Check out CW Communicator: http://www.mrx.com.au/d_cwcom.htm

It's been a while since I've used it, but I believe it can be configured to use a mouse as a key input. (Along with just typing, or using a designated key on the keyboard as a straight key.)

Added bonus is that there is a global server for this program in use, and you can pretty frequently find other users online to chat with. I most frequently see Japanese hams on there practicing and have had some decent little QSOs with them.

Can you squeeze coax in under a door seal? I live in a 4plex as well and only put up my antenna (simple wire vertical) and run the coax out under the front door just when I'm using it - a night or weekend at a time, then the antenna and coax come back in until next time.
Takes me about 10 minutes to hang my vertical element out the second floor bedroom window, run the radials (5 radials over 180 degrees-since it's up against a wall, can't do a circle) and hook coax up to the radio a few feet from the front door. A little longer to put it away since I try to wind the radials nicely to make it easy to re-deploy.

... and your very first post on the forum is to tell us this? Another fishy endorsement for someone who has had a bad reputation for many years...

My company club (AB7HP) has just as much fun with our club's SteppIR vert. Piece of cake for a couple of guys to put up nearly anywhere in just a few minutes.

Of course, Field Day brings out the towers on trailers and full size yagis... but for the occational "get together and get on the air" group event, an easy up antenna is a great club asset.

Spot on Ray...

 de N0BOE - An Oboist... My vanity call is a combination of my music and radio hobbies. Of course my computer can generate CW and music much better than I ever will, but that doesn't stop me from perusing either.

I don't think CW is going anywhere until the FCC decides it's too much work to enforce Part 97 and turns a blind eye to what would be rapidly evolving anarchy on our bands... Hopefully our self-policing nature will ensure this never happens, but seems that there's already plenty of pirate and licensed hams that violate plenty of regulations with nothing being done, so maybe the end is closer than I first thought... Scary thought, I've been a ham since 11 years old, nearly 17 years ago now, and I'm quite looking forward to a whole lifetime full of radio, I hope we don't go the way of the dodo CB...

Hey FCC, try this on:

We're unable to contact you via mail because you have not complied with CFR 97.23 Your renewal application and all appeals are hereby denied.



Easy enough, no? I don't understand why this is such an ongoing saga. (But I guess that's the 'justice' system for you - appeals forever even for the most obvious offenders.)

Looks like AK4YH

Congrats Gil!

Updated (final) participating stations:

AB7HP - Boise ID
NE1HP - HP New England
WA7HP - Vancouver WA
K5WH & N5EN - Houston TX
W1HP - Phillips (Former HP/Agilent) New England

Join Hewlett-Packard employee radio clubs nationwide celebrating the 100th anniversary of HP founder David Packard’s birth. Dave was an avid early ham operator, and it has been said that without Dave’s interest and involvement in radio, the Hewlett-Packard Company would have never existed.

HP clubs will be on the air nationwide Friday September 7 through Saturday September 8. All stations contacting HP clubs will receive a special commemorative QSL card from each location-collect them all! HP clubs will be on the air at various times during the event period. ((There may be a special "worked all HP" certificate, details still in the works.))

Coordinator:
AB7HP Hewlett-Packard Boise ARC

Participating clubs:
AB7HP - Boise ID
N7HP - Corvallis OR
NE1HP - HP New England
WA7HP - Vancouver WA
K5WH - Houston TX
WW6HP - Cupertino/Palo Alto CA
 
Pending:
W1HP - Phillips (Former HP/Agilent) New England
N0HP - HP Englewood (CO)

Frequencies:
10-15-20-40-80 Meters
Tenative SSB center freqs: 7.260 14.260 18.140 21.360 28.360
Some clubs may be running CW and/or PSK as well.

Contact/QSL Manager:
 Aaron Rynearson, N0BOE
 HPBARC Public Information Officer
 11311 Chinden Blvd MS403
 Boise ID 83714
 AaronR@hp.com

I was part of a club station using W7I last year. It seemed that the biggest problem was when we were lost in the noise and the other party was struggling to copy-they would think that they were missing part of the callsign until I got the message across that the 1x1 is correct. When we had a clear copy, there wasn't much confusion. I think overall there wasn't much of a difference from using a regular call as far as contact rate goes.

Perhaps is makes more of a difference on CW-less characters to send=faster qso? My fist isn't up to snuff for field day operating, I was sticking with SSB and PSK only, so I don't have any info to share on that aspect.