Comments From A Calls Prior to July 19, 2000
Hi John,I have done a little home brewing,mostly simple projects.I have built several 1 tube transmitters and a few tube type regen rcvrs,also a few kit rigs.But,nothing like your station.It is fantastic!I don't think I have the technical knowhow or perserverence to tackle anything so complex.I would someday like to build a rcvr to mate with my 1 tube 6L6 tx, that I use once in a while.It did seem sad to see your home brew gear set aside to be replaced by the 570.I have really enjoyed browsing your web site, and reading the wonderful articles you write for The Keynote.Good luck and 73 de John - AE4CU
Enjoy your page very much and find it very useful. - AA4P
# qrp club site.----- well I am looking for any one that can help me with a Vectronics kit 1240 K. it stays keyed when i key it, they say it may be parasitic oscillation. Maybe you no some one that has one. tnx TOM - AA8XX
John, I just saw your site for the first time. Friend sent it on e-mail so I could try and keep up with logging for A52A in Bhutan. Thank you for all of the work that is in this site. 73 George - AC5UE
Very nice web site. Just got started in QRP. A friend loaned me a MFJ 20 mtr. With 2-1/2 watts and a dipole I've contacted 16 countries already (in past couple of weeks). Its been a blast. - AA5HV
Found you via The RAC homepage link to QRP sites - AL7MO
Search was based on 'Small Wonder Labs'. Just bought a WM-20. 73 - AA6XM
Nice site - great pictures of the shack. Much success with QRP! Best 73 de Bruce - AA4XR HS0ZCY 9M2/AA4XR BV2/AA4XR
I have enjoyed your articles in the FISTS newsletter. Have worked you on the air a few times too in the qrp contests. Nice site here. Hope - AA8SN
QRP contest 5 Feb link not working - AA9NF
Found the site when visiting AC6V's home page. Nice job John! - AC6XQ
Tnx for the Qrp Qso while Mobile in Kentucky. Best of luck in the year 2000. 73 Mike - AF4AR
John, I was reading you story in the Keynotes and found it to be very interesting about the antennas at or closed to ground level. I'm a member of the fists club also. Never checked log to see if we've worked yet. I've got a web page you can find address on qrz page. I've done mightly little qrp-ing. I've talked to many station that were running qrp. I've got a Kenwood 450 and if you turn the power and carrier both down it will go down lower than built in meter will show. That is something you don't hear nothing much about, what kinds of watt meters do you guys use for qrp. I need good extranal watt meter, so I can tell how low this rig will go. 73 Rick FIST 4515 - AE4NW
Hi John, Sorry that I did'nt work you during PAQSO party this last weekend. I worked about 72 CW QRP qsos with the other fine hams of your state. But missed my chance at working you with my own call sign. I have worked you before during some of the QRP Afield, QRPTTF, Bubba, and FYBO contests but as part of different Texas teams (K5LN, AF5Z, N5TW, and N5MX). Great website! - AB5WX
i'm gonna try out that all-in-one dx log searching feature you set up. boy, you must have spent alot of time putting this site together. THANKS John ! - AA9NE
Hi John, I like your site. Its cool.I really like operating low power CW too. Its a blast. What inspired me was the picture of W2QHH on page 142 of Bill Orr's book "Wire Antennas" W2QHH Howy worked 352 countries (105 on 160m) with only 20 watts to a 264' wire. And he has old equipment. He uses a Collins 75A2 and a Johnso Ranger. Awesome! keep up the good work. 73...Kevin - AA2CB
Thanks for your various articles. I sent you an e-mail regarding your SGC-2020 experience. Congrats on the many QRP QSOs--- perhaps you could send me some antenna details... I op 99.9% CW, KB, straight key, keyer, QRQ when possible, but I'm not in the big leagues >60 wpm yet. CFO#850, FISTS#3542. Thanks again, would like to chat on air some time..73, Bryan (@aol.com) - AB4KX
Enjoyed stopping by your site. I made sure to bbokmark that QRP contest page. Good luck on you streak of QRP QSO's. I've been QRP since the mid 80's when I got my first HW-7. Eventually upgrade to argo 509. But fer now only have Norcal 40. Saving my pennies (literally) for a new Sierra. I'm active on QRP-L, been a fox in the fox hunts a few occasions. I am a cw operator primarily. Worked too hard to learn it to not use it. My primary contests are Field Day, Sweepstakes, and Wis QSO party. I am also the trustee of the newly formed QRP Cheeseheads ARC. We plan to put our call, NQ9RP, in a lot of logs. 72, Brian - AE9K
Hi John, Just wanted to say again what a great site you have and also let you know that you now appear on my Techlinks page at http://members.iglou.com/ae4rv/techlinks/ Keep up the great work! 73 es cul hpe to qso sometime. Geoffrey - AE4RV
