Biography

HELLO TO ALL
My name on QSO is Gil
I can work CW with English and French languages.
Age is 79 and I been a ham 40 years, CW ONLY.
Never made a Phone DX QSO yet.
But work local ssb french nets.
I work CW everyday on 80 and 40 Meter mostly.
I worked 44 years for Welding Trade with last 35 years as a welding Instructor for Trade School and Welding Supervisor for Gov't owned Steel Plant near Montreal till retirement in 1996. My XYL and I are now located on a large elevated lot at Deschambault, near Québec City on north shore of St Lawrence seaway with fresh air and no local ''Towers problems''

I still practice fly fishing, also tie my flies for Atlantic Salmon or trouts.
Also practice big game hunting, deer and moose with large caliber rifles and crossbow and hunt grouse for small game.

I like QRQ CW up to 60 wpm but adjust to the coming QSO"
Copy all CW with my ears and head !

Also use "CW POWDER" on my 2 sending fingers to prevent finger sticking on long Ragchews. (Simply Baby's Own Powder) That helps a lot for fast CW.
Been a Code Buddy for Fists CW Club few years and now QRQCW Club Member and local 2 meter Club.

Main activity is Ragchewing.

(Also very interested by Advanced Paranormal activity)

Equipment

Rigs are Yaesu FT-990 main rig and Yaesu FT-980 as backup.
Linear Amplifier; Ameritron AL-572 (1 KW on CW)
Antennas Cushcraft XM-240 2 elements Beam at 50 feet
Ground mounted 10/40 Vertical with ground radials
48 FT plus 10 feet mast Outboard Sliding Crankup Tower with electric winch that can bring my Beam to 5 feet from ground in less than 10 minutes during summer!Much longer with 20 below zero and 2 ft of snow HI HI
Yaesu FT-7800 for VHF on a 18 ft vertical at 40 ft and 13 el beam at 55 ft.

Paddles are;
Vibroplex Iambic modified by relocation of the springs halfway toward the pivots and bypass wires to cancel conductivity of the springs and gold contacts.
Second Vibroplex Iambic on which the springs are replaced by 2 magnets ans also bypass wires and gold contacts. Both are good for 60 WPM. (with frequent pivots adjustments)

Now I have a new BEGALI SIGNATURE magnetic with gold contacts that is now my main paddle for QRQ. Vibroplex magnetic is used for slow speed.

PS, I converted my 48' DMX tower myself to outboard crank up system to cancel climbing. If someone is interested to do the same pse contact me via e-mail and I will send Pictures and info with pleasure.
E-mail is (ve2enb@globetrotter.net)
73 and CW 4 EVER
Gil VEENB --... ...--