprisingly addictive. Having the ability to work the chasers on CW has really boosted the fun in activating.

Bob, you’ll find that the overwhelming majority of chasers will adapt to your abilities, they want the points! There’s something wonderful about being the centre of attention, being the “DX” certainly beats trying to break the pileup.

The auto spotting worked well for me. So now you can have a pileup on any frequency you choose.

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:
Hi Andy,

No leg pulling. The I’ve mastered the initial CQ call which is what I think SOTASPOT measures and then I probably grind along at about 12-13 WPM.

I agree that it’s addictive for sure. I should’ve had a go years ago. My old dad was a deck officer and used to tell me of CW contacts he had with the lamp between passing ships. I thought he was mad at the time… I think I’m now turning into my father!

Thanks for the warm welcome and I’ll keep trying at it.

Cheers

Bob.

In reply to M0KLO:

Immersion - the only way: leave the microphone at home.

73 de Mike, Ei2CL

In reply to EI2CL:
Hi Bob
Tks for our CW-QSO. Gongratulation: You have worked the pile-up down. That is the right way to get ride of it hi hi!
73 de HB9BIN, Jürg (George))