I think of myself as an old-timer, and I suppose that in fact I am, having been licensed for 54+ years. I've been inactive for long periods, but have always retained an interest in ham radio and it has provided fun and stimulation throughout my life.
But the other night I got a glimpse into what it means to be a real old-timer. I worked Nasir, AP2NK, and afterward I looked him up on QRZ. There's not much detail: a picture of him looking earnest in a business suit and red tie, and an address in Islamabad; but there's his birthdate, 1926. Wow, the guy is on the air, sending pretty nice-sounding code with a straight key, at age 86. His signal was barely audible, suggesting a barefoot rig and perhaps a dipole in the crowded environs of Pakistan's capital city. If you live long enough, you have a lot of experiences (or as Yogi sez, you can observe a lot by watching). Nasir's experiences are way beyond what many of us see in our lives. He lived through the partition years as a young adult, and was already 21 when Pakistan came into existence as a country. Did he operate a radio then? Or during all the later turmoil and upheavals? Whatever the case, it's sort of inspirational to hear him on the air, tapping out QSOs to the few North Americans who noticed his faint dits, and imagining that he'll still be doing it when he's 100. He must still be having fun, or he wouldn't do it, would he. So I guess my point is that there's something about sending your signals off into the ether to bounce whither they will, that stays with you for a long time. 73, Tony KT0NY -- http://www.isb.edu/faculty/facultydir.aspx?ddlFaculty=352 ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
