[amsat-bb] XE2VAS from DM40 - now through Thursday (31 Dec)

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

Hi!

Uriel XE2VAS (also N2IY), who lives in Nogales in northern Mexico
(grid DM41), was on a couple of satellite passes from the rarely-
heard grid DM40 today.  He will try to be on other FM satellite 
passes through Thursday (31 December).  Anyone working XE2VAS and 
wanting a QSL card can send the QSL request with SASE to my PO box.
Please do NOT use the mailing address for XE2VAS or N2IY on QRZ.com.  

Thanks to John K8YSE, I was able to hear the audio from the AO-27 
pass at 2032 UTC this afternoon with XE2VAS.  I will send this to
Uriel, so he can hear how he sounded through the satellite.
Although Uriel has a 2m FM mobile radio and an IC-706, it sounded 
like he was using an HT with his Elk log periodic antenna on that 
pass.

Please remember that Uriel's first language is *not* English.  If
you want a better chance for a QSO, please use standard international
phonetics for your callsign and grid locator.  An even better option
is to use Spanish-language digits with phonetics for your callsign
and grid locator in a call to XE2VAS.  K8YSE and N5AFV both did this,
and quickly completed their QSOs.  Since hams in the USA and Canada 
are only required to ID in English at the end of a QSO (English or 
French, for Canadians), making the initial call to a station like 
XE2VAS in Spanish *is* legal - as long as you make your legal station
ID at the end of the QSO.  

Good luck and 73!





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