Hi John! > Here are some interesting statistics on the movers > and shakers in the world of grid dxpeditions. The > list represents cards that I have received that have > been used for VUCC filings or that will be used in a > future filing. If you add them up, the 11 stations > that I worked and needed in 4 or more grids total up > to 100 grids, enough to file for the basic VUCC award! > This is all in the past 2-1/2 years with the vast > majority in the last year alone. These stations have > operated from many more grids that I had already > confirmed. Therefore, the number of grids they > operated from is much higher than what I have listed > below: > > <snip> > > Thanks to all of you for making the effort to operate > away from home and for giving all of us many new grids.
Despite the time driving to and from different places, and the expense in doing that and then filling requests for QSL cards, it *is* fun. Here in the Arizona desert, a day-trip to somewhere at a higher elevation and cooler weather during the summer is a good excuse - err, reason - to get away. BTW your cards from my recent trips went to the post office this morning, covering my Utah road trip and Saturday's DM54/DM55 trip. I need to go through my log and see what I have in terms of stations worked in different grids. I think N5AFV, including the various permutations of his call and other calls he has had like V31FV in Belize, probably has been the one operator who has given me the most grids via satellite. In 2006 and 2007, W6GMT and N5ZNL from your list were also high on that list for my log. John KD6PAG gave me 15 grids in his travels around that time, and some of those are grids I've never heard on unless I was operating from them. XE2AT has given me at least 10 Mexican grids as he has criss-crossed his homeland. I was able to return the favor in a small way, when I went out to DM56/DM57 and gave him a grid he had never worked in this part of the southwestern USA. Then again, don't forget the guys who may only get out to one or two other grids and put them on the air. There are many who will get on no matter what else might be on the pass, but knowing that someone has taken the time to go to a rare or unusual place seems to draw out larger crowds. Try it - you might enjoy it. If it isn't grids, it may be states that others are interested in. The Delaware trips you and ND9M made certainly let many operators get that state in their logs. I had lots of contacts over the 3 days I drove around Utah last month, and KD4ZGW gets attention as he is driving around the USA. I'd be happy to hear more of the Canadian provinces and territories along with the Mexican states on the air, while I'm closer to home so I can work them. :-) Dare I ask where I should travel to next? N3TL posted a request for BK29 (the "big island" of Hawaii) not too long ago. No road trip to Hawaii, but I could get out there in the future. We'll see how things are in Mexico in the near future. I can get a permit to operate down there, and that country has lots of nice places to visit - and operate from. A road trip through some part of Canada would be fun, or go island-hopping in the Caribbean. I have my passport, radio gear, and licenses... and, for now, I need to wait a few weeks to get more vacation time before planning another long trip. Until I make another trip like I did last month, I can get to a few grids around Phoenix (DM32/DM42 to the south, DM34/DM44 to the north) on almost any weekend or even a weeknight, as well as the two grids here in Phoenix (DM33 and DM43). 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ (I've operated from 38 different grids via satellite - from 6 US states, as well as Canada and Mexico - in the last 3 years. I still have some work to do before I can get a "reverse VUCC", but that can happen in the future.) _______________________________________________ Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
