01/04/2010 | W1TS SKN has become part of my New Year's Eve tradition for many years now and I eagerly look forward to firing up one of my several vintage rigs with which to participate. This year it was the Heathkit DX-60-B and HG-10B VFO with a Collins 75A-3 in the bedroom adjacent to my main operating "Shack". Antenna is a 200' ladder line fed doublet thru a Ten-Tec 238-A tuner and a pretty 1972 era straight key.
My first QSO was with W1ZE, who holds a significant early call sign like my own. Following were: KB3AAY, K4JJW, K3Y/3, K1TA, WA1ABI, and W1IS. Starting with K1TA, the QSOs got interesting. Tom had to sign off early saying his wrist was hurting; he had a broken finger! WA1ABI's antenna was the string of lights on his outdoor Christmas tree. He just tied the coax to both AC plug contacts and loaded it up. He didn't say if the lights were blinking with the RF! W1IS was running 150 Mw ( That's about 1/8 Watt!) to a transistor rig he completed 2 weeks earlier. Bob has DXCC using QRP!

Upon learning that AO-51 would be available for SKN contacts, I had to downloaded some tracking software and got my TS-2000 ready for satellite operation. I got up at 5 AM for an overhead pass but didn't hear anything. On several other good passes throughout New Year's Day I still heard no activity. I was able to hear the Beacon of the newly launched Chinese XW-1 ( HOPE-1 - HO-68) bird but still no activity. Perhaps my minimally effective 2 meter and 450 antennas were the problem. I will have a better setup next year. But this is what has made Ham Radio so interesting for me all these 53 years; the variety of operating modes and the many interesting operators one can meet and converse with.

HNY and 73 until the next SKN,

Will ( SKCC #1690, FISTS #12270, A1-OP, ARRL Life Member) -- W1TS