Elecraft CW Net Report for September 3rd & 4th, 2006

[Kevin Rock]

Good Evening and Happy Labor Day!!
    I got out of bed this morning took a shower and a few aspirin ;)  That  
helped my nephew induced aches and pains a great deal.  After breakfast I  
started chores.  One of them was to clean up my antenna junk on the roof.  
Ms. Patricia had been after me to get those unused antennas off the roof  
but I had been procrastinating.  Well she no longer can yell at me about  
having to sweep under either the loop or the dual dipole.  I've wrapped  
them up for future deployment and swept off the roof.  By the time that  
was done I was in danger of smearing the roofing so I came in and drank  
about a liter and a half of water.
    More chores and I listened to a few lectures from the Teaching  
Company.  I finished the course on Reformation Europe so I started the  
next series beginning with the Enlightenment.  The Story of Language is on  
the second cassette so I will not grow bored ;)  About that time I had to  
leave to see if I could get my chains sharpened for the chainsaw.  Luckily  
the hardware store in Banks was open but the sharpening folks were not  
there.  Also unlucky for me: they did not have a chain of the right size  
to add to my stock.  I'll have to wait until Tuesday to get a chain  
sharpened.  I'll tax their resources though since I've got some chains  
sharpened with curved cutting faces and some with chisel shaped cutters.  
The loggers swear by the chisel shape and I agree.  They cut very  
quickly.  What I don't like is their tendency to chatter a bit before they  
bite.  But enough logging!
    During the first net I experienced a little emergency.  Right after I  
snagged W6BK I lost power.  At first I thought it was the K2's fuse.  No,  
I could cycle the power.  However, there was not enough power to run it  
through a single dit.  I turned it off and switched to my lesser rig (Icom  
706).  It had the same problem only in stronger terms, it would simply  
chatter on - off - on - off without allowing me a chance to hear.  My  
battery was too low to jump to that so I pulled my Astron SS-30 M offline  
and dug out the Astron 20.  Finding a screwdriver to fit the wire holders  
took the time.  I was off the air for about five minutes while frantically  
pulling plugs and screwing in wires.  I got back on the air and called CQ  
to no avail; anyone interested in checking had gone away.  But, W6ZH, was  
there to commiserate with me.  Now to determine what is going on with the  
SS-30M.  Any ideas from the brain trust are most welcome.  Until I  
determine the problem I'll stick with the backup power supply.
    I'll try to get a new deep cycle battery before next week.  I will be  
running ECN from the middle of Hillsboro at Shute Park.  I am not sure if  
I have access to AC power or if I'll be on my own running from DC.  I will  
be working from an inverted V hung in the large Doug Fir in the park.  
I've been informed I'll have time to hoist the antenna and to strike it  
after the gig.  I'll not be as able to hear the weak signals as I am at  
home.  Cities have a way of putting a lot of hash into the aether!  Then  
there will be a bit of local QRM from the ARES folks wondering what I am  
doing with my paddles ;)  You all and I will be on display with another CW  
op running play by play relating what we're up to.  The K2 will be running  
into a Y cable so I can have some external speakers for the show and  
headphones for your's truly.

   Enough of this: the lists =>

    On 14050 kHz at 2300z:  (No interfering signal today which was very  
nice)
K0JEM - Joel - KS - K1 - 1400
W6ZH - Pete - CA - K2 - 5138
AB9V - Mike - IN - K2 - 3993
NK6A - Don - CA - ??    Not really sure of this one.  I copied NK5A.
N0BK - Bruce - MN - K2 - 3646    I am glad her healing is going well!!
N9SF - Bob - IN - K2 - 5308
N0AR - Scott - MN - K2 - 4866    QNI #20!!
VE3XL - Ric - ON - Ten Tec Omni
W6BK - Dave - CA - K2 - 4910

    On 7045 kHz at 0159 kHz:
N0AR - Scott - MN - K2 - 4866
W6ZH - Pete - CA - K2 - 5138     QNI #25!!
AF4PP - Charles - GA - ??
W6WY - Pete - CA - KX1 - 279
AA3WF - Mychael - PA - K2 - 1025      Great to hear you!!
WI6O - John - CA - K1 - 922     QNI #5!
KT5E - Jay - CO - K2 - 5037
AB9V - Mike - IN - K2 - 3993
AK2B - Tom - NY - K2 - 4482
N5ME - Al - TN - ??
AD5VK - Ed - TX - ??
AA4NN - Joe - SC - K2 - 3751    QNI #10!

Thank you for the relays guys, it really helps me out.  I am not sure  
about NK6A though.  I thought I had NK5A in LA but this is a club call in  
Texas.  Sorry about that.  As ever if you have any fills or corrections  
please email them to me.  I cannot guarantee I'll get an corrective email  
back to the Elecraft Reflector but I will respond to you and correct the  
database.  My life seems most hectic lately.  This is good; it means I am  
getting paid for my work!

Remember: next week we'll be under observation by a bunch of folks  
somewhat skeptical of CW.  Try to be on your best behavior :)  I know I  
will have to field questions while I am running the net (like that is not  
enough to keep my pea brain a-jitter :) so if there is a pause be  
patient.  Hopefully there will be enough traffic to keep their attention  
so we can gain one more to the fold.  They tell me they have the desire so  
let's make it fun for them.  With luck the antenna will stay mounted, the  
propagation will be A1, my power source remains steady, and we will all  
have a lot of fun.  I may get some free food out of this if all goes  
according to plan.

Thank you folks,
    73,
       Kevin.  KD5ONS  (Net Control Operator 5th Class)











 
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[Phil Kane-2]

On Sun, 03 Sep 2006 21:15:02 -0700, Kevin Rock wrote:

> Now to determine what is going on with the
>SS-30M.  Any ideas from the brain trust are most welcome.  Until I
>determine the problem I'll stick with the backup power supply.

  I fried an Astron many years ago when the Astron output went
  below the battery voltage.  Theymdon;t hgave any reverse
  current protection, and it cost a fortune to ship it to them and
  have it shipped back plus parts (new SCR and other things).
  Since that time I've used a RV "dual battery" isolator (reverse
  polarity) to avoid that problem -- need to run the P/S at 14.5
  to get 13.8 out, though.

>I'll try to get a new deep cycle battery before next week.

  If you get to the Eastside somehow, I would recommend Batteries
  Northwest (look then up in the phone book) and get the
  biggest Gel-Cell deep cycle battery that your budget can stand.
  I use the Size 31 which is a truck battery (100 AH) and they
  last me about 4 years in 24/7 float service.

>I will be
>running ECN from the middle of Hillsboro at Shute Park.  I am not sure if
>I have access to AC power or if I'll be on my own running from DC.

>The K2 will be running into a Y cable so I can have some
>external speakers for the show and headphones for your's truly.

 Do you want to borrow my computer speakers whichj work just
 fine with the K2?  Speak up now and we'll arrange a transfer.

 BTW - finally got my PSK running on the K2/100 and made my first
 out-of-state contact this afternoon - North Dakota, running 50
 watts to my dipole on 40m.   California SSB on 90 watts doesn't
 count as "out of state" any more.... <g>

--
   73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
   Elecraft K2/100   s/n 5402



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