Been a while since I have heard you on 30 meters. Of course, I haven't been on 30 meters much. Ten has been very good, especially in early fall. Hope you are well. Very nice website. Mike - AB5XP
Just looking around the web - AA8XX
John, Saw your URL in your last email to me. Nice site and good luck with reaching QRP QSO # 2000! 73, Art - AB4RL
I've always had a yen for QRP CW operating, although I must admit, my Yaesu FT-890 has spoiled me with its 100 W out. Having been a ham since 1993 (KB1ARM, KD1SC, then AA1IT), and having gotten into the hobby primarily for straight key cw, I find that I am the "minority" these days! Presently my dipole is down, which is okay since I'm sort of addicted to the internet (until the novelty wears off), and then I'll fall back on my real first love, CW. I really admire QRP/CW operators, as I think they demonstrate what Amateur Radio is all about. 73 cul ar - AA1IT
YOUR DX INFO IS A GREAT HELP1 - AB7ZL
John, I have enjoyed your column in Fists, I always wanted to build my own qrp rig, you once had an article on NorCal 40A, I ordered one from Wilderness, I never put one together before, what a blast. I was even more thrilled on my first contact. I first tried 60 Ft. of TV antenna, could not get that to work with my tuner (MFJ), I think I remember reading something from you about straight wire, I did that, and zing someone blasted be out of my earphones. Also, one of our club members (CARC) Cherryland Amateur Radio Club,Chuck W8SGR, recommended I use a tuned dipole that I built four years ago, so, I went deer hunting, strung the dipole over my blind hooked it to my norcal, and had more fun CW'ing, than hunting, not to mention the buck I saw, and did not bother to pick up my rifle because I was afraid I would lose my contact. I must be a ham. Keep writting John, thank you! Ralph Posnik - AB8BN
I found your site while searching for info on the Independent Cities. Also, folks on the Counters Listserv mentioned it. And, I believe we worked many moons ago. My call was either WA2PZD or WB2NNA. A question: Where can I find a listing of the County Hunter nets? (i.e. days/times/frequencies) 73... Peter - AE1T
Good site - easy to navigate. I was first licensed as G8RYQ and then G4IFA (Golf Four Interference Frequently Available) in the UK in 1978, then became AA7EE on arriving in the US. Currently inactive, but it is a pleasure to see QRP so actively pursued. Long live CW! It is also nice to see a station where the emphasis is obviously placed more on operator skills than expensive boxes. You have the true spirit of amateur radio! - AA7EE
My first visit...enjoyed it very much. Will be visiting more often. Tnx OM - AA4P
Hi Jon, Great Job as always - AC5JH
Richard KT4OR sent me an e-mail describing your site so I had to have a look at it. I like what I see. I got my first call in 1959 VE2BEW, and later VE3FRV. I used to build all my own gear back then. Could not afford to buy it. I am retired now and starting to get the bug again. I am on cw almost every time im on, and still use my my old bug (a MACKEY) nice going. ED. - AE4SB
NICE SITE-- LONG LIVE CW - AA9TH
#22995 at 9:44pm Alaska time - AL7OL
Found your site via QRP-L. I am an avid QRP'er and glad to find your site. tks dave fresno, ca. - AB5PC
Hi John, Thanks for the E-mail and attention in your comments of the week. And all the great info on your site. I really like your pages here because they effectively demonstrate that good results can be had from simple stations i.e. low power and wire antennas. Which you and i and many other hams know. And when the mode of operation is cw and the rig and antenna are built with your own two hands the fun doubles. To many hams invest alot of money in rigs and antennas become appliance operators and eventually lose interst in the hobby. The fun of Ham radio is proportional too what you put into it. Theres nothing more fun than building your rig with your own two hands and then working the world with it. The results you have gotton are very good and a tribute to the hobby. Thanks again John and I hope to see you on the band someday. 73, Mike - AA7LK
Dear John, from Peter AA2VG Great qrp column in the Keynote. I missed it this month. Nancy promises a double column next month. Well your advise on qrp portable came in handy. I took my MFJ 9030 to Emerald Isle NC and had a great time. Look in the next Keynote for my summary - AA2VG
