Month: December 2007

I've been notably absent from the shack the last few days. It's been interesting to watch eBay the last few days, how the listings have dropped off now that Christmas has arrived. I have somethings […]

Christmas duties have kept me out of the shack most of the day today, but after everyone hit the rack I did get back to work on my early Speed-X bug. Earlier today I went […]

I've been spending time on my latest challenge, that early Speed-X bug that arrived recently and shown at right. The key's pretty much been butchered by a previous owner, and from the looks of it, […]

Tonight I missed the section CW nets, so I thought I would get on the air later. After months of collecting dust, I unearthed my Heathkit HW-8. The HW-8 has been nice rig to play […]

My long-awaited Speed-X bug arrived today by Priority Mail. It appears just as it did in the auction photos, and arrived well packed and unmolested. So now I have decisions to make about this rather […]

I've been goofing with my new Mac Key in between Christmas parties and shopping trips this weekend, and the old key has a few surprises. I was trying to improve the dash lever action — […]

The mailman brought my 1936 McElroy Mac Key this morning. I was pleased with its overall condition, but displeased with the minor damage it suffered. The seller packed it in wads of heavy paper, which […]

Band conditions (at least on 75/80 meters) have been more of the same …. as one wag sent on the KYN the other night, “… band broke …” Friday evenings after 0000 Zulu are usually […]

I'm a sucker for an ugly face. Maybe its sympathy, but there's some CW keys I just can't pass up. That Bencher BY-1 I reassembled and adjusted is a good example. Another “example” arrived today […]

One thing is certain — these days you never know what kind of band conditions to expect when you turn your rig on in the evening. One night 75 meters is great, the next its […]