[amsat-bb] Re: satellite WAS #309

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

Hi Sebastian (and the group)!

> Hi Patrick, first like the others, I would like to thank you for
> helping me out tremendously in achieving VUCC on satellites, even
> though I still haven't contacted a card checker to actually get the
> award.

Thanks, and also thanks to the others who posted here and sent
me directly messages congratulating me on this award.

I'm with you... I could apply for VUCC, but have been putting it off
for some time.  First it was "I'm over 100 grids confirmed, I'll wait
until I reach 125 to apply".  Then I decided to wait until I reached
150, 200, 250, and now I think I will wait to reach 300 grids
confirmed before applying.  No matter when I do that, it will be a
fair amount of work to get the cards sorted and then listed on the
paperwork - followed by finding a card checker with little or nothing
to do on a Saturday.  :-)

> For me though, the way things are, it looks like I'll be able to work
> the 49 states, but Hawaii is impossible at this time due to my
> location in south Florida.

For many east of the Rockies, AO-7 would be - and has been - the only
way to get Hawaii via satellite.

> One thing that concerns me is what in the world do you plan to do when
> you retire?  I don't know your age, but at this rate, I think you will
> have seen just about every grid in the states.  I think you once told
> me you knew another language or two, other than Spanish - you might
> have to learn Chinese so you can retire over there.  After all, they
> have a huge country, and a lot of grids!

Retirement is not on the radar right now.  As for visiting all the grids in the
US, I think there are a few who are way ahead of me (N5AFV and WI7P,
ex-N7SFI, are certainly well out in front there).

Hope to hear you on again, soon.

73!





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