Good afternoon Bob: Thank you for sharing. I’ve just finished browsing your website and was curious if you would have some time for a landline QSO? As a new member to the hobby, I’ve been a bit overwhelmed with the process of researching for my first HF rig and could use some advice from someone with experience. Regards: Hai Nguyen Ly, KC1BLT On Apr 25, 2014, at 4:02 PM, Robert Ringwald <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Dear Hai, > > If you=E2=80=99d like to read more experiences from a ham who has had = > his license for over 57 years, me, you might want to go to my web site = > ham page. > > www.ringwald.com/ham.php > > 73 =E2=80=93 Bob K 6 Y B V > > > > From: Hai Nguyen Ly=20 > Sent: Friday, April 25, 2014 12:43 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Happy Ham's Day > > Good afternoon Phil: > Thank you for sharing that story. Hearing about your experience =3D > really embodies the heart and soul of the hobby as I understand it. > As a new Ham, I am on the look out for these types of experiences to =3D > share with my young children in hopes that they will also join as =3D > amateur operators when they get a bit older. > > Best Regards: > Hai Nguyen Ly, KC1BLT > > > On Apr 25, 2014, at 3:30 PM, carolyn johnson <[log in to unmask]> = > =3D > wrote: > >> Happy anivercery on being a ham for 48 years. That was a wonderful =3D > story.=3D20 >> Why don't you submit that so it can go into qst magazine? >> =3D20 >> Carolyn Kj4vt >> =3D20 >> =3D20 >> -------------------------------------------------- >> From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]> >> Sent: Friday, April 25, 2014 3:32 PM >> To: <[log in to unmask]> >> Subject: Happy Ham's Day >> =3D20 >>> It was 48 years ago today I made my first contact as a novice. I was = > =3D > at=3D20 >>> the >>> school for the blind when my mom called from home on a Monday =3D > afternoon=3D20 >>> and >>> told me my ticket came. I had her repeat the call sign a dozen times = > =3D > to=3D20 >>> be >>> sure. I had been walking to our regular Monday after school = > student=3D20=3D > >>> council >>> meeting. I was representing the 9th grade, and the office = > secretary=3D20=3D > >>> called >>> out the office door as I passed by going to the library for the =3D > meeting. >>> She said, "Phil. You have a phone call." The only person who called = > =3D > me=3D20 >>> at >>> school was generally my uncle in Kansas but this time it was my mom = > =3D > with=3D20 >>> the >>> good news. I hunt up the phone, and spun around and took a step to = > =3D > the=3D20 >>> open >>> office door. Our superintendent was a nice guy and although he was = > =3D > not a >>> ham, he made sure we always had good equipment, unless one of our =3D > radios=3D20 >>> was >>> down for repair, but he called out and said, "Hey, Phil. You got =3D > your >>> license." It wasn't a question. I was so out of it, I just grunted = > =3D > a=3D20 >>> yes, >>> and ran down the hall to the radio room. A couple of friends were = > =3D > already >>> in the ham shack and one was a novice of about 3 months. I told him = > =3D > to=3D20 >>> move >>> over, I was getting on the air. It took them a few seconds to =3D > believe me >>> but when I threatened to dump him off the king's chair in front of = > =3D > the >>> radio, he got the picture. At this time, our DX60 was off the air so = > =3D > I=3D20 >>> used >>> an A T 1 on 80 meters to make my first contact. I was WN0ORO and my = > =3D > first >>> countact with another guy in Nebraska and his call was WN0OHO. We = > =3D > kept in >>> touch for years after that. After supper that night, I was back in = > =3D > the=3D20 >>> ham >>> shack pounding out CQ again and having the time of my life. To this = > =3D > day, >>> although I only had my novice license 6 months before I took the =3D > general >>> class, it was still the most fun I had as a ham. The guy I almost = > =3D > dump=3D20 >>> out >>> of the chair lived at home where the school for the blind was so we = > =3D > worked >>> each other, building up our code speed, in the evenings and then = > when=3D20=3D > >>> school >>> was out for the summer. We had a lot of the same crystals so we =3D > ended up >>> working each other hundreds of times that summer. We even started a >>> midnight schedule which we carried on for years after getting our =3D > generals >>> and could work side band. >>> =3D20 >>> Phil. >>> K0NX=3D20