Those of you in Europe may have a hard time to picture the CW landscape in this remote part of the world. We used to call CQ for hours without response. The 20m long path opening to Europe was my favourite as 20m and now 30m comes to life. This is why we organised a CW purely-calling frequency on 40m for daytime Australia and why we created new regular CW nets and QTT centre of activity frequencies which help us to make contacts much more easily.
This was brought home to me again today, when I received an Email response to my request to a 30m CW OP in Europe to give some feedback on this new site. In his 70's, he had a less dim view of the state of CW, but then so do I when I listen to CW on web SDR in Europe. The problem will hit Europe in a few years, if there are not younger CW OPs, I said, and down here things are very depressing, I know only two who are younger than me, and I'm 54.
It was with this depressing thought on my mind, that CW does not have a good future given the ever declining percentage of population (though I like to think, increasing percentage of ham population) but more-so because of the age demographic, that I got out of bed having just read and replied to his Email. This friend said he takes a selfish view at his age, just to enjoy getting on the air, and not to join online sites etc. I completely understand that, at 54 I often feel my contributions are running out here.
On my way to the kitchen to get breakfast, I passed the radio room. I had left it ready on today's QTT frequency (plus my 300 Hz "house frequency off set") thus on 10108.3. I flicked on the switch, to leave it on loudspeaker while I went to make breakfast, but wait, as soon as I switched on there was OM Michael VK2CCW calling CQ! So nothing like to reply and tell him what had happened, and how he had made my day, turning dread of empty bands on a weekday down here into hope.
OM Michael is a great friend. What makes this even more of a hopeful sign at that very moment, when I was thinking that there is little hope for people of my age if we live much longer to enjoy CW, of any level of real proficiency, is that Michael is the same age as me, in fact, I believe one year younger. And, he is very busy keeping CW alive on the bands in VK, along with a very small number of others, although, more and more are returning to CW. Three times a week in the evenings on 80m he gives CW lessons on air.
VK2CCW is QTH Newcastle. Among CW operators, Newcastle has the highest number down here of very active CW operators, at least three. The reason is because many years ago, someone was doing exactly what Michael is doing, on the same frequency, 3550. Michael is carrying on that tradition. I was thinking that what I'm doing is a waste of time and energy that perhaps I should also be more selfish to stop my contributions and enjoy myself more. Then this was a clear message to carry on, after all, it even happened because of QTT.
I hope this message reaches those in Europe to understand how fortunate you are to be able to tune around and hear CQ at all times of the day and night. Down here is very, very different, and also across South East Asia. Also South America. For us, we are so few QTT that we all know each other by name and callsign and worry when we did not hear one of our number for several weeks. Please give us your support. Please keep 30m CW alive and well. On Sunday it was wonderful to hear so many QTT signals from Europe via LP on 30m.
Look for me most days on QTT centre of activity frequencies thus: 101date.3kHz. 73 & 77!