11/06/2007 | NG1I After a ten year layoff from HR, I finally retired and moved to Central MA and started up again in Nov 2004. I had found out my code speed, once at 30WPM, was down to 18WPM. For three years I tried the SSCW and just threw up my hands in fustration and quit after a few minutes. This year I made a NY's Resoultion that I would force myself to participate in the 2007 CWSS. My goal was to get at least a 100 varified Q's and earn my first CWSS pin since I was a ham in 1986. At first it was very difficult. I would listen three or four times to the stations giving out their info and when I got it right I made the contact. Though it was difficult and time consuming listening over and over, I spent 13 hours in this contest. It got a bit easier as I got to the end of the contest. I only made 158 Q's BUT I managed to get all but LAX,ORG,NT,NL,& NE in the SO-A class. I used my TS-2000 with a 100W and a G5RV. I felt I conquered the world knowing that I sweated it out, that the TS-2000 with it's internal antenna tuner working automatically on any band, and that my G5RV could pull in all the sections I did. I sent for my pin today. I'll be back in next year's CWSS with a faster copying speed and more Q's and maybe, just maybe, make a clean sweep! 73's to all who were patient with me. -- NG1I