01/02/2009 | K1NV Another enjoyable SKN has come and gone but CW has again benefited from all the activity. I made my first contact on 40M with K6KPH at the coastal station near San Francisco. "RD" copied my homebrew 13 watt 6L6 rig Q4 but at least he heard me on a less-than-ideal band.

Later in the evening, I went out to the main hamshack and fired up the TS-940S for QSO's with W4USR and WD8NHA at the 100 watt level. Conditions were not too good, so I had to crank up the Alpha 76 to a half-KW for the remainder of the evening.

Notable QRP stations worked were K5HK (3 watts out) and KA6CJJ (2 watts out). A long QSO ensued with Jim, K7HZ, in Oregon. It was a pleasure to copy his excellent fist.

KF6RMK was the final QSO of 2008 and the first of 2009. Bill said that his wife gave him a big New Year's kiss while he was sending, so I discreetly signed off at 0009 PST to hit the hay. -- K1NV