And now, WA6N

[DonTom]

This is getting old. Seems like all the hams I know who were good CW ops are dropping dead this year.

But Lou, WA6N (ex WB6RKZ) is almost a bit too much for me to handle. I found out Lou very recently died. I just now found out from another ham I just worked who lives near him. Lou's page on QRZ is not even updated yet to show him as a Silent Key.

When we were young, I nick-named Lou "Screwy Louie". Next thing I knew, everybody was referring to him by that name.

Lou is the one who got me into Ham radio at the age of 15. Lou was 14 at the time, but he was probably a genius. We went to the same high school, along with Ken, WB6VHE (later W5KFS).

I was wondering why I have not heard Lou on lately. I do not (yet) know what Lou died from.

RIP Lou.

-Don- AA6GA Auburn, CA

 

[John From Detroit]

The older you get the more people you know pass on. Fact of life.
I'm not that good at CW.. (On a good day 10 WPM) but Well...

Always sorry to hear of another death.. Hope his family is doing well.

 

[DonTom]

The older you get the more people you know pass on. Fact of life.
I'm not that good at CW.. (On a good day 10 WPM) but Well...

Always sorry to hear of another death.. Hope his family is doing well.

Yep, I certainly noticed. And every one of them have been a little younger than I am.

CW speed isn't nearly as important as the quality of the sending.

I only work CW and normally at 16 WPM which is considered slow, but I am very easy to copy compared to many others. I see no need to go faster than that, but I can send and copy 25 WPM easily if the other sends properly.

-Don- AA6GA Auburn, CA

 

[Larry N.]

I'm always sorry to hear of another SK, Don, and it's rough when it's someone you know, especially a long time friend. We see too many deaths, both ham and not, at our age, and some not so old, such as my wife's favorite niece who had colon (into liver) cancer and passed at age 44, a couple of good friends of leukemia, along with some devasted with COVID, then a fall, then other problems, then one had a fall from a roof a few months before being diagnosed with leukemia and long chemo ahead.

It's always rough...
73

 

[Bob K4TAX]

Sorry to learn of any ham passing away. I was licensed in 1959 and have been active ever since. A great hobby to be associated with. I enjoy CW because it keeps my mind sharp. I'll soon be 80 years old and I often wonder how many more QSO's I have left.

73
Bob, K4TAX

 

[DonTom]

Lou is now listed as a SK on QRZ.com.

I also discovered he died more than a year ago, which I really found surprising. But time has been going by very fast lately.

Louis A. Benoit, Jr, WA6N SK

Louis A. Benoit
11/12/1951 - 7/5/2021

Obituary For Louis A. Benoit
Louis A. Benoit, 69, of Sierra Village, passed away on Monday, July 5, 2021 at the Alexander Cohen Hospice House in Hughson. Family and friends are invited to attend a graveside service on Saturday, July 17, 2021 at 10:00 A.M. at the Word of Life Rest Cemetery, followed by a Celebration of Louis' Life at 11:00 A.M. at the Word of Life Fellowship, both at 24630 Hwy 108, Mi Wuk Village, CA. Arrangements entrusted to Sierra Cremation & Burial Service. www.sierracremationservice.com
https://www.sierracbs.com/obituarires

 

[John From Detroit]

I only work CW and normally at 16 WPM which is considered slow, but I am very easy to copy compared to many others. I see no need to go faster than that, but I can send and copy 25 WPM easily if the other sends properly.

When I was studying code my teacher once decided show off.. We had a military surplus code trainer.. Now with this machine, which sent machine perfect code. the tone was a bit different depending on if the thing was sending from the paper tape from the hand key or both (3 different tones).. he cranked it up all the way speed wise.. and there was but one tone. He was sending machine perfect code at an amazing speed..... But then he was Military Trained himself.
I'd have liked to hit 20 WPM but alas never did... And listening to W1AW not happening in this apartment.

 

[DonTom]

And listening to W1AW not happening in this apartment.

Why is that? They have their code practice on every band from 160M to 2M. You should be able to hear them on some frequency day or night even with a wet noodle for an antenna from an apartment.

When I took my RV trip last year to the SE. W1AW was overloading my receiver fairly often. I am glad they are NOT that strong here. But they are still quite strong on 40M most of the time, early nights.

73, -Don- AA6GA

 

[DonTom]

along with some devasted with COVID,

I just now got done working Brian, ZL3XDJ who is on the South Island of New Zealand. We have worked several times in the past.

He tells me he is now stuck at home with COVID and is feeling a bit weird.

I know several who caught COVID, a few of them the very day after meeting me! But months apart. I never caught it, at least not that I am aware of.

I know one guy who died from COVID. A guy from my motorcycle riding group in Reno. Around six months ago.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[John From Detroit]

Why is that? They have their code practice on every band from 160M to 2M. You should be able to hear them on some frequency day or night even with a wet noodle for an antenna from an apartment.

The apartment complex, many buildings all served by leaky cable TV. has over 800 apartmetns. and the one next door 800 more. and the RFI level here is truly amazing. plus outside antennas not happening.

 

[DonTom]

The apartment complex, many buildings all served by leaky cable TV. has over 800 apartmetns. and the one next door 800 more. and the RFI level here is truly amazing. plus outside antennas not happening.

Sounds like a great reason to full time in your RV! Too much QRN? No problem, drive away!

BTW, didn't you used to be a full-timer?

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[John From Detroit]

Sounds like a great reason to full time in your RV! Too much QRN? No problem, drive away!

BTW, didn't you used to be a full-timer?

-Don- Auburn, CA

I did but a nice semi driver clipped my RV and did just enough damage the insurance company said "Totaled".. And as it turns out he really did me a favor. IT was time for me to move on and in clearing out the RV I found several issues, some of them major. that needed fixing so I kind of lucked out..... I can get in the jeep and drive and slap a Hamstick on the roof.. IN fact I did that a few months ago (I was blocking an interseciton for a foot race) Radio worked well, Very well. Better than it ever worked before (I had an upgrade done to the reciver)