Wayne --

Over on the 'Zed, I saw your mention of your first exposure to the Collins S-Line at Kaneohe MCAS. My experience was similar; El Toro (CA) MCAS had a full set of Collins gear at the MARS station. I was stationed there in 1962 & 1965. Great stuff! It's still on my wish-list! Enjoy the nostalgia...

73, Vic
KB7GL

Here's a practical example...

While stationed at the FAA Long Range Radar facility at Mica Peak, WA, back in the 70s, I could consistently get full quieting in the repeater facility located on Mission Ridge, WA, about 165 SM to the west. This was using an IC-2AT/rubber duck at 1/2 Watts, on 2 Meter FM. The contacts were made looking through the west-facing window in the living quarters. Working that repeater, I could carry on normal conversations with mobile rigs north of Seattle.

While this isn't pushing the limit out at 200 miles, or even hand-held to hand-held, it illustrates what's possible with minimal power, given the right circumstances.

Vic
KB7GL

Jim --

I got my first Novice license that year (KN7DWN), while a Freshman in HS. I still remember those days -- as a newbie, I thought that was the norm! Those were heady times...

73, Vic KB7GL

KG4NEL --

I have a 4BTV with  the 17M and 30M add-on kits. It works as well as could be expected from a vertical, and was not difficult to tune. I will second the comments on the radials -- there is no need for symmetry with ground radials; just run them in the space you have. Bending them is OK, but don't bunch them together. Many short radials are more effective than a few longer ones. I have approx. 36 radials on mine, varying from 10 ft to 40 ft. I used the radial plate from DX Engineering. In my case, with the number of radials I have, trap tuning was necessary. It might seem counter-intuitive, but the better the ground, the more tuning required. I think these things are cut for those that just plant 'em or add only a few radials.

I'd also consider putting up the ladder line fed doublet. I have one, with the ladder line terminating at a MFJ-962D in the shack, and there is frequently a difference between it and the vertical. Neither one is superior 100% of the time.

As previously mentioned, some tuning will be necessary. And, if your ground radial system is very effective, you'll almost surely have to do some trap tuning. For that, the bridge is indispensable, and makes the job fairly simple.

-vic
KB7GL

"I recently upgraded to Extra. Am I going to get flak if I try to initiate a 10wpm QSO on the Extra CW portions of the band?"

You'll get flak only from those you probably wouldn't want to talk to in other circumstances. As an Extra, you have as much right to be there as anyone.

A recommendation: Check 7114 MHz; SKCC members frequently hang out there for slow speed CW contacts.

Join SKCC (free) and FISTS. Good groups. SKCC emphasizes the use of mechanical keys.

73, Vic KB7GL

I haven't spent much time thinking about it, but as I understand the process, once you have a Fists #, you retain it whether you continue to pay dues or not; you just don't get the newsletter (but can read it online). The fee seems reasonable, to me.

If paying a fee is troublesome, you might want to investigate the SKCC group. They are also very active, including monthly "casual" contests, and are free of any fees. The SKCC gang emphasizes straight keys and bugs.

www.skccgroup.com.

73, Vic KB7GL
SKCC 3636
FISTS 13568

Jim--

I took my Novice exam in 1958 (KN7DWN). I, too, recall the l-o-n-g wait for the ticket. In fact, after several weeks, I got over-anxious & bootlegged a contact. Being only 14 years old at the time, I was sure the FCC was going to come knocking...!

73, Vic KB7GL

Another very helpful group is the SKCC. There are frequently SKCC members monitoring 7114 KHz, which is for slow CW. Membership is free, and they have many fun  on-the-air activities.

http://www.skccgroup.com/

There is also a SKCC Yahoo forum at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skcc/messages

73, Vic, SKCC 3636

At the FCC office in Seattle in 1979, the 13 & 20 WPM tests were multiple choice exams, after listening to a machine-generated QSO. They had already done away with the requirement for 1 minute of copy, and there was no sending test.

Vic, KB7GL

I paid some attention to my hand while using my Blue Racer today. I agree with an earlier post that stated a single paddle would be uncomfortable, i.e., too narrow. I also noticed that the "dah" knob fits the edge of my finger fairly well, but my thumb covers almost the entire surface of the "dit" oval piece. I never thought much about it before, but it seems like a pretty good design to me. Kinda matches my hand geometry...

And then again, maybe I'm all wet!

73, vic
kb7gl
skcc 3636
fists 13568

I haven't heard that trend, yet, but I would probably gently suggest it's use, if I did. It works well and is universally understood.

I think that there is lots of interest in learning the code by the "no-coders", and we should encourage that and act as mentors whenever we can.

It's sometimes lonely on the CW sub-bands-- the more we can draw into it, the better.

My $0.02.

73, Vic
KB7GL

Check out the K9AY loop -- it's probably one of the best Rx antennas out there and takes up little room.

vic
kb7gl

http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/loop/k9ay/

Probably a dumb question, but is the adapter a tip-ring-sleeve type? Just a thought...