Thats because decades ago all those hams were working for a living like you and
I
do. Now the Old Boys are retired and can sit at home and enjoy daytime
operating
on CW. And they do enjoy it. I was out of work for two days last week due to
an
injury and was on the air during the day because, lets face it, watching that
stupid trial is like being nibbled to death by ducks. I needed practice for my
upgrade to General and I worked a lot of guys on 40 meters and 15 meters and got
in several hours a day of cw practice. I had a lot of friendly QSOs, found out
who has prostate problems, whose grandchildren are cute and whose are satan's
spawn and I really had fun. I filled three pages of log entries and made a lot
of new friends. I also got enough 10/10 numbers to send in an application. I
passed the 13 wpm on saturday so I have to take a day off this week and tell all
my new friends I made it. Many of these guys live for these contacts every day
because they have been largely forgotten by their family and friends are passing
away. Radio is, in many cases, their only contact outside the home. So if you
take a sick day get on the air and have fun with them. You'll learn a lot and
they love to talk cw to anyone. I can't wait to get their cards in the mail!!
Another neat thing I found this weekend is the "Worked all El Paso Texas
certificate. They are on every Sunday starting at 10 am eastern time on 28,440.
The deal is you work 15 El Paso stations and get a real nice parchment
certificate. Its the oldest continuing certificate program in existance and the
guys are really nice. I worked 11 stations in about an hour till the XYL made me
go out for brunch (at gunpoint)
I worked them all with my good old Scout and a dipole in the attic made from two
Slinkys I stole from the neighbors kids.
73s to all
DE KC2DGW/AG Hi Hi
w8au@sssnet.com wrote:
> Jim:
> I did not say most hams were on CW today. I did say that mid-day CW
> activity is greater today than decades ago. I remember those earlier years
> as being very quiet during the day, especially 40M. The percentage of hams
> using CW may be less than those old days, but it is well represented on the
> ham bands, none-the-less.
> I would never hope for the crowded condx of the fone bands, even if it were
> possible!
>
> Put up a 40 mtr beam or some phased verticals and aim them NE, Jim...
> All is not well, but it isn't dead, and never will be.
>
> 73,
>
> w8au
>
> At 02:12 PM 2/5/99 +0000, you wrote:
> >No, No NO, I will never believe there is more CW activity today than in
> >the 1950's. In 1950 the 40 meter band was loaded during the day, and
> >most hams of that era were on CW. Do you really believe that most hams
> >today are on CW, and that trend is continuing?
> >
> >Jim, K5ROV
> >
> >w8au@sssnet.com wrote:
> >>
> >> Jim:
> >> Possibly it's your QTH....but here in the Northeast there is no lack of CW
> >> activity during the day...from 40 meters on up.
> >> Having surveyed the CW scene since 1954, I notice MORE CW activity during
> >> the day now than back in the 50's thru the 70's as there are many more
> >> "Senior Hams" active now than then. There are also more retired folks.
> >> It's true, you won't find many on during the day that are lower than the
> >> age of 60, but this is normal.
> >>
> >> Keep up the activity...keep that fist going, and keep TenTec happy!
> >>
> >> Perry w8au
>
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