Nick Carraway (F. Scott Fitzgerald) said: “In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.
"Whenever you feel like criticizing any one," he told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.’ “ David S. Green, W2MZ > On May 19, 2025, at 5:46 PM, Bob McGraw <[email protected]> wrote: > > AMEN to all points. I write to ARRL, various officers, and express my > dismay with the VE program. They claim it was done to enhance more > utilization of the spectrum. Bottom line, it was done to increase numbers. > It indeed did that! Although I seriously question the quality of the > numbers. I asked for a number of new hams licensed in the past 20 years. > Then I ask for a number showing the license non-renewals for the same period. > No response. I figure most drop out due to expense of equipment for a hobby > or loose interest as it is more work than picking up a cell phone to call > someone. If they are not properly taught, the interest will clearly > diminish. One on one teaching, Elmering, will keep them interested and > hopefully learn a bit about operating and radios. > > I've been a ham since 1959. Later this year I will turn 83. I hope I make > it to then. Otherwise, I figure what's hear today is here to stay. Glad I > won't have to stir the pot much longer. My activity has migrated to some > digital modes and mostly CW. The CW gets rid of the kids and lids, political > discussions, and incorrect understanding during technical discussions, that > is often heard on SSB. > > Another Cracker Box Extra scene. I say Cracker box because it is like > getting an Extra license as a prize out of a Cracker Jacks box. I > witnesses 3 new Extra Class hams constructing a simple 40M center fed dipole, > coax feed line, for a Field Day station. There was lots of discussion about > exactly how long it should be, what formula to use, etc. That part was > worked out, all agreed, the wire was cut, insulators put in the proper places > and the coax line attached. It was pulled into the air being suspended > between two trees. They no sooner got it to its final height when the coax > feed line turned loose at the center insulator. Plop it came to the ground. > It was lowered, repaired and pulled back to it height. Connected to a > transmitter the SWR was reported to be 15:1. No where on the band could > they find the lowest SWR and where the internal ATU would resolve a match. > The calculations discussions began again. All agreed now the antenna was too > short. So down it came, some wire added to each end, and back up between the > trees. The SWR again was still 15:1. By now I decided it was time to > rescue the fellows. My roll that year at Field Day was "technical advisor". > My DVM quickly confirmed the coax was shorted. I spun off the outer sleeve > of the crimp-on PL-259 and what a mess I found. The shield had some frayed > wires in contact with the center conductor. From my toolbox I pulled a new > PL-259 and soldering gun. Chopped off the defective crimp-on connector, > installed the new solder on connector with reducer sleeve for the RG-8X and > we were almost back in business. At least the SWR was much improved but all > the way down to 7.0. Still 5:1. Grabbed my analyzer, swept the antenna and > sure enough it was about 50 ohms at 6.6MHz. A quick calculation on my part > and I said "the antenna is 75 ft long, and should be 69.25 ft. So go chop off > 2 ft and 9" from each end". They stood there in amazement as if I came from > another world. They dropped the antenna again, chopped off some from each > end, pulled it back in the air. The SWR was now 1.25:1 at 7.150. I looked > at the 3 of them and said "boys, it is simple high school math along with > basic troubleshooting". Later, one of the fellows came over to where I was > sitting and asked if I could teach him that stuff. Well I spent several hours > that evening and night with clipboard, yellow legal pad and my calculator. I > have no idea if he retained any of it. > > Skip - Always glad to chat with you.. > > 73 > > Bob, K4TAX > > >> On 5/19/2025 3:00 PM, Fred Jensen wrote: >> Different club, different place, and different radio but otherwise also my >> experience almost down to the punctuation as yours, Bob. I'm too old for FD >> now, but that was the last time I volunteered any of my gear. >> >> The days when a ham with a couple of years of experience pretty much knew >> what was going on with the electronic "magic" in front of him are gone now. >> They're distant specks in our rear view mirrors and it is foolish to think >> we can have that era back [all those who have constructed their own current >> equipment from piece-parts please raise your hands.] 