Mosquito Food

By SEKARC Contributor David Keith NØWKZ

Recently while conducting the fine business of a special event CW radio station, the realities of fishing came crashing back into my existence from memories long hidden file. Fishing? Yes!

During this event, a number of the other operators involved communicated back and forth for a time using a group email address. This was sort of neat as it raised my own awareness of the other operators and their struggles and successes. One of them related a tale of woe that I know only all too well; the woes of apartment dwelling operators. By my own estimation, my Morse Code/CW career is only about three years long. In that time, I have fought tooth and nail against the ear splitting forces of electromagnetic despair that apartment dwelling operators have to endure. A plasma one floor below is turned on and suddenly a guy across the pond disappears from my headset. Water heaters, washing machines, throngs of unshielded wall warts dancing on the edge of hash, and even AC units from the building next door. Chargers, flat screens, power supplies; the list of sources is endless. All of it; a symphony of spectrum wash dancing wildly across the S Meter. To be sure, many of my operations are with my friend and Elmer W0IIT just a few doors down, and sending from the pages of a random book through my code practice oscillator into a recorder, and copy practice from the WebSDR or W1AW. Countless days have passed where my main operating has been with myself. I have often sat dreaming with envy of those ops with towers and clear viewed signal paths before them. I myself have to get out.

SEKARC SS CW NET LIVES

The SEKARC SS (slow speed) NET is planning to restart again on Wednesday April 27 at 8:30 pm after the 2 meter net and on the second and forth Wednesday of each month there after.  Depending on how this works out for everyone it may be adjusted later.  The purpose of the net is practice for CW operators and to make us proficient if we ever have to use net controlled traffic.

It is a SLOW SPEED net and is designed for the new CW operator and those of us who need the practice or are just learning.  Please try and keep your speed below 8 wpm.  Our operating frequency will be between 7.057 and 7.058 MHz .  I will try to use 7.057.5 but if it is busy QSY up or down between the above.  Let's have a good time and use the equipment that works for you.

                                                     CHECKING IN

Step 1:  Net Control (NC) calls "QRL? QRL?" to see if the frequency is in use.  This is a good time to zero beat NCS's signal.

Step 2:  Net Control calls "CQ CQ CQ SEKARC SS CW NET DE WD0CFH WD0CFH NC QNI K".  That means it's time for stations to send their call signs to Net Control to copy.  Our net is a slow speed net so please keep your speed under 8 words a minute.

Step 3:  "LISTEN" for other stations first.  When you don't hear anyone trying to check in, then send "DE <space> YOUR CALLSIGN".  The space is important so that you can listen and make sure that you are not "doubling" with someone.  If NCS misses your call he will ask "AGN ?" and you should resend your call.

Step 4:  At the end of initial check in NC will acknowledge by repeating all calls.  Example: "R R  W0MQY ES KD0RTX ES N0WKZ AS".  "AS" means standby, I will return later for your comments.  NCS will again again call "QNI K" to pick up remaining stations who did not check in earlier.

Step 5:  Wait for NC to call you again.  Example: "W0MQY DE K0SEK KN".  KN means NC is calling you and only you to make some comments.  You can say "73" if you wish and end with "K0SEK DE W0MQY KN" if you have no comments.

Step 6:  NC will call "QNI K" after a few comments to see if other stations wish to check in.  If you have not yet been acknowledged by Net Control, keep trying until I hear you.
Remember:  DE <space> "YOURCALLSIGN".
NC will call the entire list until everyone has had a chance to comment, giving more opportunities to QNI in between.  Please be patient.  If NC doesn't copy your call I will ask "AGN ?".  You can then send your call again.

Step 7:  NC will close the net after the last comment with "73 SEKARC SS CW NET IS NOW CLOSED DE WD0CFH NC SK"

That's it guys.  This will be a whole new experience for me as NC and probably for a few more who have never checked into a net.  We are a "slow speed" net so don't hesitate to ask "QRS" (slow down) if you are having trouble copying.  No one is going to make more mistakes than ME.

Jack ... WD0CFH

SEKARC SS CW NET LIVES

The SEKARC SS (slow speed) NET is planning to restart again on Wednesday April 27 at 8:30 pm after the 2 meter net and on the second and forth Wednesday of each month there after.  Depending on how this works out for everyone it may be adjusted later.  The purpose of the net is practice for CW operators and to make us proficient if we ever have to use net controlled traffic.

It is a SLOW SPEED net and is designed for the new CW operator and those of us who need the practice or are just learning.  Please try and keep your speed below 8 wpm.  Our operating frequency will be between 7.057 and 7.058 MHz .  I will try to use 7.057.5 but if it is busy QSY up or down between the above.  Let's have a good time and use the equipment that works for you.

