01/07/2009 | W4YD Straight Key Night 2009 was a blast, as usual. My contacts were on 40 meters. The Band was in fair condition despite our being at the bottom of the sunspot cycle. John, K9EX, a QRP station in Texas, crossed the Gulf of Mexico with a 5/9 report here in Florida. Bob, W5XW, did the same from San Antonio. I enjoyed our long rag chew. This years contacts included some DX. There were QSO's with Paolo, IK1QHB, from Genoa, Italy; and Jeanie, J79P from the Windward Islands. All this happened with my straight key hooked up to my thirty-year-old Swan Astro 150 transceiver and a loop antenna. My children Daniel and Gabriela were there to dust off the key and observe some of the action.

David,
(FISTS 11307; SKCC 195) -- W4YD