Howdy Clint,
You will do fine. Just take the K2 - K1 - KX1 (which ever you choose)
a little bit at a time. I was told by Ms. Patricia I could not (or was
that should not :) work on it for more than an hour each evening. I used
my K2 as a sanity saving exercise during graduate school. The course load
was onerous but the goal was in sight. They paid me pretty well as a
GA/RA too so I could afford a few toys. I played with my robots and got
some grad credits with them. I wanted to get better comms for them and
remembered amateur radio from when I was a kid in the '60s. I found the
tests were given every other month a few blocks away. I passed the tech
and general paper tests and got on the air with VHF on SSB and FM.
But the match had been struck. I found I wanted to learn CW and get
better at it. I built the K2 before I had my CW down and before I took my
code test. In fact, the K2 was used to practice quite a bit while I was
learning. Wayne's rig has a neat feature: the TEST setting on CW. I used
my paddles, my code tapes, my computer, and the K2 to pass my code test.
It was good.
Then I got on the air the first time for my very first CW QSO. Sweaty
palms, scripts written out in front of me. Fifteen meters was full of
noise and the op was running way too fast (8 wpm ????) but somehow I got
his call sign and an RST. I had been blooded. My first CW QSO. I found
I was not ready for prime time so found a local code practice friend. We
worked on our skills together until Ms Pat and I moved back home to
Oregon. Then I tried the FISTs code buddy system. No luck. Not to
happen.
But, the Elecraft Reflector was the place to voice my issues. I found
a Mentor!! He worked with me for quite some time until I was ready (?) to
try other ops again. About this time there was an Elecraft SSB net
forming. It worked a few times and then went away since the bands were
fading for voice modes due to the solar cycle decline. I had a thought,
"Why not try this on CW?" So, fool that I am, I tried starting the
Elecraft CW Net. Somehow or another my match must have landed on dry
tinder since the net is still running over two years later!
If you build one of these rigs you are very welcome to join us each
Sunday afternoon and evening on either 20 or 40 meters to listen to
propagation reports from around the country and occasionally from even
further. You'll hear about weather, about folks' kids, and a little
more. We all enjoy our rigs from Elecraft but enjoy getting on the air
even more. At the end of the net, when I run the list of check ins and
close down, there are a number of folks acknowledging the end of another
fun net. No pressure, just folks.
Please build one of Elecraft's rigs. Take your time, enjoy the solder
flowing, the lead clipping, and the sound of 40 meters awakening to your
first receive tests. When you complete the rig join us one day even if it
is just to listen. I know there are some out there who do more listening
that transmitting. That is fine with me. I was an SWL for many, many
years. I still enjoy listening while I am working on other things. Above
all else: have fun!
Take care,
Kevin. KD5ONS (Net Control Op of the ECN)
On Fri, 20 Jan 2006 21:12:32 -0800 (PST), Clint Sprague
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I motivated myself this weak to finish my CMOS4 keyer
kit which I've had sitting here on the desk since
April. Put the batteries in today and the little
keyer gave me the OK. This is only the 2nd kit
I've put together the 1st one was an AMECO Code
practice oscillator
I built back in 1976 to practice code to get my Novic
license ..
I could have used a torch to solder in those
components, but realized I had to be a little more
careful with the CMOS4 kit :)
I want to thank everyone here who gave me information
& encouragement, plus obtaining the wealth of
information from reading the archives, this all help
with this successful build. Now do
I get the courage enough to attempt and Elecraft
kit.... maybe soon!!
73,
Clint
WS1V
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