AmateurRadio.com

As a young man, I was a CW Radio Operator aboard a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (CastleRock/NBZF), I was thrilled everyday to go on watch. It led to me getting a ham ticket in 1955 and thereafter, enjoying the hobby. I always stayed a “CW” operator and never enjoyed the 2-meter FM “thing” as it seemed more like CB to me!

Later in life I got the opportunity to work on Merchant Marine vessels, and after some 30 years, with the exception of Telex, not much had changed.. CW was still alive and well, though many of the shore stations began closing down (i.e. WCC, WSL, KPH, etc.).

The writing was in the wall when more and more ships traffic went Telex.. Frankly, because of the length of a majority of these messages, including ship food stores and engine room parts, my keyer would have blown up!

Then not long after, they brought cell phones aboard — the beginning of the end for the ship’s Radio Officers. In 1999, most of the remaining Coast Guard and commercial Maritime stations went silent.

All I can tell you is that while it lasted , it was a great job. But it’s hard to call something a job when you have loved it all your life.

I am very concerned about our hobby these days: no CW requirement. Why would today’s generation want to study for a test when all they have to do is get online and they can communicate all over the world with no QRM, QRN, QSB etc.?

I can see the increase in FM 2-meter and 450 MHz FM for emergency help and that is great, but on the other hand is it actually “hamming” or “quasi police work?”

This is the trouble we older hams have, we live in the past trying to eek out a weak CW signal from some far off country.

With my 100 watts and dipole antenna, I had nightly CW QSO’S with ZL2LI from Christchurch, NZ while I was in Cleveland, Ohio. We could barely hear each other on some nights pushing the “cans” closer to my ears. But it was a thrill each and every time. Will the kids of today ever experience that?

On 7035 kHz., every night we had high speed CW ops from the “CFO” required minimum speeds of 45 WPM and nomination came from at least 2 CFO operators. This club was started by Jim Ricks. W9TO who had invented the famous Hallicrafters “TO” keyer. There are over 1,500 members.

But most of the ops like me are aging.. We need new young blood to keep the organization going.

The fact of the matter is we need new young ops in our most wonderful hobby to learn and use CW So that this art is NEVER lost.

I got out a bit today to the local park for some more QRP fun chasing SKCC contacts.  I have been using the paddles on the KX3 set to hand mode – but this needs to change.  These seem to work great when using the keyer, but for hand keying it seems like they cut out from time to time while forming the dits and dahs.  A decent hand key is next on the agenda for me!

While I was taking down the antenna and loading up at the end of my session an older gentleman that had been fishing and was parked near me asked if I was some type of weather reporter.  I told him that I was an amateur radio operator and I was using morse code to talk to other stations across the country.  We had a nice chat – I always wonder what people think of me sitting in my car with a 31′ pole and wire strapped to the bollard!

Today I had 4 nice contacts on 20 meters, 3 of them with SKCC members….

NV4U (9744T) – I answered Rons CQ, band was up and down a bit, but he was a nice easy copy from Georgia.

AH6AX (11165S) – Larry was from Maryland and was an easy 599 on my end and he gave me a 539 on his.  Larry answered my CQ.

K2PAY (4304S) – Jerry answered my CQ and gave me a 559.  I had to engage the narrow filter on the KX3 because someone else came on right next to us calling CQ – worked like a champ!  Jerry was in New York and during our first exchange had to take a quick break to help his wife with something – I completely understand this!

KK6GLP – I heard Mike calling CQ around 14.060, and I had time to squeeze in one more before my time was up.  He gave me a 599 and he was also 599 here in Kansas.  Mike was in Roseville, CA and was running 50 watts.  He said he had some bad QRM on his end, so we said 73 and ended our nice contact.  Reading on Mikes QRZ page he can’t have a permanent antenna so he has a “rig in a box” and sets up in his backyard when he wants to operate.

It still amazes me that from a park, with a little antenna and just 5 watts I worked coast to coast today using CW and keying by hand.  I would love to hear a recording of my sending, it sounds good on my end, but I often wonder how the spacing and timing sounds to someone else.  I might have to find a WebSDR and see if I can hear myself sometime.

The strangest thing about today was that I called CQ many times, but I never saw a spot on RBN – this is pretty unusual.

I got out a bit today to the local park for some more QRP fun chasing SKCC contacts.  I have been using the paddles on the KX3 set to hand mode – but this needs to change.  These seem to work great when using the keyer, but for hand keying it seems like they cut out from time to time while forming the dits and dahs.  A decent hand key is next on the agenda for me!

While I was taking down the antenna and loading up at the end of my session an older gentleman that had been fishing and was parked near me asked if I was some type of weather reporter.  I told him that I was an amateur radio operator and I was using morse code to talk to other stations across the country.  We had a nice chat – I always wonder what people think of me sitting in my car with a 31′ pole and wire strapped to the bollard!

Today I had 4 nice contacts on 20 meters, 3 of them with SKCC members….

