Elecraft CW Net Report for May 28th & 29th, 2006

[Kevin Rock]

Good Evening,
    Soon after starting the twenty meter net I got a very bad signal report.  This was not entirely necessary since I was experiencing a lot of difficulty on my end.  I tried a few quick fixes but this was not helping.  I got on to my Icom 706 and worked with its less than stellar QSK.  I will never get used to the relay clacking away at me as I key.  Then there is the problem of the sidetone being fixed to the AF gain.  If I want to hear a weak station I must hear my own keying extra loud.  The filter is not up to Elecraft specs either.  But at least I was able to get on the air.  My K2 has no output right now.  Don Wilhelm has a to do list for me so tomorrow I get to see how badly the K2 has been injured.  
    Between nets I did get a chance to look inside.  The AUX RF plug was the problem.  Yes, there was stray RF bouncing around inside my K2 causing the relays to go crazy.  I had gone on a field trip with my K2 and had put the original top back on to use low power and its ATU.  When I replaced the top one of the pins in the RF cable to the amp must have become unseated since I found one contact was intermittent.  When the K2 got warm enough it opened.  Well I reseated the pin in the connector but by then the damage was done.  Now I need to find out how deep it goes.
    I digress, the nets tonight, well at least the parts I was able to hear went fairly well.  Hopefully by next week I'll be able to hear better again.  On twenty there was much QRM from the DX contest while on forty there was some QRN.  Forty also appeared to be weaker than in the recent past.  However, between Tom and I a few folks were able to check in.

The lists.

On 14051 kHz (approximately) at 2300z:
N0SS - Tom - MO - K2 - 008
N2HTT - Mike - NY - KX1 - 98
W6BK - Dave - CA - ?
K4JPN - Steve - GA - K2 - 1422
WB1HGA - Ron - MA - K2 - 2135
W0NTA - Dick - CO - K2 - 3900
W6ZH - Pete - CA - K2 - 5138      QNI #10 !
K4BEH - Pat - GA - K2 - 5061    Welcome aboard Pat ;)
K2HYD - Ray - VA - KX1 - 608
N0BK - Bruce - MN - K2 - 3646

On 7045.50 kHz at 0200z:
W0CZ - Ken - ND - K2 - 1031
W6ZH - Pete - CA - K2 - 5138
N0SS - Tom - MO - K2 - 008   QNI #150 !!!
K2HYD - Ray - VA - KX1 - 608
KT5E - Jay - CO - K2 - 5037
N2HTT - Mike - NY - K1 - 566
KE5BVC - Mitch - KS - TenTec TRITON 4
W1TF - Ty - GA - K1 - 1423
VE6ITA - John - AB - K2 - 5384
N0BK - Bruce - MN - K2 - 3646
W6BK - Dave - CA - ?

Any fills or correction in the above two lists are most welcome.  

Since I am not at my normal computer this is not as easy to create.  I am also using web mail instead of my normal mailer.  This is not my weekend for gadgets :(  Maybe tomorrow will go better.  I'll be using a chain saw, a splitting maul, and a sledge.  What could possibly go wrong with them?  Maybe I should stick to the maul and the sledge and not find out ;)  

Until next week you all take care now,
   73,
       Kevin.  KD5ONS  (Net Control Operator 5th Class in Absentia)

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