hi john. very nice home page. i have been a ham since '83. i also have used just wire antennas; dipoles loops and last year put up a 2el quad. wow! what a difference the quad makes. the quad is homebrew and very effective. a good friend n7ekx gave me a heathkit hw8 in the box brand new which i built and it works great. with it and the quad i have worked ja ua hl kl7 zk1 ve oh oz rz and ew so far. would like to get qrp dxcc with 2 watts! quite a challenge-ayyy! i also dx with 100 watts. other rigs are a heathkit hw5400 which i built and a hw101. theres nothing like a heathkit hooked up to a quad. so any way john thats some of the stuff i like to do. this is the 1st time at your home page, just got online last week. 73 and good dx, john. mike - AA7LK
# Hi John, I just checked in to your sight at 0125 Zulu and found that I am #20002 I really enjoy your sight and check it at least once a day. The DX page has help me work many stations. Thank you for such a nice site. 73, Norm - AA1TO
I am also a CW Op and been hamming only three years. CW was also what I always thought Ham radio was about. I drive an 18 wheeler United Parcel Truck between Beaumont and Houston and operate /M five nights a week. I hang out mostly on 40 mtrs. My wife, Suzy, just got started hamming this year. She opened her Novice study book after Christmas and rocketed through everything in only three months. She is now also Extra Class and her call is AC5PP. Our calls have a nice rhyme and you can imagine the ribbing Suzy got from the local club about her upgraded call. :-) Hope to hear you on the band soon and thanks for the great web site. Yours is one of the best I've seen. - AC5GG
TNX FOR SUCH A NICE SITE, AND I REALLY ENJOY YOUR QRP COLUMN. I MAINLY LIKE TO WORK CW (WHEN I CAN!) I AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR DX SITES FOR MY WIFE KM5QG, SHE IS THE DX HOUND IN THE FAMILY. 73 AND KEEP UP THE GUD WORK. JIM - AC5JU
Wandered in from John's page (KQ6ES). Haven't cruised through it all yet, but so far looks real good; nice work. - AC6RM
# enjoyed your latest keynote column abt zero beeat. My mfj 9020 has a side tone of 700 hz and an ofset of 700 hz, I just try to tune in the received sig until it sounds like the side tone.I am going to tape the sidetone sound on my microcassett so I can make a better match ha. - AC5EZ
# Hello John, Tnx fer the e-mail concerning your new DX site. I just browsed it and found the special event station CU3T listed and immediately went and worked it at 0300 Z. Tnx so very much for all your help. 73,Norm - AA1TO
# Real nice web page, well done, keep up he good work - Thank you for letting me log in - 73 s - AC5OX
# Hi John - thanks for letting me know your new URL address! No Cyprus in here yet! - AF4K
Good morning, nice web page - Interesting the way you have mapped your QTH - Keep up the good work - Good DXing, will look for you on 40 meters - hopt to work you - 73 s - AC5OX
GREAT SITE, WILL CHECK IN OFTEN 73 JIM - AC5JU
# Hello John Very nice web page john. Im 59 , retired, been a ham since 1972, arrl life member,QCWA, FISTS, QRP-ARCI etc.Have almost switched to cw completely except for qcwa net. Cw operators are true gentleman of the air ways (not so with ssb anymore) . I am just a causal ham operator, dabble in a contest or two (cw of course) make a few cw contacts a week, I just relax and enjoy cw and ham radio, its fun. Tnx fer qso om 73 - AC5EZ
Hello agn John, I have enjoyed your web site. I want to get more involved in QRP. Please help me get started. I would like to build a simple QRP Rig. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I have a very limited electronic background but am willing to learn. Tnx and 73 Norm - AA1TO
Just checking the link off our home page... yes, I guess it works just fine ! Good job you've done here !!! 73 Linda - AC6NC
# I worked kj5zr with 2 watts with my hw8 today and he had a link to you on his web page.Just set the hw8 up today and blew the cobwebs out of it. It still works!! - AC5EZ
Hello John: Always read your column in "Keynote" with interest. Have had a question concerning QRP for many years and now have a reliable source for an answer; when I hear someone calling 'CQ QRP' I don't usually answer them on the first call but wait for another QRP station to get in touch with them. My question: do those calling 'CQ QRP' want only other QRP stations to answer? Have had many good contacts with low power stations even though I run 80 watts and each one has been very polite. Thanks and very 73 Josh SOWP OOTC SMIRK FISTS WAS-CW DXCC-CW VUCC-6 - AE2L
# Am an avid qrp'er so was happy to find your page.Looks great so far. tks dave - AB5PC
Just received my first Fist &Keynote" and was glad to see QRP coverage. My main interest in ham radio is qrp. Am looking forward to Dayton. See You There! - AB5PC
