04/12/2017

It's an anniversary!  This day marks two months of making daily QSO's with the SW+.  I celebrated by participating in the 150th NAQCC sprint.  These sprints are a lot of fun.  The NAQCC has a large following.  They have monthly challenges for example, spelling words out of letters in call signs you QSO with .  Then once a month they have a sprint and encourage using simple wire antennas and straight keys.  That slows the pace of the sprint for new CW operators and I have enjoyed participating throughout the years.  My one QSO in the sprint was with N2CN in CT.  

Two months trying to make a QSO each day for me is enough in my opinion.  My work schedule and interests outside of work and ham radio make it very difficult to dedicate time for daily QSO's  It can be done easily and be sustained at 1.5 watts.  The hard part, like all high achieving radio activity, is staying on the air.  I play music outside my house.  I drive 2 hours a day just for work and I enjoy visiting with friends face to face.  This causes me to try making QSO's late into the night or use morning time looking for a QSO instead of practicing my instrument (a cello).  To me the cost of being on the air every single day is too high right now. So, I'm glad to achieve making it two months every day which is a record for me and not to mention with the SW+!  I might try again and maybe soon to go for stretch.  I will keep blogging, making QSO's and search for WAS.  I might make a QSO tonight if I find time and want to talk to someone far away, but then again, I could talk to the other person in the house, play the cello, walk the dog, eat some popcorn and watch a movie, or continue reading the book I started.  Ham radio is only one interest that I continue to love but not the only one.