Today, I spent time getting my rig, a Yaesu FT-450D, and tuner, an MFJ-934, set up together and attaching them both to a ground bus I made out of a small copper pipe attached to a piece of board I found out in the garage. Being upstairs, my shack will have no real ground but I read it’s good to keep the rig and tuner at the same rf voltage by attaching them to the bus. Probably around Monday I’ll hang a 100 foot or so endfed antenna outside from my window to a tree outside.
Second, I spent time “cleaning up my fist” by practicing sending Morse on the MFJ key and oscillator combo. I’m terrible and worse I sometimes lose my train of thought mid sentence. I hope I don’t do that on the air.
I’m hoping to try to make a QSO (contact) on the 40 meter band this coming Tuesday but we’ll see. I don’t want to push it but I don’t to wait anymore either. I’ve waited long enough and studied Morse on recordings long enough!
Lastly, I started working on my Christmas cards. I don’t have too many but I want to get them out early this year before my mood changes like it sometimes does and then I won’t want to do them. So far this season I’m in good spirits overall. That’s a blessing.