Ron,

While it's true you won't hear many cq's or get many answers to them on 75 
and 20 meters, you can still do quite well on the other bands, especially 40 
meters.  I spend most of my time on 40 cw with occasional forays into the 
phone band and, while there are some groups there,  you can also find lots 
of space to call cq especially below 7.200 now that the broadcasters have 
vacated that section.  Hope to hear you on there soon.  73,  Lou  WA3MIX
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ronald E. Milliman" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 5:25 PM
Subject: Trying to get back into the swing of things again!


> CQ CQ CQ de K8HSY
>
> I'm trying to get back into the swing of things on the ol' ham bands 
> again!
> As I have mentioned before, I got my ticket back in 1957, and was really
> active for many years, but ham radio has really changed. I am trying to
> figure it out. It seems like the bands are totally made up of clusters of
> little cliques, and some of them aren't even all that little. They all 
> know
> each other, and either they don't acknowledge you, or if they do, they 
> give
> you the impression that you are a stranger, not welcome into their clique.
>
> When I was an active ham before, back a few years ago, I could call CQ on
> any of the bands and there was a high probability that someone would come
> back, and we would carry on a QSO for maybe a few minutes to maybe an hour
> or so. I could break into a round table or QSO and they would usually make
> you feel welcome, and after a while you fitted right into the group or 
> QSO.
>
> Am I wrong and missing something? I don't get that welcome, friendly
> feeling hardly anywhere anymore on the bands, except for the "Do Drop In"
> net and the HandiHam nets. We blind hams seem like a pretty friendly,
> smooth bunch of hams.
>
> Also, I don't hear much of any activity on the repeaters anymore either. I
> used to be able to jump onto a repeater and say: "This is K8HSY; is there
> anyone around this afternoon," and about 70% of the time someone would 
> come
> back. Even if they were busy doing something else, they would often come
> back and say something like: "K8HSY this KK4QL. I'm sort of tied up 
> working
> on a little work bench project right now, but I just wanted to let you 
> know
> you were being heard. Unless there is something you really need, I'll get
> back to my project..."
>
> I feel like I've been sleeping for the last 10 years and have woken up 
> into
> a different world!
>
> Ron, K8HSY
>
>
> At 01:58 PM 6/12/2013 -0600, you wrote:
>>also listen for the fm repeaters on 29.62, 64, 66 and 68.
>>there is a big one out of new york state running 1500W on 29.62.  Input is
>>100K down btw.
>>also, you will hear CW beacons, which are continuous automated 
>>transmitters,
>>from 28.3 down to around 28.185 or something like that.  They are a great
>>way to practice your cw because they are usually no more than 10 words per
>>minute and they repeat the same message over and over.
>>
>>openings on 10 are pretty spiratic in the summer, but they certainly 
>>happen,
>>and they can be relatively short distance openings which is fun.
>>
>>73
>>Colin, V A6BKX
>>----- Original Message ----- 
>>From: "dustin thompson" <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 1:16 PM
>>Subject: 10M
>>
>>
>>> there was some openings on 10 M, i heard some CW, and some net out of
>>> Long Beach, CA. not sure what it was, because it was fading in and
>>> out.  quite a few other stations too, i was going to look them up, but
>>> they gave there call sign too fast,
>>
> Dr. Ronald E. Milliman, retired Professor Western Kentucky University
> Ph: 270-782-9325
> Email: [log in to unmask]
>
> Chair, American Council of the Blind Public Relations Committee
>
> Chair, American Council of the Blind's Monthly Monetary Support Program
> (MMS) Committee
>
> President: South Central Kentucky Council of the Blind (SCKCB)