A #hamr Christmas

I'm spending much of today in the relaxation mode after two wonderful
days with family while sharing good food. The calorie counter hit 20dB
and we enjoyed comfort food such as roast beef on Christmas Eve then a
21 pound homegrown turkey on Christmas Day. We talked politics,
remembered loved ones, laughed about aging gracefully, and joked with
one another.

I logged into Twitter on Christmas Eve and many of us exchanged
greetings otherwise impossible given current band conditions. The 850S
was on through most of the day. I'd go into the shack spinning the
dial to a mostly quiet ionosphere not a signal heard until late in the
afternoon.

There, right there on 20m CW, I heard Phil, KL8DX chatting with
someone in four land. His signal was strong in fact arm chair copy. I
took a picture of the 850S and tweeted Phil's s-meter reading while
waiting my turn. I was on the clock waiting for family while KL8DX
wrapped up his QSO. The ionospheric moment arrived and I tapped out my
callsign using the Bencher paddles.

My 60 watt signal into a ground mounted vertical between condos took
off for Alaska. Would Phil hear me? I heard KL8DX send my callsign and
a big hoot followed out the shackadelic door! We chatted for a few
minutes before family arrived for Christmas Eve dinner.

Thank you Phil for the #hamr Q because I enjoyed my December 24th
contact. It was one for the logbook.

Tune up and operate.