Mornings on 80M

[VE3LYX]

for a couple of weeks now I have been meeting mornings on AM with a group of Ontario hams. I am the only rockbound one in the group and have hand ground my rock to get there. I was a bit low before. Today after a regrind I was a bit high. I could pull it down with a cap. I decided however to grind another. Since I was about 1 kc high today I measured that crystal with my test osc and digital recvr and started moving a 3665 to 3725.  I worked all evening grinding and got within .2 kc on the test osc of my goal however this rock works different in the tx then the other one so all I gained was about .2kc but in the right direction. I also have the lowest power. A DX60B  bone stock and am the farthest away as well so I need everything to be as good a possible to make it work.
Doesnt seem to be anyone in my area, Belleville/ Kingston on 80M AM . If you are speak now. Still I really look forward to mornings now with VE6PG the group.
Here is a bit of the hand grinding process for those who are interested.  Wet sandpaper cuts the crystal. Edge must be sanded each time at a  slight angle to keep the rock active. This took approx 30 put togethers, test , take apart ,grind, clean, put togethers etcetc.  
Don VE3LYX

[k4kyv]

Wet sandpaper cuts the crystal. Edge must be sanded each time at a  slight angle to keep the rock active. This took approx 30 put togethers, test, take apart, grind, clean, put togethers etcetc.  Don VE3LYX

I assume you are using very fine grit sandpaper, something like 250.  Do you use a glass plate as the flat working surface?

I take it you mean hold the crystal at a slight angle from vertical and sand along the edge, lengthwise, not across (perpendicular).

[VE3LYX]

Yes sandpaper sitting on glass. (broken window pane, truth be known.)
300 to 400 grit. (I am not near it right now but will check the grit # next time I am in the shop. ) Any smoother and they dont like it. 600 was too smooth. I sand them flat, both sides. Wet too. Then I hold them at about a 10 to 15 degree angle and do all four sides one stroke. This keeps them active. If you dont do this they sometimes dont want to start easily. I clean them and remount them probably 15 to 30 times on a grind. I have done a few now. Enuf I know what works for me and what doesnt. I am grinding FT243 style rocks.
I have done old Bliley round ones but my best deal with them was to make a variable crystal which works very well. Unfortunately it wont fit in my DX60B so is regulated to my Bare essentials 50L6 rig. For some reason what works in the Bliley round crystals to make them variable just barely works in the FT243 rocks so I had to learn to grind my own rocks. Ordering takes simply too long. Weeks which is simply not practical at my age. 
While a VFO would be nice, and I will get or make one, the simple addition of a cap to give the DX60B VXO capabilty would do enuf for me. I am deciding where to bore the hole for the cap shaft. BTW the Idiot who though crystals should be mounted inside the back of the DX60B should have his hemroids set on fire.
In the meantime mornings QSOs here in Ontario are really something to look forward to. (Thank you Tim) Great group (or "The Mob" as one ham put it.) I look forward to the morning QSO. New rock worked ok this morning.
Don VE3LYX

[VE3LYX]

I checked the paper I am using . It is wet /dry  320 grit.
Don VE3LYX