NV4U (9744T) – I answered Rons CQ, band was up and down a bit, but he was a nice easy copy from Georgia.

AH6AX (11165S) – Larry was from Maryland and was an easy 599 on my end and he gave me a 539 on his.  Larry answered my CQ.

K2PAY (4304S) – Jerry answered my CQ and gave me a 559.  I had to engage the narrow filter on the KX3 because someone else came on right next to us calling CQ – worked like a champ!  Jerry was in New York and during our first exchange had to take a quick break to help his wife with something – I completely understand this!

KK6GLP – I heard Mike calling CQ around 14.060, and I had time to squeeze in one more before my time was up.  He gave me a 599 and he was also 599 here in Kansas.  Mike was in Roseville, CA and was running 50 watts.  He said he had some bad QRM on his end, so we said 73 and ended our nice contact.  Reading on Mikes QRZ page he can’t have a permanent antenna so he has a “rig in a box” and sets up in his backyard when he wants to operate.

It still amazes me that from a park, with a little antenna and just 5 watts I worked coast to coast today using CW and keying by hand.  I would love to hear a recording of my sending, it sounds good on my end, but I often wonder how the spacing and timing sounds to someone else.  I might have to find a WebSDR and see if I can hear myself sometime.

The strangest thing about today was that I called CQ many times, but I never saw a spot on RBN – this is pretty unusual.

I went over the local park once again today – it was nicer today because the wind was not blowing 40 MPH like the last excursion!

20 meters seemed to be a bit better, and I heard a number of signals around 14.050 (the SKCC hangout), as well as the rest of the band.

I started calling CQ thinking I would have a contact really quick, but not to be the case, but it got more interesting after a bit.

First up was…

NS3C (8284T) – Richard answered my CQ from Los Angeles, CA and gave me a 599 – I was a new number for him.

NQ7K (13913T) – I heard Mike nice and solid replying to my CQ.  What started out as a 579 exchange turned into a 599 booming signal from Arizona.  Mike was running a 1 Watter Rig which is a kit available from Kits and Parts – and seems to be gaining a foothold in the QRP community.  It was fun to work someone running 1 watt on a rig that I have thought about picking up! Nice 2xQRP contact!

KF7YRL (10421T) – I heard a very very faint signal when Steve was calling me.  I was able to make out the necessary info and heard that he was QRP.  His QRZ page says he is in Montana, but I shot him an email for the specifics.  We kept it short because I could just not pull up his signal well enough to copy easily.  Another 2xQRP QSO!

KO1U (7648S) – I heard Mark calliing CQ with a nice 599 signal.  I answered and he got me with a 559 report from Massachusetts.

Another fun day working some of the nicest guys and great operators that are involved with the SKCC.  Thanks for putting up with my new fist, and slower speed!

This puts me 11/100 SKCC contacts as I work towards my Centurion award.

I went over the local park once again today – it was nicer today because the wind was not blowing 40 MPH like the last excursion!

20 meters seemed to be a bit better, and I heard a number of signals around 14.050 (the SKCC hangout), as well as the rest of the band.

I started calling CQ thinking I would have a contact really quick, but not to be the case, but it got more interesting after a bit.

First up was…

NS3C (8284T) – Richard answered my CQ from Los Angeles, CA and gave me a 599 – I was a new number for him.

NQ7K (13913T) – I heard Mike nice and solid replying to my CQ.  What started out as a 579 exchange turned into a 599 booming signal from Arizona.  Mike was running a 1 Watter Rig which is a kit available from Kits and Parts – and seems to be gaining a foothold in the QRP community.  It was fun to work someone running 1 watt on a rig that I have thought about picking up! Nice 2xQRP contact!

KF7YRL (10421T) – I heard a very very faint signal when Steve was calling me.  I was able to make out the necessary info and heard that he was QRP.  His QRZ page says he is in Montana, but I shot him an email for the specifics.  We kept it short because I could just not pull up his signal well enough to copy easily.  Another 2xQRP QSO!

KO1U (7648S) – I heard Mark calliing CQ with a nice 599 signal.  I answered and he got me with a 559 report from Massachusetts.

Another fun day working some of the nicest guys and great operators that are involved with the SKCC.  Thanks for putting up with my new fist, and slower speed!

This puts me 11/100 SKCC contacts as I work towards my Centurion award.

Although I cannot speak for other countries, here in the UK ours is a hobby mainly of older people and mainly men.  When I was fitter, I gave several talks to local radio clubs in East Anglia and without exception, it was mainly OAPs who came along. OK, there were a few youngsters and women, but the vast majority were older men.

Amateurs and SWLs are a dying breed unless we can attract young people into the hobby. I am 67 and will be dead within 30 years, probably a lot sooner. An aging population will not buy so many rigs, will not support magazines etc. Numbers will fall, activity will fall, interest will drain away.

In 20-30 years we will be very much in uncharted territory. What will our hobby be like in years to come?