Another year begins, and it seems I'm going to have to try another New Year's resolution to get my shack straightened up.
This year I have an incentive — we are hosting the family Christmas party in December, so I've got nearly 12 months to get everything ship-shape … of course, I'll probably put off the job until mid December!
The first thing I need for the shack — actually two of them — are new chairs. The one at my computer desk is shot; it's more like trying to sit on a photographer's monopod, though its certain more comfortable it just isn't very stable.
My shack chair just crapped out about 5 minutes ago. I was preparing to answer a fellow's CQ on 80 meters when as I was leaning forward the chair just “gave.” Not sure what was going on, I looked at the legs and the hub where the wooden legs meet is split three ways. This chair was a consignment shop refugee, so something tells me it wasn't in mint condition. It sure as hell isn't now.
This was one of those things that my wife brought home … she loved the chair and I hated it. Too narrow, too stiff, and the height wasn't adjustable. If I liked the chair I would probably try to fix it. I don't, so now I have my excuse to send it on its way to the landfill … bu-bye!
I don't like to buy office chairs sight unseen. I want to try one out before I buy it. Unfortunately, I don't have a big bunch of money to pay for two new office chairs. Maybe it's time to hit the consignment shops again. Sigh.
SKN 2006. Before the chair broke I did get to get on during Straight Key Night. The band was busy and I had my Heathkit HW-16 warmed up and ready to go. I did some A-B comparisons between the Icom IC-746PRO and the HW-16, and I found that with the outboard Datong FL-2 filter, the HW-16 really holds up pretty well to the Icom's fancy-schmancy DSP.
The front-end of the HW-16 isn't really super selective, but boy howdy, the Datong let me slice and dice the bandwidth down to where I could separate signals that were nearly on top of one another. The Icom can too of course, but the Datong makes the old rig come alive. Selectivity isn't a problem now (unless its a signal so strong it swamps the front end).
I hadn't had the HW-16 on the air much; the PRO3 and the 746 have been the center of all my CW attention. As screwy as it sounds, the old Heathkit — with the Datong of course — actually has a more pleasing sound under most CW conditions.
I do like the receiver of the 746 and the PRO3. My vote for the worst sounding white noise in a rig — referring to the natural rushing noise you hear with the rig on with no signals monitored — is the IC-706. I have two of the first generation rigs, and while they're great radios overall, the audio — including the static — gives me a headache over time. Just kinda grating, like fingernails on a chalkboard. It doesn't sound quite so bad in headphones, or maybe that's just because I can cut the audio gain down. I dunno. Actually, I would have to let my old Swan 250 share the obnoxious receiver audio award, it's pretty awful too.
SKCC ANNIVERSARY. It was just a year ago that the Straight Key Century Club was started by several CW fans who were commenting on SKN activities on a Internet message board.
I always thought the name was a bit odd because it came about before there were even thoughts about operating awards and WAS certificates. But the SKCC name stuck, and the group has flourished.
It grew exponentially in the first few weeks. On 80 meters, the group's calling frequency was on the Kentucky Slow (CW) Net frequency, so it wasn't hard to hear operators calling CQ SKCC. For much of last winter and spring, SKCC members were staples in the old novice subband. They kept the band busy.
My SKCC number is 286 — a number I picked up about 4 weeks after the group began. Like the 10-meter based 10-10 group, I've collected the numbers and given mine but have yet to actually chase any award. They have a special event station on the air this month, K1Y (I would have suggested K3Y since it looks more like the word “key”), so I'll have to keep an eye out for that.
KSN. I checked in on the Kentucky Slow Net tonight. Willis, AD4DX, is NCS on Wednesday and Thursdays. He's in Ashland, and I sometimes I can barely copy him. Tonight his signal was up and down, from S9 plus to down in the noise level (and that's on the 746PRO). The first time I tried to check in (sending the last letter of my call) I thought he heard another station because he replied by sending a “B”. He sent it twice with no takers and then moved on. His sigs were way down in the mud, so I just waited.
After he cleared a couple more stations, his signal began to build, and I called him after the next call. By the time he called me back to cut me loose from the net, his sigs were fading fast. I really prefer to check in earlier in the week when Glenn, KO4OL, is NCS. There have been very few nights I didn't copy Glenn during the net.
SPEAKING OF NETS. I've suspended the KARS Slow CW Net, at least temporarily. I hit NCS overload after running the Sunday nets and sometimes both Tuesday nets. It's time to let some other folks take over the Sunday nets. If I can shed NCS duty on a net (or two) I'll fire up the CW net again. Regardless of what I do with the CW net, its time to let others run the 2-meter and 10-meter nets.
EBAY AWAY. Due to Christmas shortages (as in money), I've sworn off eBay'ing for the short term. I'm still looking at keys and various other items, but I don't have plans to buy anything for a while. I've been doing more selling than anything — I recently sold my Kenwood TS-50 and matching AT-50 tuner. I've got a few other things to peddle, but that will be a week or two off. I suspect everyone's bank account is a little depleted by Christmas gift giving.
COMPUTER CRAP. I've had a heck of a time with my computer since before Christmas. It looks like something Mr. Haney would have on his truck … “Mister Douglas, I've got just whut you need fer your farm — a gen-u-whine, cer-tee-fied EYE BEE 'EM computer. Gar-un-teed to git your bits and bytes in order, all in a blink of an eye … (nudges Mr. Douglas, whispering) That's whur the “EYE” comes from in the name….”
I really want to buy a new computer to replace this clunker … geez listen to me — “I need a computer”, “I need a chair,” “I need a radio,” …. sounds like I'm the typical ham op to me (though I've not yet discussed blood in the stool on 40 meter phone).
While this thing is working, I going to shut it down before this chair falls over … with me in it. 73 es GN … de KY4Z SK dit …. dit …