[WVDXA] WVDXA Straight Key/Glowbug Night - A Success!

[w8hc at aol.com]

Happy New Year WVDXA-
Yessiree, I had a great time too! I just hope the "officials" don't 
require the blood or urine test from me because I will definitely test 
"positive" for Aleve. The J-38 felt a little awkward starting out but 
by the time I went QRT, I felt pretty comfortable with it and was even 
getting my "swing-thing" rhythm going. I don't think I could have 
carried on much of a rag chew however. Sadly, I have been ruined by the 
same wham-bam exchange pattern Clark mentions, "5NN, WV, TU"

I appreciate that Steph and our New Year guests indulged me for a 
half-hour or so to come downstairs and pound the brass while they ate 
shrimp and wolfed down strawberries and other tasty items coated in 
calories from our chocolate fountain fondue.

When I got down to the rig and spotted the rig on the designated 80m 
frequency, I heard KFJ and W8TN in a nice QSO and again this year, the 
GarMan gets my vote for the #1 Rag Chewer award for our SKN on-the-air 
soiree. I enjoyed eavesdropping on their Q, patiently waiting til they 
tied the bows on it. I then methodically pumped my treasured heirloom ( 
http://picasaweb.google.com/w8tn.wv/WVDXASKN ) to sing the "W8HC" 
callsign off my newly refurbished 80-m full-wave loop erected this past 
weekend. I had hoped to get a "double-shot" working both of these guys, 
you know, one of those memorable two-fers that make you feel good about 
life, ham radio and your skills as an A-1 operator. Unfortunately I 
could only snag one of these top guns ops and so the Clarkster came 
back to my call and so he was the first WVDXAer to find his way into my 
log. I was honored to have our illustrious and exalted fearless leader 
as my first Straight Key QSO for the past 2 years.  Apparently Gar, one 
who never lets the QRN grow beneath his feet, must've QSY'd to greener 
pastures.

Sadly, I never did get to work K8KFJ last night, and after a couple 
futile calls for the GarMan, I slid up the band a bit to hear "W8AH" 
pounding into East Pea Ridge with a nice signal.  I smiled at the 
thought that our Trusted Trustee, Dave WA8WV had risen to the occassion 
to join our festive New Year's bash with this most famous callsign of 
our order.  I wondered how many times the W8AH callsign had been sent 
by Albert over the years.  Here it was again, being sent by one of the 
most capable CW operators I know, even using a straight key, Dave had 
the rhythm going his way.  A quick exchange and New Year Greetings to 
Dave and Mary and I now had 2 Qs in the log. This was fun.  The shrimp 
could wait.

Meanwhile back on 3565, W8TN and W8OI/4 were concluding a QSO. Garry 
had a nice signal from the motor home and the obvious stacked 
monobanders and Alpha he was using.  His fist was impressive and I knew 
instantly that he had been practicing with his straight key the past 
few days to clinch the "Fabulous Fist" Award.  Hands-down he gets my 
vote.  Garry and I exchanged quick reports and again, New Year 
greetings. I am flying high now!  My old key felt familiar to me-- an 
old friend and extension of myself.  My technique, although a little 
rusty, was still comfortable with the thumb, fore and middle finger 
grip, flexing the wrist oh so slightly.  Forefinger on top of the black 
knob was used as the mechanical focal point generating the thrust to 
manipulate the key.... dang it!  I remembered the secret after 40 
years!  I found my groove... "QRZ?"  I'm in the zone baby!  What party?

Another nice exchange on 80m, this time with Dave W8UI from up St. 
Marys way.  Dave is another one of those outstanding CW operators that 
just sounds too comfortable in the A1 mode. I can't recall ever working 
Dave before so I was glad to have the QSO with him.  Thanks for joining 
this year's activity Dave!

