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I’m not quite sure where to post this question, but thought I would start here. Is anyone using the 6 meter repeater in Brookline to join this weekly repeater net?
It’s connected to the N1IMO repeater network. I can hear it loud and clear, but have been unable reach anyone, including this weekly net.
I find some confusion on the internet about its offset. Some directories say 500KHz, others say 1MHz. I have tried both with no success.
At present I have my settings: 53.930MHz, -500KHz offset, and 88.5 PL.
Maybe I just don’t have a good enough path, but as well as Rx comes through, it seems I should be able to reach it.
Marv KC1LML Peterborough
Does this vehicle have current sensors? My F-150 did. If so you have to connect down stream of the current sensors. Being an ‘04 I doubt it does, but I do not know.
Hi Bob,
Sounds like a plan. Timing skills from flat picking would be helpful, I’d think! Of course, my picking skills are less than stellar so I hope that doesn’t work against me, lol.
Fleet
Wonderful you’re interested in learning the secret code. I have been sending CW for 62 years and this is what I’d like you to know. Speed is NOT the goal, but sending a complete idea to the other station and being understood is!1. Learn the letters, numbers and punctuations, of course. You will not learn these in one day, or two, but I must encourage you to repeat each character until you can recite them in your sleep. When I first started out, I went to sleep repeating the complete alphabet in my mind night after night until each was letter was pretty normal without having to second guess what I remembered. I dreamt of the following sentence: THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPED OVER THE LAZY DOGS BACK. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 times.” Only then did I fall asleep. It was repeated (dit/dah) 4 to 5 times every night. It worked. I learned the code quickly
2. I started learning CW and used a straight key for about 15 years. I got to be pretty fast, but peaked at 13 to 15 WPM. I was trapped at this speed because after sending for 2 to 3 hours at a clip … my wrist got tired. Okay, I fought it, but it was there and a straight key is sloooow.
3. Right now, AVOID using a straight key. Please do not buy and use a “Bug” because it looks cool. Too, too many guys do not know that using a Bug requires spacing and is absolutely difficult to copy. Lordy. It is not the way to go and pass-off what others tell you. It isn’t fun to copy and makes for a dead-end QSO.
4. Buy a used “paddle” at first and learn CW knowing your dits & dahs will be perfectly spaced. W1AW has practice code and is sent with perfect spacing. Emulate their sending and you’ll be loced by many. A brand new iambic paddle on today‘s market will cost $150 to $400. And remember, they all do the same thing. Mine is made (engineered) in Germany and costs $350. I am a serious CW operator.
5. I said speed is not your first priority, however, SPACING is extremely important. You must space between letters enough so one character doesn’t crash into another. Now, you MUST space between words. Time and time again I have to send back reports that I can’t understand what was sent because the entire transmission was one long word. Pheeeeew. Space (big space) between words and eventually your rhythm and speed will improve. I cannot emphasize spacing between words, numbers, and punctuations.
6. Q-signal. QRQ means send faster. QRS means send slower. When you miss 3/4 of a transmission, it’s not fun. Make CW fun time, and not one you’re guessing what was sent. I say to a bad station … “TU es 73.”
These are only a few ideas I have picked up along the way and I have more, but not at this time. I expect to hear you on the air using good standard procedures, plus I want to QSO with you when you’re ready.
Dennis K1LGQ
Brookline NHSent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphoneHi Bob,
Start with a strait key. Learning to to send with good timing will enhance your copy ability. Here’s a good inexpensive starter key from CW Morse (https://cwmorse.us). Once you get your copy ability above about 15 WPM, then it’s time to switch to a bug or paddles.
Another advantage of using a strait key is that you can get on-the-air and start making contacts with the SKCC group (https://www.skccgroup.com). Joining SKCC will give you lots of opportunities to get on the air with slow-code (QRS) contacts.
Don’t make the mistake of becoming a “professional student” and using only machine generated code to build up your copy skills. Getting on-the-air and making contacts under “real” band conditions (QSB, QRM, QRN, etc.) will build copy skill much, much faster than just using training apps like G4FON. Once you can recognize all the 40 essential characters from the sound the code, ditch the apps and turn on your rig.
If you really want to amp up your learning, consider joining either CWOps academy (https://cwops.org/cw-academy/) or the Long Island CW Club (https://longislandcwclub.org). Full disclosure, I’m a member of both and an instructor for LICW.
TU ES 73! DE K1OKD <dit> <dit>
Following. Just curious, are you using straight key or paddle? I know nothing of CW at this point but I want to learn and I’ve been looking at different types to learn on. And, like you, grow into once somewhat proficient.
I also really enjoy collecting cards. I send mine like a postcard. Always fun to get a new card in the mail. The whole bureau thing is foreign to me, but I guess to get some of those foreign cards I should get on board and figure it out.
Thanks Jeff!
Little last minute but we will be heading up again today to Mt. Kearsarge. See the original post for details. Planned summit time is around noon.
Hope to catch some of you!
Thanks for the interest! We did very well as far as contacts go. Not sure on the exact number yet because we are still entering in the logs (it is difficult to get everything down while up there as our fingers go numb without large gloves on). We were probably close to 30 contacts, most on 2m FM and a few on 2m SSB.
The weather was nice at the base but not very conducive to radio ops at the top. The wind was likely close to 30-40 mph steady with some pretty violent gusts, no visibility. We had to find an alcove in the activation zone and be very careful with our antenna and tripod setup. We had to cut it short because of the extreme cold.
We had a great time and appreciate all the contacts! We have many more winter hikes planned so stay tuned. We have an email list going that we notify people of our hikes, I will continue to post here as well.
Here is a shot of our setup as we were taking things down.