Howard, nice video, but I have to strongly disagree with part of what you said about the Heathkit SB-220. It can easily be used with the latest radios and beyond. I’m using mine with a Yaesu FT-DX101MP and they actually pair together quite well.
"If you adopt it I'd be very pleased, if you don't that's your prerogative." There just aren't enough words to express how much I love that. Can everyone please start being that awesome?!
Interesting video! You seem to have similar problems like we have here in Europe, I saw plenty of "Boat Anchors" 🤣 walking around but hardly younger oms 73 Andreas DF2TB
I enjoyed your comments about "QSL!" I was first licensed in 1970, but only was active for a few years. I came back this year. When I heard QSL, QSL? on SSB, I had no idea what those guys were trying to say! Did they want a card? Ha! 73, Duane WA7PGE (again)
Apoint about errors, misspelling is not the same as jumbled letters. I can easily read jumbled text as you showed. but would you be able to head copy it in cw? A single letter missed or in wrong place might be ok unless it destroys the word sound. As english is my second language I need to assemble the word phonetically not spelled.
Oh Geeze, I was laughing so hard. This is no joke. I was just thinking about the feet keying last night. I was remembering as a kid, giving away one of my "CB" radios to a paralyzed guy and thinking how he was going to key the mic to talk. That lead to keying a radio for CW with his one foot. like a rocker, toes for the dit, heal for the dah!
What's wrong with using QSL to confirm reception of an SKCC number in a cw QSO?, or a grid square in a satellite exchange? Tilting at windmills a bit Howard? :) Tom, W9TOX
Culture always evolves, but it's still valuable to know the lineage. I don't know that you're that much older than me, but you're much older in the hobby than I am -- I just picked it up this year! I'd also wondered about the current use of QSL (because while I'm a new ham, I used to be an SWL). It seems to be very common on SSB to use "QSL?" instead of "Copy?" or just "Over", and having heard it used that way, and, "QSL!" instead of "Roger!" to confirm. I'll admit I've pretty much just followed the crowd, without really thinking about it much. I'm only just starting to learn code (with LICW :-D ), so I don't have much experience yet with hearing it used that way with code, as well. I agree with you that, in CW, where brevity matters, "QSL?" as a question feels redundant, and "QSL" as an answer longer than "R". At any rate, I definitely appreciate the perspective! Thank you!
Good video. I agree completely on the use of "QSL" and "pse cpi". In reading the IARU Procedural Manual, it states AR as being used at the end of a CQ call, e.g., CQ DE AB1CDE AR. The author claims K is incorrect because K means "over to you", but on a CQ call there is nobody in the contact to turn it over to (yet). I like AR because sometimes K sounds like the end of the caller's call sign....a spacing problem. Anyway, I thank the LICW Club for furthering my enjoyment of the hobby. 73 de KJ4MZ #2000.
I joined LICW 2 weeks ago and just started INT 1&2. I call CQ here in the UK at 12-14wpm and many times get replies at higher speed. I asked on a forum why would people do that as I was taught to reply at the same speed. I was told, by operators that do it, they assume you are sending slow for slower operators so send faster just in case you work faster. They then said my 30 year old call sign was the reason. What happened to replying at the same speed? Also 95% over here don't QRS when asked. Totally agree with QSL, I hear QSL in CW suggests we will exchange paper cards. A very worth while video with useful information as always. Thank you.
Thanks, useful rundown of what we hear these days. I got my first license in 1980 and has been off since about 1990. Coming back now and wondering a bit about some of the things you mention here if there is a good reason it has changed. Nice to get that cleared up!
Absoluetly agree about the cq call. cq x3 c/s x2 pause and if no response send 2x2 until acknowledged. IMO a cq longer than the 3x2 format is wasting every ops time, the initiator as well as the op waiting to respond. Again, IMO the initial 3x2 and subsiquent 2x2 comes across as efficient, considerate and profesional.
That was fun. I'm afraid I don't have any chopped liver, but I wonder if a can of tuna might work? (and at the risk of sounding like a real prig, I believe that culinary instrument was a fork, not a spoon). In any case, I have a crow bar and pliers, so I'm all set to practice out in the garage (where my wife will likely banish me if I keep obsessing about ham radio). w5paz(/hc?)
A wonderful example of what Paul Sellers would say of a "Maker" doing something they love and gifting their talent to others. Thank you to Phil and to the LICW for posting this. 73 John KQ4BZY
