Forty Years is a Long Time

HOO RAH ARNIE!
You brought back many fine memories of days gone by. Like you I was licensed in the 60's and only learned the code "because I had to". Even in the Boy Scouts I avoided the code like a plague, learning the semiphore instead. Once I got my "WN" call, I got on-the-air with a borrowed Heath AT-1, WWII BC-348 Receiver and "high dipole" at about 12'.
Got to the point I ACTUALLY ENJOYED IT! Before I went off to college I could copy around 30 wpm by ear.
Over the years I dabble in code, but like many others, lack the time to do as much as I would like. Recently I picked up a couple of tube rigs (remember those! Glowing filaments, heat........). Talk about bringing back memories and enjoyment. Fulfilling operation. While I don't begrudge the newer hams (post-incentive licensing and code requirements), I don't think words can express what WE enjoyed that they (for the most part) haven't experienced. You sort of had to have been there, done that and got the t-shirt. Anyone who has experienced this knows what I mean, the rest look as if there are 3 heads coming from my neck.
Thanks for the Memories, Arnie! May have to fire up the Swan 350B or KWM2!
Best 73.
Kane, WA2DAX

 

Welcome "back" Arnie,
your story is so beautiful.
It motivates me to practice this mode harder.
I am back to the radio after almost 15 years of no radio activity.
Now I have my ham license again.
But.... almost 99.99 % of my activity is on the phone mode.

My ham license doesn't allowed me to work DX.
One of the condition to go to the upgrading examination is have at least 5 QSL cards for CW QSO confirmation.
Actually I did some CW QSO on 80 meter band.... but.. I am still not a good CW operator.
I am a lazy CW learner :-((
Although, my friends at the radio club are CW maniac !!
But.. since I read your story... I'll practice my CW skill every day..
It is true... your story really motivates me....
Thank you very much Arnie.... for sharing your beautiful story.

73 de yd1sms-Budi
Bekasi-West Java
Indonesia

 

Real nice Arnie
You have brought back memories to all of us. In 1959 I passed my novice test and 3 months later in 1960 got my ticket WV6LKC and CW was king to me. With my SX-28A and 50 watt home brew, pounding on that key, hoping for that DX. Thoes are the best memories I have. MY family moved to Reno Nv. and I got my Conditional ticket K7RFK then to WI. W9EZU Then back to CA. W6EZN by this time I was all over 20 meters on ssb and the nets were starting to come in, I really didn't care for the nets, seemed to have the frequencies all pluged up even to this day. Well, got married and like a dummy let my license expire, boy was that a mistake. the manuals have increased, so to thoes of you who arn't active, don't let it it expire. Well, last year I was determined to get my license back,thank GOD and I really do, my ticket is back. I was surprised when I became a member of my local radio club that no one really promotes CW for a way of communication but only to get there HF privileges.Arnie, thanks for you story, I think all of us want to go back to romancing the key. I wish the FCC would realize this and keep CW alive and well,for all of us. As soon as I can find a reasonably priced cw filter for my 430 I'll be joying you.

George AB8KC

 

I am wouking on 29.600Mhz with a radio station used by fishman in china.I have no chance to use cw,becaude my station have no cw ,But I am sticking to listen to tape for cw .now I can copy 30 wpm .Is that ok if i listen to radio? I wish we have chance to do

 

I am wouking on 29.600Mhz with a radio station used by fishman in china.I have no chance to use cw,because my station have no cw ,But I am sticking to listen to tape for cw .now I can copy 30 wpm .Is that ok if i listen to radio? I wish we have chance to neet you  on air.
    sorry for my poor english .

 

Excellent!  I was licensed in 1976.  I operated CW for several years.  In 1986, I became a 2m only ham until about 4 months ago.  A good ham friend loaned me a 20m QRP CW rig and my first CW QSO was with another great friend of mine whom I hadn't spoken to since 1985.  We operated CW on 20m, by pure chance, while he was sitting in a parking lot in Texas using an FT 817!  We are both from Michingan!!  Talk about chance!!!  I now own an Icom 718 and work 75% CW, QRP.

 

The common thread here is all the guys who like CW gave it a chance. That's what can't happen in today's society - nobody has patience for anything. Give CW a chance? Not a chance!!! It's just too easy to pick up that 2m rig and yak.

It is the way of the world today.

In my case, I got my novice at age 13 in January 1975. There was no option but CW so I learned to enjoy it. It was cw or qrt - easy choice. I also learned how to keep my rig on the air, as there was no money to be paying for repairs. So I learned as I went. That's how it is supposed to be.

When November 1975 came, I was ready for my General. A trip to NYC to the FCC office and a month later my General was in the mail. As money was still an issue, I just stayed on CW. By then of course it had had its chance and I was hooked.

To anyone who doesn't want to use CW, that's fine. But everything said in the previous posts is true. It's a fine place for fine ops. And you won't find as many LIDS there. A few but not as many. And the idea that a 400HZ cw filter can kill nearly all QRM is just unbeatable. I personally get headaches from the noise on the SSB bands. Oh well, maybe that's my loss, but cw . . . I'm getting back on CW soon, and I'm looking forward to it.

As for the memories, yes indeed. It'll be like being 13 again.

Good luck and 73,

Chris

 

Arnie, W7BIA
I too am getting re-interested in CW:  I was initially licensed in 1969, almost 35 years ago. As a novice I think my best contact was with a homebrew transmitter with about 1 watt input power to a UA9 in Russia from my QTH in Southern California, about 15 miles from my present QTH.
It was definately having loads of fun back then.  With raising a family I found it necessary to sell some of my equipment from time to time. I was havng trouble also getting over the 12 WPM barrier, so when I went to upgrade and failed to pass the 13 WPM test. At that time the novice wasn't renewable so I opted for the Tech. From time to time I got some old equipment someone else retired, so I was intermittently active on 2 meters AM or FM. When they started putting tone squelch on repeaters, and the radio I was using died about 15 years ago, I went dormant.  
In 2000 when they restructured so I only needed was to pay the fee to upgrade to General I did. I still didn't have anything to go on the air with.  Early in 2002 the contract I am on changed vendors and I started drawing a pension from the previous vendor. Now I was able to acquire some equipnent.  After nearly 15 years I was able to consider the possibility of buying some radios. My last purchace was a J-38,  and the first contact I made I was more nervous then the first contact I made as a novice.  I am currently listening to off air CW,  and using a computer program to get up some speed.  I am looking to getting into CW in a big way soon after the first of the year.  In August I took the inititive to get my Extra so I can go anywhere I want that FCC permits for Amatuer use.  
I am looking to exercising my J-38 a lot.