Thank you to the chasers, today I bagged another summit using cw. I had to go QRT at about 1450 as the cold began to soak through the many layers and I still had the /P station to disassemble, the frozen sota pole was fun, I mean where do you get a warm fluid to thaw things on top of a remote hill? No, I didn’t do that, everyone knows cold water is a better choice.
When I arrived at the top I discovered my glasses had a layer of frost on them, I thought it seemed excessively cloudy, hi. It was a beautiful day, but ES-021 had a cap of cloud shrouding the summit. By the end of the activation it had cleared and the trip back to the car was pleasant enough.
Anyway, hopefully I didn’t make too many errors and if I did please feel free to let me know so I can develop my operating style.
I knew it was nearly time to wrap up when I could get the brain to key link to send ES-021, got ES-02J twice before giving up and sending 73.
I had alerted that I’d call on 20m aswell, didn’t manage. There was so many calls on 40m that I didn’t get the opportunity. I’m not complaining, the cw pile-up was thrilling and is something I’d never experienced before yesterday, fantastic. Maybe I’ll start on 20m first next time.
Hi Ian
Pleasure to work you again today!
I have just bought a pair of fingerless gloves on Andy’s (MM0FMF) advice. I used them on a HuMP activation the other day and they were just the job.
Yes, I recognised your call. I suppose you get familiar with the callsigns of many chasers. There are some impressive scores around.
I used a pair of fingerless gloves today, they worked well for about 30 minutes. I was tucked under an overhanging slab out of the wind. I had planned to give my summit reference more often, but the calls just kept coming, I’m hooked.
I’ll certainly be activating more summits this year than I managed last. Although I was only licenced last February, foundation & intermediate at the same sitting (2M0CFB), gaining the full in the summer.
Well, you have done extremely well if that’s the case.
I’m still very much a novice at the CW bit too but the SOTA ops will certainly speed you up a bit. As I have found, the good chasers will always slow down for you. I heard you ask QRS today and most ops will usually oblige. The problem is that some of the old timers are rattling away at 30 WPM and QRS for them is 20+!!
Roy gave me some good advice. Just work the ones you can hear, the others will slow down or be lost.
You are correct in that you will hear the same regular chasers all the time. When you hear Roy you can be sure of a spot so sending the SOTA Ref is not needed quite so often
I have been using a little CW training program called Morse Runner. It is a CW contesting program but is fantastic for sharpening up call sign and number reading. It is ideal for the SOTA type ops & of course, it is free!
I might get a chance to do a HuMP activation tomorrow so will listen for you if you’re out.
In reply to M0TUB:
Morse runner, I’ll have a look at that Dave. I use an old army key that I was given when I started trying cw. I enjoy the key and may stick with it, anyway I can’t afford a paddle right now, saving for a K2, Hi. So I’ll be bashing away at 12-15wpm, but being able to receive faster would be great.
Save up your sheckels and groats Ian. Then by the summer you’ll have a enough for a Palm Paddle. I’ll pick you one up from Palm Radio direct at the Friedrichshafen Rally. Should be somewhat cheaper than Martyn “Bargains-R-Not-Us” Lynch
And I told you that you need to start feeding that addiction!
In reply to M0TUB:
I’ve seen those paddles before Dave, they look neat.
As for the K2, my main rig at the moment is the 817. I have a qro rig, icom ic-77 which I was given by a non-ham who didn’t know if it worked. It did, just needed opening up. It’s a pmr type rig, but now works on all hf bands too.
So I could do with a main home qth rig. There’s no rush though, this year will do.
Save up your sheckels and groats Ian. Then by the summer you’ll have a
enough for a Palm Paddle. I’ll pick you one up from Palm Radio direct
at the Friedrichshafen Rally. Should be somewhat cheaper than Martyn
"Bargains-R-Not-Us" Lynch
And I told you that you need to start feeding that addiction!
Andy
MM0FMF
Was this a serious offer Andy, as it turns out I have indeed been saving?