I then heard WA8LLM calling W8TN but Clark must not have been on 
frequency because he did not come back to him.  The callsign was 
familar but I confess, I had to look it up on the ARRL website to find 
out it was Kenny Harris.  I knew that!  My memory is worse than I 
thought.  I called Kenny and apparently his memory is as bad as mine.  
I don't think he ever realized who he was having a QSO with but he kept 
asking about Clark.  And I don't know if they ever hooked up or not but 
I sure hope so for Ken's sake.  Our QSO was difficult but what made 
matters worse was that someone came right on top of us QRMing to the 
point that I couldn't copy Ken and I know he was having trouble copying 
me.  I bid him my "73" and after a quick check around "our frequency" 
to determine no one else was on board, I decided to QSY to 40m and the 
7030 frequency Clark had designated for that band.

Here I heard Garry W8OI again but with about an S-5 signal.  Apparently 
he had his 40m four-square array from the motor home firing off to the 
west coast.  But we were able to make the Q with signal report exchange 
and another "HNY" greeting to each other.  He obviously has a nice set 
up with the motor home as he has worked more new ones from there in the 
past few years than I have.  Congrats on that Dr. Ritchie!

OK, now I had been away from my guests for a little over half hour and 
had 6 SKN QSOs in the log.  I decided I better go back upstairs.  I 
joined everyone in the dining room and Steph asked me if I had any 
luck.  I said, "yeah."  I don't think anyone else was the wiser with my 
absence.  I was happy about my participation and glad that Clark and 
the others had decided to pursue this little get together.  I hoped 
everyone had as much fun pounding the brass as I did.

I then wondered what chocolate covered shrimp might taste like....

73 es HNY
Hal W8HC  "AH"


-----Original Message-----
From: Clark L. Stewart <w8tn at ntelos.net>
To: WVDXA at wvdxa.org
Sent: Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:40 pm
Subject: [WVDXA] WVDXA Straight Key/Glowbug Night - A Success!


WOW - That's more CW QSO's than I've had in the last DECADE!  I've 
turned off the radio now but I "still" hear CW.  Plus, my right arm 
feels like I just pitched a couple of innings of baseball.

I know you "old-time" CW ops think nothing of chewing the rag but my CW 
has been limited to:

me:  W8TN
DX:  W8TN 599
me:  RR 599 TU
DX:  TU

Plus, that has all been done by just pushing the right button on the 
memory keyer!  This "pounding of brass" has not been done by me in 
quite awhile.

And, I really, really thought the QSO's would be short.  I should have 
known when I saw K8KFJ and W8UI exchanging their life histories a 
half-hour before the start of the WVDXA SKN that I was in for some 
long-winded QSO's.

But, it was certainly fun.  AND, I feel that I have definitely improved 
my ability to copy CW in a QSO.  I was sweating a bit when some of the 
guys started "talking" to me but it all worked out.

And hey, that Mr. Ritchie from down in Florida must have hooked some 
wire to the Goodyear Blimp or something.  He was pounding in up here.  
He keeps trying to tell everyone that he works all this DX from his RV 
with a Hamstick mobile antenna but the type of signal he was putting up 
this way kind of makes you think he has a real antenna farm down there.

Then, there was the surprise of hearing "CQ CQ CQ DE W8AH W8AH - AH"  
WA8WV used the club call of "W8AH" and even used one of Al's straight 
keys to give several a contact with the club call.

W8HC (who snuck away from Steph's New Year's Eve Party) also managed to 
hand out some QSO's.  Even though he forgot to take his Aleve, he was 
still sailing along with the straight key.

I managed to work W8OI, W8AH, W8HC, W8OP and K8KFJ.  I heard W8UI 
before the SKN started but never managed to hear him after he worked 
K8KFJ.  I was also hoping to hear K8MN or W8WEJ but could not find 
either of them.  WA8VPN unfortunately had to miss the event due to a 
funeral home visit.  Sorry you could not make it "Papa November."

All in all, I think it was a good time.  WA8WV was looking for a bigger 
turn-out but this was a "last minute" set up.  Considering that, I 
think it was time well spent.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all the WVDXA.  May 2008 be filled with lots of rare 
DX and new radios and antennas grace your stations.


Clark, W8TN
Indian Name Changed to "Broken Arm"




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