[amsat-bb] Re: satellite WAS #309

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

Hi Rafael!

> Congratulations for WAS Award, I know for sure how difficult it
> is to work all states with a portable set up and LEO satellites.

Geography aside, a WAS award is much harder to achieve on any
band than awards like DXCC or VUCC.  You can get DXCC with
100 of the 338 entities on that list, or VUCC with 100 of the many
hundreds of grids in the footprints of the various satellites, but WAS
requires all 50 states (or substituting Washington DC for Maryland).
There still needs to be someone on from each state when you're on
the air to make that happen.  And don't forget the matter of getting
cards for each of those states.

> And is great to know that you could get it, since you have helped so
> many of us to get our awards by traveling (even during the expensive
> gas times)  or elmering, specially the mexicans

I've gotten many grids confirmed thanks to operators like you and our
friend XE2AT through travels around Mexico.  If I am getting new grids
from the XE side of the border, the least I can do is try to help with the
grids up here for all of you searching for new grids.  The lower fuel
prices this year helped me make my decision to drive further last month
than I did in July 2008.

> I hope to be hear you soon in the satellites....

Maybe you can make the short drive south from Nogales on some
Saturday or Sunday to put grid DM40 on the air?  The DM40/DM41
boundary is about 40km or so south of the border, and Imuris is 70km
south of the border (a good place to set up, off the main highway).  I
don't think there are many good places near the highway where you
can stop on the DM40/DM41 boundary and have a good view of the
sky for working satellites.  I know there are still many up here that would
appreciate DM40 being on the air, despite the efforts of others who
have worked from there over the past few years.  Or maybe we can put
together a plan for some weekend this fall or winter from DM40?

73!




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