01/05/2010 | WD5FOI This was my second year for SKN and I set a goal to make at least 5 contacts. Last year I only made 3 QSOs, all being out of state. This year I made three again with only one out of state, the other two were here in Amarillo.
What happened? I think it was because I spent too much time trying to work folks with a homebrew one tube 10 watt CW transmitter that a friend, Don Foran, made back in 1946 using plans he found in an amateur radio book of the that era. Don held the call W5LSV and has not been radio active since the early 1950s.
Another good friend, Dan McCabe, WA8YYE, recently refurbished the old transmitter for me. I was told by local hams that helped me test it on the air the 30th that it had a good note. We were able to minimize the "chirp" but come the 31st I was unable to make a contact with it. You might say I discovered the difficulty of making contacts when being "rockbound" and running QRP power levels.
One seasoned local ham helping me, Neal Lowe, W5PVI, stated that he had not used CW in years but would be willing to help. The following day I was having problems with the crystal so I switched over to my Yeasu FT 101 (I purchased it in September 1977 and use almost daily) and had a good QSO with PVI. I am looking forward to SKN 2011.
73,
John -- WD5FOI