                                                     CHECKING IN

Step 1:  Net Control (NC) calls "QRL? QRL?" to see if the frequency is in use.  This is a good time to zero beat NCS's signal.

Step 2:  Net Control calls "CQ CQ CQ SEKARC SS CW NET DE WD0CFH WD0CFH NC QNI K".  That means it's time for stations to send their call signs to Net Control to copy.  Our net is a slow speed net so please keep your speed under 8 words a minute.

Step 3:  "LISTEN" for other stations first.  When you don't hear anyone trying to check in, then send "DE <space> YOUR CALLSIGN".  The space is important so that you can listen and make sure that you are not "doubling" with someone.  If NCS misses your call he will ask "AGN ?" and you should resend your call.

Step 4:  At the end of initial check in NC will acknowledge by repeating all calls.  Example: "R R  W0MQY ES KD0RTX ES N0WKZ AS".  "AS" means standby, I will return later for your comments.  NCS will again again call "QNI K" to pick up remaining stations who did not check in earlier.

Step 5:  Wait for NC to call you again.  Example: "W0MQY DE K0SEK KN".  KN means NC is calling you and only you to make some comments.  You can say "73" if you wish and end with "K0SEK DE W0MQY KN" if you have no comments.

Step 6:  NC will call "QNI K" after a few comments to see if other stations wish to check in.  If you have not yet been acknowledged by Net Control, keep trying until I hear you.
Remember:  DE <space> "YOURCALLSIGN".
NC will call the entire list until everyone has had a chance to comment, giving more opportunities to QNI in between.  Please be patient.  If NC doesn't copy your call I will ask "AGN ?".  You can then send your call again.

Step 7:  NC will close the net after the last comment with "73 SEKARC SS CW NET IS NOW CLOSED DE WD0CFH NC SK"

That's it guys.  This will be a whole new experience for me as NC and probably for a few more who have never checked into a net.  We are a "slow speed" net so don't hesitate to ask "QRS" (slow down) if you are having trouble copying.  No one is going to make more mistakes than ME.

Jack ... WD0CFH

SEKARC SS CW NET LIVES

The SEKARC SS (slow speed) NET is planning to restart again on Wednesday April 27 at 8:30 pm after the 2 meter net and on the second and forth Wednesday of each month there after.  Depending on how this works out for everyone it may be adjusted later.  The purpose of the net is practice for CW operators and to make us proficient if we ever have to use net controlled traffic.

It is a SLOW SPEED net and is designed for the new CW operator and those of us who need the practice or are just learning.  Please try and keep your speed below 8 wpm.  Our operating frequency will be between 7.057 and 7.058 MHz .  I will try to use 7.057.5 but if it is busy QSY up or down between the above.  Let's have a good time and use the equipment that works for you.

                                                     CHECKING IN

Step 1:  Net Control (NC) calls "QRL? QRL?" to see if the frequency is in use.  This is a good time to zero beat NCS's signal.

Step 2:  Net Control calls "CQ CQ CQ SEKARC SS CW NET DE WD0CFH WD0CFH NC QNI K".  That means it's time for stations to send their call signs to Net Control to copy.  Our net is a slow speed net so please keep your speed under 8 words a minute.

Step 3:  "LISTEN" for other stations first.  When you don't hear anyone trying to check in, then send "DE <space> YOUR CALLSIGN".  The space is important so that you can listen and make sure that you are not "doubling" with someone.  If NCS misses your call he will ask "AGN ?" and you should resend your call.

Step 4:  At the end of initial check in NC will acknowledge by repeating all calls.  Example: "R R  W0MQY ES KD0RTX ES N0WKZ AS".  "AS" means standby, I will return later for your comments.  NCS will again again call "QNI K" to pick up remaining stations who did not check in earlier.

Step 5:  Wait for NC to call you again.  Example: "W0MQY DE K0SEK KN".  KN means NC is calling you and only you to make some comments.  You can say "73" if you wish and end with "K0SEK DE W0MQY KN" if you have no comments.

Step 6:  NC will call "QNI K" after a few comments to see if other stations wish to check in.  If you have not yet been acknowledged by Net Control, keep trying until I hear you.
Remember:  DE <space> "YOURCALLSIGN".
NC will call the entire list until everyone has had a chance to comment, giving more opportunities to QNI in between.  Please be patient.  If NC doesn't copy your call I will ask "AGN ?".  You can then send your call again.

Step 7:  NC will close the net after the last comment with "73 SEKARC SS CW NET IS NOW CLOSED DE WD0CFH NC SK"

That's it guys.  This will be a whole new experience for me as NC and probably for a few more who have never checked into a net.  We are a "slow speed" net so don't hesitate to ask "QRS" (slow down) if you are having trouble copying.  No one is going to make more mistakes than ME.

Jack ... WD0CFH