03/06/2017
Tonight I got SD which is a new state!  K0JV, Jerry was calling for SKCC.  I was patient while another station called and then I "tail ended" the QSO and got in the log.  He commented I had a good signal.  If you happen to be reading this and are new to HF you might not know what the term "tail ended" means.  It simply is a technique where you wait for a QSO to end that then politely call one of the two stations by sending their call once and your call twice.  For example once the two stations tonight ended their QSO with their good by and 73, I sent K0JV DE W9ILF W9ILF KN.  "KN" means in morse code only the station you called do you want to answer.  "K" is an open invitation for anyone to answer.  If you hear a station send SK at the end of the QSO that normally means they are shutting their station down and will not respond to any other calls.  However, desperate times can call for desperate measures.  I have been known to call anyway, but if I get an answer I try to keep it short and respect the other operators time.
CW requires not only learning the letters in order to speak, but there is etiquette that should be learned as well.  CW is a mode I have found to be so enjoyable because of the challenge and also because in most cases those taking the effort to learn the code also want to conduct themselves respectably on the air.  There is the occasional "LID" but for the most part I have found CW operators to be nicest stations on the air.
I also tuned around and found N9MM calling CQ.  I need "9" area stations.  He was sending "POTA" (parks on the air).  It turned out he was at Lake State Park, TX.  I don't need TX but was happy to participate in his event.  That is it for tonight.  The day's QSO with the SW40+ in the log and a new state.  More I can not ask of from 1.5 watts.