Thanks for stopping by! (Main photo is Field Day 2011, solar power, running 5 watts, only cw).

Small rig (Yaesu FT 857 100 watts) with 43 ft vertical or dipole antenna (80m around the gutter) at times, an autotuner, a SignaLink USB for digital, Begali Magnetic Classic, a homebrew key or two (see below), and a J-38 straight key.

Interest in emergency radio with my church (LDS), DX, got into CW my first year operating (SKCC#7033T) and really love it! CW ROCKS! It has become my main operating mode as I improve and get fast and accurate enough to not frustrate everyone. FISTS member as well #14754.

I will answer all confirmed QSL requests. Se habla español.

I started developing an interest in radio starting in the military, although that wasn't my position--I was a Combat Engineer out of Utah. After spending some time in Iraq, my father-in-law sent an older HT to me, so it turned out to be just the push I needed to go get licensed. Right after becoming a Technician (July '08) I realized I couldn't really do much, relatively, and wanted to reach out to the world, so the next month I took the General test and became KE7VSK (Aug '08). I didn't do any operating the first year of having a license--had to finally finish school. After graduating and getting the job, having no experience and without having gotten on the air, I decided to study and take the Extra test so when I did start operating, I would be free to experiment with everything. I passed by a miracle I'm sure and became ACØPR in Aug. of 2009. I logged my first QSO Aug. 28th, 2009. I logged my first CW qso on March 10, 2010.

My Dad, Charles Cartmill, is KC9EC

Taken in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in SW North Dakota (as well as my current QSL card) about half an hour from Dickinson.

Winter in North Dakota. You can just see the tripod on the roof, which is holding up my G5RV Jr.

If I worked you using a straight key from Sept. 4th to Oct. 10, 2010, I was almost certainly using this very simple "hardware store" homebrew key I designed, cost $11.99 for the parts new (including the monoplug and wiring). Not the greatest, and not as smooth as a commercial one (even the old J-38--which I now use as my SK), but it was fun to do and actually make contacts with it. After a number of good qso's and getting 10 states (and Bulgaria) during Labor Day weekend 2010 with this key, I decided to try for my own HB WAS with it and joined SKCC (check it out at www.skccgroup.com!). After 278 total qso's, I finished WAS with it after five weeks, and worked a total of 18 DXCC entities with it as well, so it is now retired. Thanks for your help!

This is my MacGyver type key, just because of the gum wrapper really and everything else being from things already at home. It cost nothing, took maybe five minutes, using two plastic knives, the gum wrapper and two thumb tacks as the contacts, mounted on scrap wood. See? CW can be way cheap! The important thing is to come play :)

Below is my newest radio. It's a SW 40+ for cw only as well. A very fun way to spend an afternoon. I decided on a clear case to see into the radio. It's just a fishing tackle box with the dividers taken out. Runs about 1.5 watts

73 all,

Mike