Ham Radio / Morse Code / Straight Key Night

UJay

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There is an annual tradition for many ham radio operators who take to the short-wave airways by breaking out the old gear and 'pound brass' for New Year's Day.

Here I am using a Yaesu FT-101EE that was delivered new to my Grandmother (sk) in 1977.


View: https://youtu.be/7gbsyPSEh3s


Even without old gear, and maybe not even a straight key- if you have the ability to tune around the CW portions of the bands, or better yet- make a contact = you will hear the soothing chirps and clicks of yesteryear.

73

UJay
 
For one reason or another I always miss SKN. With a family there's always something going on to distract me. But maybe in the back of my mind I'm not making it a priority out of courtesy to my fellow hams who would have a helluva hard time trying to figure out my fist since I use a straight key almost never[rofl]
 
Wow, that brings back memories. My father was a radio officer on ships during the 60's and early 70's. When he was home, I would sit in his study and listen to him "talking" to his buddies all around the world in Morse Code. I remember him being so happy when he was on his radios. Thank you for sharing a very old technology with new technology! Brings back lots of great memories!
 
OK, I've got a Dad story.
In WWII my dad was in the Navy in the South Pacific. At one point bunch of ships were all anchored together on a night with lots of low clouds. Two friends on different ships started a conversation by flashing Morse off a cloud with their signaling lights. Others got the idea and pretty soon there was a dozen conversations flashing off a dozen different clouds. It must have been an interesting sight.
 
I also missed SKN. My station is setup (Elecraft K3) in my Maine QTH these days and I wasn't there. I am 99% CW guy. Used to setup my Drake 2B receiver and Johnson Navigator transmitter on SKN.

ARRL LM
RCA
FOC
licensed since 1965
 
I have submitted this video to ARRL, and hope you NES guys noticed the Rock Chucker cameo! (photo bomb?)

Same here @Parker Duofold as -mostly- a cw guy, although FT8 is a mindless, fun video-game sort-of mode that has exploded in popularity and is easy to implement.
Was big in helping me secure WAS (Worked all States) on most bands. My SO2R setup is 2x K3 (non-s) radios and the ol' Yaesu comes out and dusted off around Christmas and gets put back on the shelf on 2 Jan!
FB on FOC, I am charter CWOperators' club life member, nominated by a charter FOC guy Vic N4XR(sk)- also going to DC for CW weekend in June.

It would be tougher to visually read morse code, but would have figured it out for sure to communicate through the clouds in the south Pacific @cockpitbob

Although CW/Morse code seems like old technology, on the radio contesting scene, there are some pretty high-tech advances there.
Here is a 5min practice session from a couple of years ago. Put stereo headphones on;

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0LxVLIWLo4


This weekend (Saturday night) is RTTY RoundUp. I made a few QSOs and will make a few more before the end of the event.

73 uj
 
Vic was my elmer of sorts, I was his 'IT guy' for sure. The team from KB1H (sk) would help maintain Vic's station, including the tear-down :( . Vic's Titan sits on the shelf here.

50 Q's in the RTTY RU. Cold out in the shack.
 
Wow, that brings back memories. My father was a radio officer on ships during the 60's and early 70's. When he was home, I would sit in his study and listen to him "talking" to his buddies all around the world in Morse Code. I remember him being so happy when he was on his radios. Thank you for sharing a very old technology with new technology! Brings back lots of great memories!

CW...the original digital protocol!

FYI. The CMARA club is doing a "Learn CW Training Net" every Monday night at 730pm. WA1JXR (Greg) is teaching the classes.

We are about half way through but you can still join in and listen.

It is on the Paxton repeater. 146.970 PL 114.8 - Negative Offset.
 
The time is upon us for SKN 2019. Was trying to get my Novice Rig, an Icom IC-735, but will likely use the Yaesi FT-101EE for a few QSOs.
 
My 2022 submission;

I cleaned and fired up my Grandmother's WA1WPX(sk) Yaesu FT-101EE this
year for SKN.
Delivery of this Yaesu was taken on my 3rd birthday, 1977
All systems worked well and all QSOs were on 40m.
N1YL, N2ATB, K1EEE, NC1M, K1KTF.
Thanks for the QSOs and look forward to next year's SKN.


I recorded a couple QSOs and tuning around. I will update the thread once I get to editing.

UJay
 

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Reminder that this starts tonight at 00:00 UTC. I probably won't participate as I'm still learning, but I'll spin the dial, listen to some QSOs, and see what I can pick out.

In the spirit of SKN, I decided to put together this little gem that came with a RockMite kit I ordered. I wouldn't want to ragchew on it, but this thing works pretty good

1672506934179.png
 
Although I cut my teeth on them years ago, straight keys are long in my past.
;)

Update: I did make a straight key contact last week, and what a bunch of hen scratching I did produce! In all fairness, I probably hadn't used a straight key in 40 years. LOL
 
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Awesome! Yes I will break out my Grandmother's(sk) old Yaesu FT-101EE rig Or my novice Icom IC-735 and the navy flame proof key.....

It is fun, I think I missed 1/1/23

UJay
 
I just blew the dust off my J-38 and am looking for stations. Having zero actual QSO experience beyond the very very basics I just want to see what the exchanges look like first. Gotta make sure I don't send too fast, too.

