[amsat-bb] WD9EWK at Scottsdale AZ hamfest, 10 March 2007

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

Hi!

I was at another Phoenix-area hamfest last weekend, the Scottsdale
Amateur Radio Club's "Springfest" at Scottsdale Community College.
The AMSAT table that had been at two other Phoenix-area hamfests this
winter was in Scottsdale, and with me there was Gerry VE4GTB/KD7MDB
(from Winnipeg, but spends the winter in Arizona) and Larry W7LB (from
Tucson AZ) to take care of questions, sales, and the satellite demonstrations.
We had a visitor who stuck around the table for much of the morning
(AO-51 regular Brock W6GMT, on his road trip from southern California to
Minnesota), helping with the questions and the satellite demonstrations.
With great weather and turnout, this was a successful event.  Ron W6ZQ
from southern Arizona also stopped by the table, another AO-51 regular.

As with most hamfests in the Phoenix area, things get started at 0600
local time (1300 UTC).  There were two AO-51 passes that we planned for
our demonstrations - 1445 and 1625 UTC.  Even with the crowds on both
passes, WD9EWK was heard on both passes and contacts were made.  We
had 9 contacts logged on the 1445 UTC pass , and 4 contacts on the 1625
UTC pass.  For those 13 contacts, 9 were with USA stations, 3 were with
Mexican stations, plus one maritime-mobile contact with W3PM/MM who
was in the eastern Pacific Ocean (grid CM60) at the end of the later pass.
The next-to-last contact on the later pass, with Manuel XE2BHL in
Tijuana, was the 2000th satellite contact for WD9EWK - something I did
not realize until I logged these contacts at home later in the weekend.

By noon (1900 UTC), the hamfest was wrapping up.  Most of the sellers
were either getting ready to leave or had already left, and we closed
up our AMSAT table.  Lots of flyers on how to work AO-51 and the other
FM satellites had been picked up, and we sold almost $200 in AMSAT
merchandise.

This was the third time I had been part of an AMSAT table at a hamfest,
probably the last time until the next hamfest season here in the Phoenix
area next fall/winter, and once again I enjoyed it.  Thanks to Gerry
Baker VE4GTB/KD7MDB for his efforts in getting the AMSAT merchandise and
for taking his time while enjoying the Arizona winter to be at the AMSAT
tables for these 3 hamfests, and Larry Brown W7LB for making it up to
Phoenix for 2 of these 3 hamfests with his shade and tables.  Also,
thanks to Brock Thomsen W6GMT, who spent much of the morning around the
AMSAT table talking with us and anyone else stopping by with questions
about AMSAT or satellite operating.

73!



Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK
http://www.wd9ewk.net/