MT - please excuse and advise if this post is deemed unsuitable for the SOTA reflector.
The latest SOTA News alluded to my ill-health. Having had an exercise ecg (a fine torture, HI), it has been confirmed that I have Angina. Running, cycling and hills are forbidden. I can stroll on the flat, but even gentle slopes have to be taken at a snail’s pace. It will be several months before I get my turn for an angiogram, and no doubt some weeks after that before remedial action can be taken. No winter bonus points for me this year, unless I can get Janis (XYL) to become my sherpa.
Some years ago, a second heart attack killed my father, so I have heart disease in the family. I’d like to make a plea to all of you to investigate any heart disease in your families and if there is any, to get checked over. I consider I’ve been lucky - No permanent damage has been done and the condition can be treated, although I recognise that there is a possibility of further problems
The rumour that I’m playing with CW is quite true. I can mannage 12 wpm of machine morse from the computer, but I can’t yet cope with the QRM and QSB of the real thing. I certainly have no chance of reading the real QRQ from the experts. As the weather on the summits can be quite treacherous at this time of year, I would hesitate to try a call to any CW activators - they really don’t want to be delayed by my QRS efforts along with the really massive pile-ups they are getting.
Firstly let me wish you a fast and full recovery from your health problems. I hope my news item regarding your health caused you no offence, I would be devastated if it did.
On the question of you chasing cw over the winter, I can assure you that most cw activators would welcome your QRS call with open arms. Most ops have adopted Klaus’ great style of working through the pile-up then taking QRS calls.
If you happen to hear me on my molehill PLEASE call in Dave, I don’t care if it is 5wpm, I’m just as happy with a 5wpm QSO as I am with a 35wpm QSO. It’s all about the communication with friends and not a race, hi.
Sorry to hear about the situation Dave. I hope that our wonderful Health Service can get into top gear for you so that you can get sorted out as soon as possible.
As for checking the family history, it’s a good job that one of my other interests is genealogy as I could not tell my personal situation from my father since he died in a RTA aged 45. His father was a WW1 casualty, age just 19. However, looking at the wider family and further back, it would seem that I am one of the fortunate ones with many males going on into their 80’s. Will I still be able to bag a few uniques at that age (if I don’t fall under a bus), well we’ll see.
Hope the recovery goes well Dave. And like others have suggested, get your calls into the SOTA CW activators at YOUR speed. They will call you back at YOUR speed, and be delighted to get a new chaser in their logbooks. SOTA CW is an incredibly friendly and supportive environment, and there is no hint of snobbery or elitism. All operators at all speeds and abilities are treated equally. Have a go - it will make your day, I promise.
I know, because I was thinking along the same lines at the beginning myself. But once I’d worked a SOTA CW station for chaser points, I worked another, and another, and so on. It’s great!
Perhaps we can set up a SOTA CW S2S for when you are back to full fitness next year. All the best, Tom M1EYP
Hi Dave, very sorry to hear about your health problems and hope that you get back to full fitness soon.
Many,many thanks for the summits and also the WAB areas that you have gone out of your way to activate for Don & myself on 2m
Hi Dave, you are not a million miles away from me, so if it would help you, I would be prepared to pick you up and drive you to the North Wales “easy” 1 pointers. I can sherpa for you over the short distance to these summits.
Thanks for the offer of a cardiologist. The paperwork warns that it may take a couple of weeks to settle down with Beta-blockers, but after that we may to try to speed things up a bit as My Sherpa in Chief is getting nervous and is very reluctant to let me out of her sight.
I may be allowed try Dundry Down (very short approach), probably next Friday morning, as we’ll have the caravan near Congresbury that weekend.
Quite capable of carrying my own wallet, thank you, (Cos it never weighs very much (HI HI)) but as all pubs are now non-smokers, I’m open to suggestions.
In reply to GW0DSP: Many thanks for the offers of chaffeur and sherpa. The driving is no problem but walking uphill is - even without a pack. As previously mentioned, I’m hoping to try Dundy Down next Friday, to see just what I can do with the pack on. I really need to know how slowly I need to go uphill, with the pack, to avoid chest pains coming on. I’ve got the nitro spray (80% ethyl alcohol - might be interesting to put a couple of squirts in a jammers beer) but want to avoid using it if at all possible.
Many thanks to all for your good wishes. I’m now learning the patience required by the chasers during pile-ups, and can appreciate the diabolical conditions the activators can be operating in.