I Love it! I am the new Education Coordinator for local club. Thanks for making so much material available to me. Keep up the good work. Regards, 73 Gary - AD4IV
Nice site John. Was glad to see a pic of George, G3ZQS as he and xyl, Ivy stayed at my home several years back on one of his trips to the states. If you talk to him pse qsp my regards to him and his xyl. Keep up the good work on the page. Its really great. CW will never die out contrary to what some people are trying to do. Its to efficient. CUL. de Bill - AI3Q
Hi, I am a 16 yr. old ham who loves to dx and contest. Out of the 225 countries ive qsoed with, 218 have been cw. My theory is if you want to op ssb, might as well get on the phone. I think your website along with pa3wbk's and fists is what we need in this sport. I esp. like your teenage cw feature and have talked to Mr. Shannon about writing an article dealing with teenage hams and keeping cw alive! Again great website and keep up the fb work. 73 - AJ6E
Enjoyed your info and comments on qsling. I have been on the air for abt two years and have found my qsl rtn rate at abt 75%. Cant figure why, when given a sase the ham on the other end wouldn't just return a note stating that he/she does not qsl. Oh well. By the way I qsl all qsls received. - AA1PY
Nice web page, John! Thanks for highlighting CW. Congratulations on your 1K day streak! And thanks for our FISTS QRP QSO last month! Ernie FISTS 2751 - AA2YK
Nice WEB site John. I've been a Ham since 1993 and really enjoy it (contesting, QRP, VHF, etc). I hope to be in Newfoundland in July (HF & VHF) and possibly on St. Pierre & Miquelon during the IARU and CQ VHF Contests. I hope all works out! 73, Ken - AA3GM
Great job and a true pleasure to meet you here. So nice to talk and share the same memories and re-live the "good ole days" as you really have a great interest in our great hobby. - AE3O
I've been exploring the Web's CW related sites and came across your most excellent page. I've been a CW man for all of my 26 year amateur career and have only now gotten around to trying an electronic keyer (yes, an old bug man...). I've been looking around for some advise on getting a good start with squeeze-keying. I just built the CMOS Super Keyer III and am attempting to learn squeeze keying left-handed, hoping to not further impair my none-too-good bug fist. I'll be back to your page often, and also hope to hear you on the air. 73, CW Forever! Steve - AB4I
Great page. I hope to put one up some day. 73 Jim - AC4XL
Great site, thanks for the reciprocal link. - AC4ZD
Just built the QRP White Mountain-75 SSB and having a good time with all the contacts . The stations can't believe only 5 watts. Thanks for the band width. dit dit Geo - AD4EP
Nice page, I'll check out your prop section later today when I do some DX'ing. TU/73 Ed - AD4FJ
Great page. Enjoyed it and plan on making more visits. You certainly have a whole lot of information that I am interested in within it. CW and QRP have pretty much become my main interest within Amateur Radio, so appreciate the information you have provided. - AE4EW
Great Web Site you have here! I love it! Please consider a link to mine: (You got it!! - K3WWP) - AF4K
I like ur page. Member of fists also, nr 1741. I use a HW-9 QRP daily . . . dipole ant, keep it simple hi hi. Keep up the great page, see you on CW - AF4NC
Your page is very nice. About 15 of your visitors is me! I keep checking out your page for info and now have it memorized. - AB5TY
Hi John, Congrats on your 1,000 days. I didn't know you were going to make me famous when I answered your CQ for your 1,oooth. See you on 30 meters. 73 mike - AB5XP
# john, imnew to the inter net and having fun.first ticket in 1972, dont do much anymore but dx and a few contests.enjoy 30 meters wid my 1928 vibroplex bug ay abt 15 wpm, never could send vry fast ha. my favorite rig is my ten tec century 21 cw rig which puts out abt 20 watts .anyhow enough of that , nice page. 73 de larry - AC5EZ
I was looking up Scottish material for the wife who is Scottish, her grandparents emigrated from Scotland. and ran across a Scottish cw club on one of the links from a site on Scotland.I use a TenTec Century 21 , a 1928 Vibroplex bug or a modern brass racer , the ant is a homebrew doublet fed wid ladder line to a 2060a heathkit tuner .I can receive code perty gud up to abt 20wpm but up to abt 30-32 i have to listen two or three times to get the call right .i cant send very gud past 20 wpm. all of my qso s are around 17wpm, thats where i feel comfortable.i always wanted to be a cw man but i dont feel like i ever quite made it ha.The two most exciting events in this hobby were passing the 13 and 20 wpm tests ha.cw has never came easy to me but i do enjoy using it , its a lot of fun and i admire you young guys who can really tap it out. gl cul - AC5EZ
