[SECC] V V V

[Kevan Nason]

Do you old farts remember how we used to send “V V V” before CW practice or
a testing session? It brought your mind back to focus so you can copy a
string of code. Let’s bring that tradition back during contests. I made my
wife laugh with this story about an experience in last night’s MIQP.



The scenario. Rate is very slow. I’m zoning out listening to the CQ drone
on and on. Didn’t find anything new on the second radio so am just bobbing
my head to the CQ beat. My autopilot mind is listening for a code sequence
responding to my CQ of one or two letters followed by a number. The letters
for a Michigan station will start with an A, K, N, or W. Then “GL K” blasts
into my ears followed by more code. Quick! What county is GL? I don’t
remember any of those United Kingdom countries having GL. Maybe it’s
somewhere else in EU or AS. What? No number? Wait, wait… How can a station
from over there be 10 over S9 on 80 meters in all this QRN? Huh? It doesn’t
matter. I can’t work them for the MIQP. Oh yeah… The Ontario QSO party is
going on too. Maybe it’s a weird Canadian prefix like that XL1 I’ve worked
before. Quick… send “?” and get whoever this is to send a valid call sign.
They got tired of ?’s and moved on.



That happened twice. About 10 minutes after the second time, I finally
figured out it was a friend sending ‘Good Luck, Kevan…”



Most of you have heard me say I’m not a very good CW operator. There’s an
example of why I often say that.



Whoever that was, a belated thank you for the well wishes.



Kevan N4XL
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