01/02/2007 | N5CE From the sound of things here, CW is far from dead! This was my 4th SKN and the first with my new vanity call sign.

Many thanks are owed to the XYL and daughter (KE5CDF and KE5CDG - they don't do CW, yet) who spent their Sunday afternoon helping take down/repair/reinstall my AV-640 vertical. The birds like to land on those aluminum elements and it was resonant somewhere way above 40 meters when we started.

I had three nice QSO's with K4VD, WA8KOQ, and K5EWJ. EWJ was 60 over S9 and it turns out is a neighbor just a short distance away.

All QSO's at 100 watts using an Ameco key with the freshly repaired vertical.

I listened to K6KPH for a long time on 7050 but was never able to work him. Richard is a great operator and has a neat rig at his disposal. See www.radiomarine.org. He had several stations lined up for contacts. We visited the KPH site last July on vacation - highly recommended.

Of course, there was lots of left over holiday food to dispose of during the event and lots of moving back and forth from the TV to the radio.

73's till next year.

Marty -- N5CE