Great site! I will come here often when I feel like the last CW Only ham left. Hope to see you on the air soon. 73, Wes FOC 1662, HSC 1614, QRPARCI 1547. CW FOREVER!!!! - AC5K
Hi John, just a note to say thanks for carrying the flag for QRP. I started in QRP in Houston, Texas in 1978 running a 1 tube xmtr and a regin rcvr and now am still in the low power game and having fun. thanks also for a super webpage. 73/72 - AG5P
Thanks for visiting my server and signing my book. I like your page and QRP info. 73 - AA6KI
Interesting site. I am a semi-active county hunter and I have the same problem at my Qth. I live in the Owens Valley with 14000 foot mountain ranges on both sides! - AB6PN
Hi from Rob, AC6WQ. I'm a CW wannabie. Got tired of SSB and needed a challenge. Went back to practicing my code and got out the old straight key. My major problem is "stage freight". Hopefully that fear will go away and I won't be exhausted after every QSO. I tried reducing pwr to 7 watts out and was amazed at how far my signal went. Tnx fer being here. CUL 73 de Rob. - AC6WQ
CW has always been and still is my 1st love in Ham Radio. That is why your site appealed to me right off. Thanks. Glad you developed your Web Page. I've got you listed on my favorites list. - AA7FK
I became a no-code tech in '92 and was content there for a year although I continued to listen to 5 wpm code tapes. I couldn't make much sense out of the clatter and blamed my hearing problem. Then suddenly one day when the tape recorder was playing in the living room and I was doing something in another room, I realized that I was subconsciously understanding the code. I immediately got my tech+ and 3 months later got my general and the next week got my extra class ticket. Since then cw has been my preferred mode of communication. Then in '94 I got the GROL commercial ticket (not because I needed it but was something I wanted to do.) I have been a Volunteer Examiner ever since I became an Extra. I try to encourage new hams to give cw serious consideration. Most hate it and only learn it to get the higher class licenses. I'm glad to find a few web pages dedicated to cw. - AA7YM
hi john. I just want to say hello and I enjoy all your articles in FISTS. tnx for the effort. I have the qrp bug so I thought I see what I could find on your home page. 73 for now CAL - AA8VM
# Keep up the good work OM! 73, Bob - AA8YO
# Nice Job! Found it very interesting, and added it to my bookmarks... - AA8YO
Great job on your web page John. It is now part of my bookmark files. Thanks. - AA8YO
Hi John...! very nice page keep it up I'm a county hunter also since abt. 5 yrs. still not done as yet but allway enjoy it. 73' de gustavo - AA9CT
I'm just getting back into ham radio after a 25 year absence. Found your page through the CW reflector. Congrats on your QRP DXCC. I plan to work strictly QRP. Although I may get a 2 meter HT for emergency use. A tongue in cheek question: Would working the states QRP in 1962 from ET2US count? I was a Morse Interceptor in the Army Security Agency. When I tried to get my code speed back up, it took me about two weeks to go from not copying code for 35 years to 30 wpm on a typewriter. This allowed me to copy the 20 wpm for the Extra Class. My brother, a former Mandarin Interceptor, tells me I had experienced language re-immersion. 73 Ralph - AF9EZ
Just stopped by to see the site. Now that I'm here, I remember being here once before. Linked here from the county hunters page. Good to work you on forty. See you later. Joe - AG9Y
Hey, John! Congrats on the FISTS QRP Award # 001, quite an accomplishment. Haven't heard you on 30 Meters in quite some time, but I haven't been doing a lot of hamming myself. I've been busy getting a new business underway. I'm marketing web sites and contracted to a business equipment company here, offering a web presence to their clients. Not working too terribly hard, no stress, making a living, and having lots of fun on the Internet. Hopefully, I'll have time this fall for CW. Take care and good to see your pages. By the way, found the link to your site in 59(9) DX Report. Vy 73, Rick, FISTS # 1704 - AA0NR
Enjoyed visiting your site. I'm discovering QRP, and currently building a NW40. Much fun! Thanks and 73, David - AA0PF
I have been doing code-only on 80, 40, and 30 for the past 5 years. Lately I haven't had much time to operate, but I was wondering how you get your speed up so high? - AB0BV
Very nice page. I'm surprised how many Ham's are making an effort to promote CW. Keep up the great work! - AH0A
