UFG says: "actual, there is no more secure way to transmit a message over airways then a One-Time Pad message. It is the only known way to achieve "Shannon" or perfect security. As long as the pads are not compromised or re-used, they are unbreakable."

Concur: properl used and secured one-time pads are the most secure method of encrypting a message. When I mentioned "safer, more secure" I should have written that I was referring to there being more secure, more sophisticated methods of transmission than HF CW. Granted, their use depends on the circumstances at each end of the circuit, so HF CW is probably not in the graveyard yet.

While 5-character groups encrypted with a one-time pad were what I saw most of during my service (1964-70), other encryption systems were also common (4-letters, 4- or 5- numbers, etc), whether with one-time pads or less secure keys.



   

A question regarding the R-390: I used them for about 6 years while in USMC, and don't recall there being an SSB option. IIRC, there were switches for BFO On/Off, BFO Pitch and Bandwidth. Admittedly, I never tried to listen to an SSB signal on the things, and I'd guess an adapter of some kind wouldn't be all that hard to design & build, but I've never heard/seen SSB on one of those built-like-a-tank receivers.  

I'm guessing you just heard encrypted traffic. As you know, 5-letter coded groups is a very common means of transmitting such messages. It's probably not 'spy' traffic; there are better, safer and more secure ways to do that these days.

Like the man said, great practice!

73,
Jim N5VT
NavSecGru Marine dittychaser from long ago  

Much like PEH, I was out of the hobby for 40 years. I've been back since Nov. 2004, and only two QSO's are NOT CW - SSB so my grandsons could "talk to Mr. Gene (AF3Y) on the radio." So I'm pretty much CW only and having a grand time. It doesn't take much time to get back to speed in Morse, and if you're just learning, so much the better. Get on the air & have fun while you improve your skills.

Cu on CW,
Jim N5VT

Yup - 9X0R - slippery fingers, eh?

I have heard Ukraine & seen some spots in the last few weeks, but nothing from Georgia (4A8L) since January. The latter is not unusual for me - that was a tough one.

Sure hope all's well for all hands there.

Jim N5VT

Jim writes: "I assume that at some time in the future, ARRL will run the DXCC program solely from LOTW."

Boy, that'd sure be a blow to the QSL printers and to a much lesser extent, the postal systems of many countries.

I'm like Gene in that I much prefer paper cards (and CW too for that matter - call me an anachronism!), and will avoid LoTW for as long as I can.

I know LoTW is more advanced than cards, could be more efficient (if EVERYONE uploaded logs to it) and less expensive. I really enjoy the diversity of cards and when I show them to my grandsons they are much more enthusiastic about our hobby and excited to see something concrete from another country. LoTW is just too sterile for me - and I don't use internet birthday cards either.

73,
Jim N5VT

Oh yeah: anyone gotten a card from 9X0X? It's been about 5 months on that one too!

Yes, watching the parade of nations was kinda fun.
 
My YF kept asking, "Got that one?"
"Yup"
"Where is it?"
"North Central Africa"
"Cool. How about Kazakhstan?"
"Yup"
"Cool. Didja talk to Borat?" (Smart@$$ woman!)

It's also fun to see my grandson putting stickers on a globe to mark the places Grandpa talks to - and according to his mom, he's learning geography by pairing up the globe with an atlas, Not bad for an 8-year-old.

Yeah, this is a FUN hobby, and we can all learn something by pursuing it, but the really neat part is passing it on.



 

Hope everyone gets theirs quickly!
Jim N5VT

Gary,
No argument regarding the quality or usefulness of the booklet, simply an opinion regarding its cost and possible effect on subsequent operations. As you noted, those of us with 100W stations and compromise antennas were more than blessed by the quality of those ops (6 bands, ground-mounted vertical albeit CW).

My grandson will enjoy the booklet & it may well find its way to a Radio MB meeting, but so will the one-color cardstock QSL's.

I used to be a Bear ...
73,
Jim N5VT

Has anyone received either TX5C or 9X0R? I know I'm in both logs, but wondering about QSL's ...

73,
Jim N5VT

Received my QSL-clopedia on July 24 - agree that it's quite a nice production, and have no problem with having made my donation, but mailing to the US at $0.59/each instead of $0.42 for a 1 oz. envelope jacked up the expedition costs considerably.

If 1/3 of the 97,860 NA QSO's were to unique calls in the US, that's an additional $5500 just in postage (97860/3 = 32,620 times $0.17) or about half of one member's transportation.  

My concern is that other high profile DXpeditions will now feel "obliged" to follow suit, making it even more expensive to both the expedition and to those who work them.

Again, it's quite informative and a nice memento of the QSO's, and I think we all agree that the ops did a superb job of giving everyone a good chance of getting into the log, but the QSL is just a bit over the top in my opinion.

73,
Jim N5VT

 

Thanks for the heads-up. That was quite a show and it reinforced my life-long fear of being in high places ...

In Oklahoma City area, one telephone call brings out a company that marks underground gas, electric, water, cable and telephone lines. What they don't tell you is that the line can be up to a foot away from the marker on either side. I discovered that when digging to set a fence post: nice subdued 'pop', a little white smoke and the street light went out ...

Interesting use of U-bolts on the tilt-base. Is that how DXEnigneering supplies it now? Does that configuration provide a steady mount? Mine, about 3 years old, has regular (straight) bolts.

Nice, neat install, by the way - best of luck with it.
73,
Jim