CQ CQ -CALLING AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS

[Steve Marcus]

Many years ago, I was WN3SEV. That arbitrarily assigned call was only 9 letters away from my real initials!

I ran 5 watts CW on my Heathkit HW-16. The most obscure DX QSO was with a fellow in the Seychelles Islands

As life’s responsibilities and interests developed, I no longer had time to pursue Ham Radio. I sold my gear and that was the end of it.

[opus37]

KB0JDJ I'm not very active, but I have my Yaseau 990 station set up which runs at 100 watts. I've been using a vertical antenna. I'm a general class operator who mostly is on phone (aka SSB).

[TubaSchnaidt]

KJ0M here. Not very active any more. I've been a DXer for a long time, just closing in on Top of the Honor Roll with the last 2 on the air right now. For you non-hams, the award is for working every country/entity in the world, which is currently 340. I've been working on that for 40 years. I have too much equipment and will soon be downsizing. Too much antenna maintenance and not enough tuba playing! My page is also on QRZ.com.

73

[Dan Schultz]

CW, huh? I've never been licensed but did a stint in The US Naval Security Group back in the 60's where I copied TONS of CW and never sent a single 'dit'. I always thought it might be a fun thing to do but lost track of my skills when I was discharged and started doing family stuff. At my peak I could copy eighty five-letter groups per minute.

[The Big Ben]

CW, huh? I've never been licensed but did a stint in The US Naval Security Group back in the 60's where I copied TONS of CW and never sent a single 'dit'. I always thought it might be a fun thing to do but lost track of my skills when I was discharged and started doing family stuff. At my peak I could copy eighty five-letter groups per minute.

I have a friend who did similar work but for the Army in Japan in the early 60s. He loved the experience mainly because he was in Japan and mastered the skill quickly.

[The Big Ben]

KB7AIL, since 1985, General Class, CN87, Port Ludlow, WA
When I operate, it usually is digital (PSK31), 20 meters. PSK31 is efficient and it makes up for low power or second rate antennas or subpar bands. Pick only two.

[The Big Ben]

Heard an interesting piece of both musical and radio/CW trivia:

Back before he was Johnny Cash, John Cash joined the USAF after HS and tested pretty well for radioman. He was particularly good at copying CW accurately for hours. This was in the early 1950s and he was sent to Germany to intercept whatever the Soviet Bloc was throwing out. In 1953, news was distributed via radio teletype or CW. SSgt. John R. Cash was the first guy who intercepted the news that Josef Stalin had died and it had not gone public anywhere yet. He passed it up the line and his boss was happy with him. He served his hitch and got out then started his music career.