😉 Everything is >> unpacked from a shipping box these days. Diagnosing why your new Winkeyer >> won't key your radio is a big deal for many today ... watch Steve's [K1EL] >> Winkey email list for a few days if you don't believe me. >> >> Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and beliefs. One of mine is that >> the ITU's abandonment of Morse code proficiency for any amateur license with >> HF privileges was timely, smart, and may have turned the declining new ham >> licensing rate around. Another of my beliefs is that the FCC's abandonment >> of the two-year period of on-the-air service for an Extra license was >> ill-conceived and basically dumb. Much earlier in my life I held a 2T. I'd >> passed the 1T and all I needed was the required service period under a 1T at >> sea which made incredible sense at the time and still does. College took >> precedence over RO-afloat. >> >> Exercise for OT's: Count the number of front-panel switch/knob functions on >> your current radio ... then note all those that appeared on your equipment >> in the 50's/early 60's. >> >> Extra credit: Do the above for all the MENU functions as well ... oh wait, >> menus had yet to be invented so everyone gets zero. >> >> >> 73, >> >> Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW - CWops #142 >> Sparks NV DM09dn >> Washoe County >> >>> Bob McGraw <mailto:[email protected]> >>> Sunday, May 18, 2025 1:05 PM >>> Sounds like a good plan. >>> >>> My Field Day story. I set up my Tentec Eagle, a manual ATU with written >>> pre determined values for each band, a power supply, a Bird 43 power meter, >>> a laptop computer and a multi-wire all band antenna. The intent for that >>> station was to work digital modes, AFSK, Packet, FT-8, etc. Now mind you, >>> there was an 8.5" x 11" page on the table in a plastic protector sheet with >>> all of the tuner settings for the digital segments of the bands, 160M - >>> 10M. All was working nicely, contacts were rolling in. About midnight I >>> retreated to my travel trailer for a nap. About 2AM I was awaken by a >>> knock on the door. The fellow said there was something wrong and they >>> couldn't make any contacts. I went to the station location. There I found >>> 2 EXTRA Class hams pushing buttons and turning knobs. Sure enough there >>> was no output indicated on the Bird meter when in the TX mode. Then I >>> noticed the radio was on 20M and the values for the antenna tuner were >>> clearly those for 80M. When I pointed that out, one of the fellows state >>> "well my tuner changes when I change my radio". That only cost me a set of >>> final PA devices and about an hour of my time. >>> >>> For that reason and others, I detest the VE program where a person walks >>> into an exam session with no license and walks out with an EXTRA Class >>> license. Yes, I know the Field Day and club activities are to teach and >>> get less experienced hams accustomed to the ham radio environment. But it >>> just isn't happening. Never has, never will. The folks on the air today >>> only know what they think they know, few will ever read a manual, and most >>> will always believe "old ham lore" most of which is incomplete or >>> incorrect. In the same light, I was asked to teach a segment of a class >>> for new ham prospects. When I asked what I would be teaching, the answer >>> came back "the test". No thank you, I want no part of that exercise. >>> >>> As long as you have operators clearly familiar with Elecraft radios, the >>> methods, the terminology and such, you'll be OK. But with the first comment >>> "that doesn't work like my bla bla bla radio" you're in trouble. I know as >>> I worked with (not for) Tentec and did both hardware and firmware beta >>> testing for 3 of their last models. When I decided to go with an Elecraft >>> radio, it was indeed a learning experience. For sure, the Elecraft did not >>> operate like any Tentec I'd ever had on the desk. >>> >>> 73 >>> >>> Bob, K4TAX >>> >>> >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> Elecraft mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>> Post: mailto:[email protected] >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>> Message delivered to [email protected] >>> [email protected] >>> Sunday, May 18, 2025 9:39 AM >>> Bob and everyone that has responded! >>> >>> >>> >>> I couldn’t agree more. I really appreciate all the comments and suggestions >>> that have come my way, but even with the best data sheet, as you say – >>> there are always going to be the “I know how to do “EVERYTHING on ANY >>> RADIO” folks. >>> >>> >>> >>> So, I am currently going to take a picture of the front of my K3S and >>> circle / number ONLY the controls that should be touched…. Assuming one has >>> to touch anything. The areas that I will explain are the following: >>> >>> >>> >>> Topics: >>> >>> >>> >>> 1. General overview: Push / push hold (yellow markings) differences >>> 2. ON / OFF >>> 3. Band change >>> 4. Filter adjustments (shift / width) >>> 5. Notch Filter >>> 6. AF / RF gain >>> 7. Mode >>> 8. RIT >>> 9. VOX / PTT >>> 10. Antenna selection >>> 11. ATU >>> 12. Lock VFO >>> >>> >>> >>> The first instruction to all users will be “DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING UNLESS IT >>> IS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CONTROLS” >>> >>> >>> >>> Fortunately, my K3S will be used ONLY for CW and all CW ops have a K3, K3s >>> or a K4 😊 >>> >>> >>> >>> 73, >>> >>> Bruce N1LN >>> >>> >>> >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> Elecraft mailing list >>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >>> Post: mailto:[email protected] >>> >>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >>> Message delivered to [email protected] >> >> >> <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient> >> Virus-free.www.avg.com >> <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient> >> >> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [email protected] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
