Trying hard to start using CW again. 20+ years ago I ran modile CW and loved it. But trying to copy in my head seems to be something from my youth !

I've been hanging around near 7.130 lately calling CQ and nervous as heck. Funny, but I am. ALso on 12M where I opened up that band with

a mono Cushcraft beam when the band was first released. Don't hear much up there these days, even though it's really been open a lot.

If you hear me calling CCQ on CW have sympathy, and QRS. 10 wpm make me smile these days.

Starting ROS and CHIP64 on 02/15/2012 as STA license WF9XJP

Note: while I've made a coupe dozen contacts on ROS, I find myslef using JT65 more and more.

Retired geek, stonecarver, macrophotography. Switched back to my KA1QW callsign , granted on November 8th, 2011

Just back into ham radio after being out of it for 20+ years. Running a Flex 3000. Blame my Brother in Law, N5RL. He showed up carryinga couple of QSt mags, one with an article about SDR. The rest is history.

Loving the digital modes, especially jt-65, WSPR. I have played with Olivia a bit.

Just in case you newer hams think all the ham shacks are neat and orderly, I offer my picture. I'm in the cellar and I am a packrat.

My latest piece of equipment is a Rig Expert AA-54. And I couldn't be happier with it. Being able to make changes to an antenna, especially my loop, and then sit down in front of the computer and SEE in a graph what the change did, compare the old to the new, is wonderful.

My antenna collection varies, according to the weather and how much wire I have around. LOL Currently I am using a 160M loop strung up through the trees and using liter bottles filed with water to take up the snow and ice loads expected. Worked well twenty years ago, suspect it still will. I use wire nuts and crimps to put together the wire, Have a 4:1 balum and coax running into the cellar shack. and then 450 ladderline to the antenna.

It's 11 degrees F this morning. Glad the bottles are Lexan!

I frequent the WS1SM Club , and enjoy the formal and many informal meetings. Many of us can be found at Dunkin Donuts on Thursday evening, with lots of chin wagging and tales of adventures, both in ham radio and life in general.

My other main interest is photography, and I do a lot of street shots and macro. I put the ones I enjoy up on SmugMug: http://waterboro.smugmug.com/ .

Corning Life Science - Kennebunk Maine

Sprague Electric Sanford Maine - back then Sprague had 65% of the world tantalum capacitor market.

Gabriel Electronics - microwave dishes for the original MCI line - original test crew. Firmed up my love for climbing, since most of thisstuff was 300-600 ft.

US Army Nike Herc South Lincoln Mass 3/5 and Balesfeld Germany 4/6