‰  NOW 25 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM DECEMBER 2007 QST  PAGES 80, 81 AND 91  ‰
AIR GOTA STATIONS AVAILABLE FOR NEWCOMERS TO TRY THEIR HAND ON THE AIR.
PERCY THOUGHT IT A BIT IRONIC THAT THE FIRST YEAR ALL US AMATEURS HAVE AT
LEAST SOME HF PRIVILEGES COINCIDED WITH A YEAR PREDICTED AS THE VERY BOTTOM
OF THE SUNSPOT CYCLE, WHICH MEANT GENERALLY POOR PROPAGATION ON THE MOST
POPULAR NEWCOMER HF BAND 10 METERS.  BUT HE DID FIND A SILVER LINING IN THE
FACT THAT PERHAPS THE NEWCOMERS WOULD UPGRADE AND GAIN GREATER PRIVILEGES
AFTER WHETTING THEIR APPETITES AT ONE OF THE 467 GOTA STATIONS REPORTED IN
2007 AN INCREASE OF OVER 8 FROM LAST YEAR.  7 WHATS THAT STRANGE BUZZING IN
MY ANTENNA?  WELL, PERCY WAS ABLE TO PRETTY QUICKLY FIGURE OUT THAT BUZZING
WAS PROBABLY YET ANOTHER INCREASE THOUGH SMALL IN NUMBER OF DIGITAL MODE
CONTACTS BEING MADE.  WHILE THE NUMBER OF BOTH CW AND PHONE QSOS WERE DOWN
SLIGHTLY THANKS IN LARGE PART TO POOR BAND CONDITIONS, MANY GROUPS ARE
‰  FROM PAGE 91  ‰
KB7EOC 75 2 11 946 OR TILLAMOOK COY ARES/RACES KB5EOC 75 2 11 946 OR
‰  END OF 25 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