I have an unused SKCC number. Do people exchange those during this event? I don't even know what it is or where I saved it. Hmm.
 
Man, there sure are some (ahem) interesting fists out there. I'm still listening but I've been waiting a year for SKN so I need to get at least one QSO.
 
Man, there sure are some (ahem) interesting fists out there. I'm still listening but I've been waiting a year for SKN so I need to get at least one QSO.
I was on the lower end of 40 the other day copying code but you're right...I couldn't copy half of the senders...pretty sure a lot of them are noobs but I can guess a lot of them are "trying" to use paddles with little or no experience. The folks on Straight Keys aren't much better...it's just that there seems to be no sense of timing between words and letters (and dits and dahs). I heard a guy calling CQ and it was dah dit dahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh dit dah dahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh dit dahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Sheesh....no wonder no one was coming back to his (or her) call. I did copy (after a fashion) that it was N2 call but that's all I could get out of it. They called for at least 5 minutes straight with no takers...and the band was definitely open. With a decent fist, I have no problems copying 15 to 20 WPM....computer generated code I can get up to about 25. I guess we were all there at one time or another. ;)
 
I was on the lower end of 40 the other day copying code but you're right...I couldn't copy half of the senders...pretty sure a lot of them are noobs but I can guess a lot of them are "trying" to use paddles with little or no experience. The folks on Straight Keys aren't much better...it's just that there seems to be no sense of timing between words and letters (and dits and dahs). I heard a guy calling CQ and it was dah dit dahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh dit dah dahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh dit dahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Sheesh....no wonder no one was coming back to his (or her) call. I did copy (after a fashion) that it was N2 call but that's all I could get out of it. They called for at least 5 minutes straight with no takers...and the band was definitely open. With a decent fist, I have no problems copying 15 to 20 WPM....computer generated code I can get up to about 25. I guess we were all there at one time or another. ;)
I keep finding a station I can copy but it always seems to be their last call. I just want one and then I can go play outside somewhere. I'm afraid to call and get someone with a fist I can't copy. I'm not super at sending with a SK, but I think I'm pretty good.

In related news I learned I don't have to go into the settings and tell the FTDX10 it's a straight key, just turn off the keyer. That'll make it easier to switch back and forth.
 
I was on 40 meters last night for about an hour. I made 5 QSOs with my straight key. That was a lot of work. I also have an old bug that I should hook up someday. I belong to a couple of CW clubs (FOC and CWops) and today is "bug day." I tend to freeze on the dahs using a bug these days.

PM me if you want to know my callsign. I don't want to post it here.
 
Just about ready to go.
Man, that is a thing of beauty! Yesterday, was looking at the Elecraft site thinking maybe- just maybe-Hamcation next month. :)

I called CQ SKN for a while last night on 40m... There were, surprisingly, no answers....
-My thought was the my RX freq was way off my TX freq on the 'ol Yaesu and there were answers...??

I just missed the SSN event when I finally got out to the shack. Made 1 QSO and felt satisfied.... Might go out there now and fire it up for 1 more.

For the QLF senders.... I don't mind and actually find it fun and challenging to copy rough code... We were all there... and my fist only gets a workout once a year since the machine does all of the sending for the rest. So- my sending probably sucks too... All in good fun.

Grandma's Rig;

1704145034669.png
 
I was on 40 meters last night for about an hour. I made 5 QSOs with my straight key. That was a lot of work. I also have an old bug that I should hook up someday. I belong to a couple of CW clubs (FOC and CWops) and today is "bug day." I tend to freeze on the dahs using a bug these days.

PM me if you want to know my callsign. I don't want to post it here.

Long Dahs seems to be the theme today. It's like people set the dits for 40wpm but then send at 10 wpm so it's tough to tell where the breaks in characters/words are. This guy I'm listening to is trying to send 599 and it's like dit dit dit dit dit dit dit dit dit dit dit daaahhhhhh dit dit daaaaaahhhhhh dit. I'm sure with practice I'll get better at decoding, but it's tough right now. I was looking forward to SKN all year, too :(

Basically the same as @timbo was saying.
 
That doesn't look like a Navy flame proof key. It looks like a Nye Viking.

Many, many years ago i worked at a ham radio store in the Boston area. (1970s). I met Bill Nye who owned Nye Viking. He sent me a gold plated Nye Viking key as a gift! I think I still have it. We sold tons of his tuners, paddles and hand keys.

The K4D is quite a radio. I've only touched the surface but it has a very quiet receiver and the signals just jump off of the noise floor. I don't know how ir really works on SSB although I have made a few contacts on SSB with good reports. Just not 'my jam."
 
OK, I've got a Dad story.
In WWII my dad was in the Navy in the South Pacific. At one point bunch of ships were all anchored together on a night with lots of low clouds. Two friends on different ships started a conversation by flashing Morse off a cloud with their signaling lights. Others got the idea and pretty soon there was a dozen conversations flashing off a dozen different clouds. It must have been an interesting sight.

My Dad was a morse code radio operator in the South Pacific as well. He was a very popular guy on the ship.

All disciplinary actions were hand written by the brass and given to my Dad to communicate back to headquarters. If he like you the paperwork would go straight of the rear of the ship...

:)
 
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