01/05/2006 | KI4DEF GA, OMs! Happy New Year--hope you all had a good SKN!

I only had one SKN QSO, but it was a dandy. Chatted for almost an hour with my friend Ray KG2B on 7040 kHz--the first QSO of the year for both of us. Ray was running his old FT301D, while I was running QRPp, 300mW from my Tuna Tin 2 to a homebrew 40m resonant wire dipole up 40ft with an old IC-R70 rcvr (a gift from my elmer Paul WA4MXT when I first started out as a ham about two years ago). This was obviously my best QSO today, but might have been even if it had not been my only one. It is the first time ever I have had a second QSO with the same OM using the TT2. The first time we QSOd, Ray had just moved to NY and was using a dipole up 3 ft (yes, three feet!). He was still able to hear me and we were able to chat for over a half-hour that time! Tribute to his skill as a CW op.

I heard lots of signals on the band today, but I was not able to manage any other QSOs. I stuck with my TT2--considering its limited power and that it's rockbound, it's no surprise that lots of OMs I heard could not hear me. But I still had a lot of fun. As usual, it is great to hear everyone pull out their old rigs and old keys--sure would be nice to hear them all year long, you guys! Please consider operating more CW with your straight keys and old rigs all year.

Vy 72 es 73 for a happy and healthy new year to all de KI4DEF Kevin -- KI4DEF