MEMBER SPOTLIGHT DECEMBER 2000:
        This month we are pleased to have Bill Carter, KG4FXG, as our member spotlight.  Bill is another of  those good traffic handlers from Georgia, who hasn't been on the air too long, but has made the best of his time.  He is active on the Georgia nets as well as those in Kentucky, and has taken the training, and is now involved in training others.  It was hard to choose the photo,  since I obviously needed to get that beautiful dog in.

BY BILL CARTER, KG4FXG
       It was an interesting journey that led me to the CW nets, especially KSN and then KYN.  It all started one day buying a new toy from Radio Shack called a scanner.  After only a brief moment listening to Police calls, I discovered 2 meters.  I even listened in my car driving to work wondering, who are these people?
      Well, to talk back to them I would need a radio and a license.  I hate tests, but was curious about what they learned studying for their Amateur Radio exam.  I bought the study guide for the No-Code Tech.  About a month later, I was licensed and on the air on December 31, 1999.
        I decided to upgrade to General so I began working on my code about the middle of January, 2000.  I passed my code test on March 11, 2000.  I even got lucky and passed the 13 wpm test that day.  I passed my General test on May 13, 2000.
        I am very new to the hobby and wanted to try CW.  I remember being very interested in wanting to know what  they were saying with all those dits and dahs.  I must mention here that when I started to study the code I joined FISTS CLUB.  Even though I could not send or receive code, I felt very strongly about it.
         Days continued and I dreamed about the FISTS SLOW NET.  I wished I could someday check-in to a net.  I didn’t know what I would do after that, I heard descriptions about going up or down for training and thought this all quite bizzare.
         The FISTS CLUB offers the CODE BUDDY PROGAM and I signed up thinking this would help me get on the bands.  I was scared to death.  I remember getting an e-mail from my code buddy and knew what time and frequency we would meet.  I worried all day about that QSO, I even wrote it out on paper ahead of time.  It was a nice idea, but didn’t work so well.  You see my code buddy didn’t have the script, and would not stick to it.
       After getting on the air with my little MFJ key, I ventured out and had many QSOs.  Then I discovered Roger’s KI8DU website and it listed CW Nets.  I listened to some “Slow Nets” and copied most quite well.  I didn’t understand most of it, this qni, qru stuff.  And just as I thought I would copy a real neat message.  Something called a SAR message was sent,  which made no sense to me.
        Well, about this time, I received a radiogram from Darrell, AF4PX.  I think it was one of those
radiograms welcoming me to FISTS or something.  I told Darrell of my interest in CW and that I had been listening to the nets.  We became good friends from that moment on.  Darrell sent me a few radiograms and taught me how to check into the KSN slow net.  The rest is history.  He even helped me get my speed up, so now I can check into the fast nets like KYN and GSN.  I wish I could go faster at sending code, but nine months after passing my code test I can’t complain.  I am so grateful to everyone on KSN & KYN who has helped me get started in traffic handling.  I especially enjoy sending training to Steve, N9WAT, and calling the net on KSN sometimes.
          I still feel very strongly about the values and principles of the FISTS CLUB.  When I can, I like to work new stations on the “Novice” bands and tell them about KSN.
          I work for Georgia System Operations, which is part of Olgethrope Power Company.  I am a CPA who works in the Fossil and Nuclear Operations Department.  I handle the accounting of purchased power and sales from our plants.  My wife Sharon, KG4HKO, has been a great support for me, allowing me to spend hours-working stations on the CW bands.  I am active in two Amateur Radio Clubs and will be President of the Dekalb Chapter of the Georgia Society of CPAs next year.  Currently, I serve as Vice President.  It will be a busy year.  I keep a very busy schedule.
 
          Thanks again to everyone on KSN & KYN.  You have made this a hobby that will last a
lifetime.............73, Bill Carter,  KG4FXG
 

Thanks to Bill for this interesting story, which also tells how important it is  for people like AF4PX,
AE4NW, KI8DU, and KO4OL to be in the Novice bands helping people get started on the nets and advancing their CW Skills.  Good work all!!

Bill at his rig.

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