Congratulations Patrick! That is a wonderful achievement - one that way fewer than the 308 before have accomplished (i.e., Satellite WAS on the LEO satellites).
Thanks, too, for all your work to activate grids in your part of the world. Many of us appreciate it very much. 73, Tim - N3TL ________________________________ From: Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) <amsat...@wd9ewk.net> To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 1:37:04 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] satellite WAS #309 Hi! After over 3 1/2 years working the satellites, getting on the air for around 6000 satellite QSOs followed by requesting QSL cards from stations across the USA, I was able to complete one of my goals when I started on the satellites - work and confirm QSOs with all 50 US states. I had my applications and cards for the satellite Worked All States award reviewed here in Phoenix a couple of weeks ago, and the certificate arrived today. :-) Out here in the western part of North America, it is possible to work all 50 states with the existing group of LEO satellites we have. In fact, it can be done with just the FM satellites from out here if there are stations on from each of the states. My application used QSL cards from contacts only on the 3 FM satellites (AO-27, AO-51, SO-50). There is no special endorsement for doing that; the WAS certificate has "OSCAR" to identify this as a satellite WAS, along with the serial number for this version of the WAS (#309) and the date it was issued (last Thursday, 6 August). I wanted to use cards from only the FM-satellite QSOs, as that was one of the two goals I wanted to do when I started out in late 2005 (the other thing was to get QSL cards from at least 100 grids, for the satellite VUCC award). I'll use many of the same cards toward the AMSAT Sexagesimal award (confirming contacts with at least 60 US states/Canadian provinces/DXCC countries), and then do the bigger task of assembling a satellite VUCC application (I'm somewhere between 250 and 300 grids confirmed). Or I can go back on the radio, and leave that paperwork for some other time. :-) In any event, thanks to all the stations over 3 1/2 years that got on the air from the different states - and for sending those QSL cards to confirm the contacts. 73! Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ _______________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ 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
