My current DXCC status:
I need confirmation via LotW for 18 additional entities, to obtain the initial DXCC award for 80 Meters.
When I get that, I will get, also, the initial 5-Band DXCC award.
...After that, I will get the DXCC Challenge for the first 1000 points. And, I'll work on 160 Meters.
Personal goals, coming along.
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https://NW7US.us
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The SKCC Marathon Award ( https://www.skccgroup.com/operating_awards/marathon_award/ )
MY CURRENT STATUS.
Here is the status of my SKCC Marathon journey, as of today. I want to thank each person who patiently took the time to have these one-hour-long Morse code straight key QSOs. I struggle doing an hour-long QSO, for several reasons.
...In 2005, I was the driver of a passenger vehicle in which my wife, my youngest son, and I were riding in. This was in Washington state - and we were traveling westbound onto the Hood canal bridge at about rush hour, but because the maintenance crew decided to open the draw bridge, the road was closed.
I drove down the ramp and onto the bridge, but then was stopped as the last vehicle in the line waiting for the bridge to reopen. I pulled to a stop and put the car into park. I looked up into the rearview mirror and to my horror witnessed a big drilling commercial truck rushing toward the rear of my car. The driver was looking out southward at the Hood canal, not looking where he was driving.
Then, a huge crushing noise, white powder in the air, and confusion.
They had to use the jaws of life to get us three out of the vehicle.
My wife has a titanium plate in her neck. Her lower back is shot. I had seven surgeries, including on my hands and wrists which sustained damage.
My right shoulder is still injured but cannot be repaired (in the opinion of the few doctors I've consulted). Since then, I have had to have three more surgeries - one in my left wrist, two in my right hand and wrist. My right hand and wrist have had bone removed, and they cut ligaments to use as slings to approximate the bone.
Just that has made doing Morse code CW with a straight key a very trying experience. So it is a labor of love to go a full hour in a QSO. And, I love doing it. But, it is very painful and difficult.
The SKCC has granted me a waiver to use an electronic keyer with a paddle. The problems are 1) I love straight key, 2) I have not yet learned/mastered sending well Morse code with this arrangement. I have not yet used my waiver, but someday that may be necessary.
The second reason that I struggle with one continued QSO is that my brain is mush at times. I suffer (since the accident) from severe Fibromyalgia, and that has made me a bit handicapped with processing lots of brain cognitive functions.
I have good moments, and then I have very challenging moments! Truthfully, though, when I push myself with Morse code, it exercises my brain and I get nimble again cognitively. Thus, there is a reward for me pushing my brain in this way.
Again, thank you, to those that have had a marathon QSO with me.
I am still targeting getting 92 more of these marathon QSOs into the log, because I am hoping for that nice plaque for those who make the 100 minimum hour-long QSOs.
I also want to call out Dan, K7NXL, who is a new friend -- a friendship made during that one-hour QSO. He was using a Cootie key.
Before this QSO, any QSO in which the sender on the other side of the conversation used a Cootie key, was a VERY difficult QSO, for me. I’ve been exhorted to try harder, practice more, and I should have no problem receiving Cootie code. I assure you that I have tried harder. I’m still working on improving my ability to copy code that is not formed in a uniform manner.
However, Dan’s sending was so perfect that I could NOT sense that he was using anything that can be so easily varied in rhythm and consistency. Because of this, I was able to stay with the QSO for the entire hour and few minutes. And, I had very good head copy because I was not struggling with elements I could not recognize.
I implore those of you using a Cootie to practice into a code reader, and keep practicing until your code is decoded well by a reader. That’s what I do with my straight key sending -- I work hard to make my sent code uniform and consistent. Dan has done this, and his sending was a pleasure to copy, even with my muddled brain.
Bravo, Dan.
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5NN 5NN TU
Nobody would claim that becoming proficient at Morse Code is easy but, once learnt, the results are very satisfying. In this talk, Ray discusses the pitfalls of learning Morse and the work of the German psychologist Ludwig Koch which G4FON implemented in his freeware training software. Drawing on his own experience and over ten years of feedback by users of his software, Ray offers practical advice on how you can move from simply working stations with a “5NN TU” re...ply to effortless casual rag chewing with them.
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Tonight, I had the most joyous moment, when I discovered while checking on my Logbook of the World DXCC status, that JT1CO, from Mongolia (and CQ Zone 23), confirmed a Morse code CW QSO we had on HF.
Originally, I tried to send a paper QSL card, with return postage and a return self-addressed envelope, but that was blocked by the Post Office because (due to Covid), Mongolia was not receiving any external mail because they did not have reliable service until Covid is over. ...
OK. I was bummed, because I only needed one more CQ Zone in order to get my Worked All Zones award -- Zone 23, in which exists Mongolia. Further, JT1CO indicated that he was not using LotW.
Imagine my joy and surprise when I found out that I have now all 40 CQ Zones (worldwide) confirmed. I now can get my CQ WAZ certificate. YAY!
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Every January, the Straight Key Century Club has its month-long special event, the SKM (Straight Key Month). Typically, the callsign, K3Y is used. Each region has volunteers manning their station with a manual key. Since I'm now living in Ohio, I'm is Region 8. Thus, I had shifts using K3Y/8 on the air. Here is the preliminary results per volunteer showing number of QSOs made, this year, for K3Y/8. I didn't do too badly; my total (NW7US) is 393 contacts.
Website: https://s...kccgroup.com/
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Every January, the Straight Key Century Club has its month-long special event, the SKM (Straight Key Month). Typically, the callsign, K3Y is used. Each region h...as volunteers manning their station with a manual key. Since I'm now living in Ohio, I'm in Region 8. Thus, I had shifts using K3Y/8 on the air. Here is the preliminary results per volunteer showing number of QSOs made, this year, for K3Y/8. I didn't do too badly; my total (NW7US) is 393 contacts.
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