01/04/2007 | W8CBC For my second SKN I warmed up the Apache and R392 as I had last year. I creaked the Apache's mode switch from AM to CW and tuned up in 80 metres a couple of hours early. W0TDH caught my ID and called so we had a pleasant chat. I found that my little bit of chirp had become a rather horrible wobble since January 2006 so I gave up on the Apache for the time being and finished with the IC-751A, which has done the great majority of the CW duty around here. I made a couple more early contacts - in 40 metres with N4HXX and in 160 metres with KO8L - and took a break before getting into it.

I spent a pleasant night in 160 and 80 metres with the '751A and its W.U. 2-A Legless Key, chatting with K8MRS, W8DYF (not for long - I was too weak to copy),K8JD (Hi John!), W4HAY, K9PLX/9 (with a great 160-metre signal), and KC9YI.

The next day I decided to pop a N.O.S. VFO tube into the Apache and see if it would settle down. It did very nicely and was plenty stable enough for 20 metres so I caught KB5QAC and W6SBE up there with the Apache and an old, solid, unmarked J-38. A few hours later, after dark, it was back to 80 metres, transmitting with the Apache and listening with the '751A as I needed that narrow filtering down below 3600 kc. I finished SKN with AB8FJ (qrp) and W3ZT. The Apache was solid in 80, no chirp or drift at all. All that time before, it had been due to a weak 6AU6. Had I but considered the possibility, instead of assuming that I would have to tear the thing completely apart and do a load of rebuilding, I'd have got to it long ago.

I've been mixed-mode for my year and a half on the bands. I don't actually operate the key with my left foot, honest. Sometimes though I think I might do better if I did, heehee.

As many, I'm SKCC (#4 under my original call, kd8bsr) but I have an inherent aversion to organisation so I will exchange numbers if asked but otherwise am content to be "just another CW op". -- W8CBC