Return-Path: Received: (qmail 81623 invoked from network); 10 Dec 2003 18:11:34 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO netmail02.services.quay.plus.net) (212.159.14.221) by ptb-mailstore with SMTP; 10 Dec 2003 18:11:34 -0000 Received: (qmail 14221 invoked by uid 10001); 10 Dec 2003 18:11:33 -0000 X-Filtered-by: Plusnet (hmail v1.01) X-Spam-detection-level: 11 Received: from post.thorcom.com (193.82.116.20) by netmail02.services.quay.plus.net with SMTP; 10 Dec 2003 18:09:58 -0000 X-Fake-Domain: majordom Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 4.14) id 1AU8m4-00010G-W8 for rs_out@blacksheep.org; Wed, 10 Dec 2003 18:09:24 +0000 Received: from [62.253.164.41] (helo=mta1-svc.business.ntl.com) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 4.14) id 1AU8m4-000107-B7 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Wed, 10 Dec 2003 18:09:24 +0000 X-Fake-Domain: l8p8y6 Received: from l8p8y6 ([62.252.209.0]) by mta1-svc.business.ntl.com (InterMail vM.4.01.03.37 201-229-121-137-20020806) with SMTP id <20031210180923.BLGS261.mta1-svc.business.ntl.com@l8p8y6> for ; Wed, 10 Dec 2003 18:09:23 +0000 X-Bad-Message-ID: no DNS (l8p8y6) Message-ID: <001501c3bf48$fc7b5ec0$00d1fc3e@l8p8y6> From: "hamilton mal" To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2003 18:10:37 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4807.1700 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 Subject: LF: 136 khz weekend Content-Type: text/html; charset=windows-1252 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.60 (1.212-2003-09-23-exp) on post.thorcom.com X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.5 required=5.0 tests=HTML_20_30,HTML_MESSAGE autolearn=no version=2.60 X-SA-Exim-Scanned: Yes Sender: Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group X-SA-Exim-Rcpt-To: rs_out@blacksheep.org X-SA-Exim-Scanned: No; SAEximRunCond expanded to false X-Spam-Rating: 2 Content-transfer-encoding: 8bit

A few stations noticed on the proverbial QRS mode over the weekend. All calling CQ and I did not see a single QSO take place. Nothing heard on CW. This time a couple of years ago the band was hiving with activity and it was difficult to squeeze in for a CW qso plus some QRS activity.

Except something drastic happens LF has just about fizzled out, it will just decline out of existence, whereas all the other amateur bands are busier than ever and CW is certainly not dead. On recent trips to GI and CT all I had to do was to hit the key and there were pileups galore. .

Radio operators interested in LF need to be able to make their own black box, be able to solder and operate CW. Since CW qualifications are no longer required, most cannot solder and black boxes have to be build for LF and uncle Sam's boys prohibited from 136 khz the future looks bleak.

Operators in the past on LF were mostly old timers well experienced and well qualified but sadly have deserted the band and gone back to HF. I have recently worked 5 such persons on HF.

73 de Mal/G3KEV