My Most Recent QSO's

Friday, September 18, 2009

My New QSL Card


I've designed a new "QSL" card for myself and have uploaded this to the E-QSL site. It's a little "heavy" and will take some extra time to download but I thought a good example of life here in the mountains of West Virginia. I'll use this card also for those who contact me on the air and have computer skills. (just click and save)
There's a LOT of music in this state. The majority of which is passed down without a written record. It's "word of mouth" and to play it (there's a lot of pickers much better than me) you need to memorize the tunes and chord changes. It's sometimes difficult to blend your style with the styles of others.
The guitar above is the last thing I purchased in the US Navy. It's an Italian made "EKO" that was purchased in Barcelona Spain just before I jumped into a jumbo cargo plane and flew back to the states.
That was 1970.
I've completely worn it out, and thought of buying the classic "Martin" that all good pickers seem to use. But I like this guitar because the neck "feels good" in my small hands. I wore the fret bars down to a point that the strings rattled and my fingernails dug into the neck. The lacquer is cracked. But I couldn't part with it. (it actually makes it sound better)
I had the entire neck re-worked (even added pearl markers on the top) but didn't touch the body. The wood resonates very well with the old lacquer even tho it's not very pretty.
I play an assortment of tunes from "sing a longs" to jazz variations.
I have my own "style" and play for small groups and friends.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Nice card, John. It's always a pleasure to see a card that someone has taken some thought and trouble to create. And of course with eQSL you can change the design whenever you like, at no cost.

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Nice story. It shows that there is more in the life of a radio amateur then radio alone. Nice eQSL design. I like a own design. I use to save all the eQSL I receive. But since many of them are all the same I decided a couple of weeks ago I only save those that are of own design or from a special (DX) country.
Hope to meet you sometime.

Adam said...

Haven't checked in to your blog for a day or two and found several great things that interest me. That model aircraft was awesome.

Your new eQSL card is cool. Like Julian and Bas I love the eQSLs that have been hand-designed. Mine is of two hands embracing a section of rainforest.

It really is nice to read about other things than radio. I often want to write about other things that but fear it might bore people. Anyway, I love music. And since reading Peanut & Roosters lovely blog and coming across a track by David Myles called "When it comes my Turn" I have got into that style of music.

Thanks John. 73 from England. Adam

Jspiker said...

I'm glad the response to my new card is "positive". I don't have a lot of "radio gear" to display. (by choice)and keeping things "simple" has always been a lifetime goal of mine.

I like a lot of different types of music but I think the "classics" are my favorites. I love classical music and we have a fine "Symphony" here in Charleston WV.

For a town of 50,000 people, I consider myself fortunate to live here.

I'll toy with the idea of placing a few (non radio) things on the blog in the near future.

I'm always doing something every day since I've retired.

I'm still a dayhiker and biker. Still pretty active and trying to live life to the fullest.

yes...there are other things than Amateur Radio. I enjoy it very much but there's a lot to see and do in the world.