[amsat-bb] WD9EWK's Grid Dxpedition

[John Papay]

Patrick,

First off a big thank you for making the effort to activate
all of those 14 grids.  Rather than heading off to Cancun
and lying on the beach, you spent your vacation time to give
all of us something new to work on the satellites.  You make
it sound so easy, but it is not.  Working from a single spot
in Delaware cannot be compared to the traveling you did and
the planning and execution of finding places where you could
operate on a grid boundary safely and see the sky at the same
time.  You executed on each pass to everyone's delight.

The QSL chore ahead of you cannot compare to receiving and
responding to a few qsl cards that come to each of us in the
mail.  It is time consuming and expensive.  Thank you for the
all that work that comes AFTER you get home.

Your operation is an inspiration to all of us to consider working
from a grid away from home.  Several operators have told me that
they are planning to do just that.  Some new grids will be showing
up thanks to the example you set over and over again.  Working
towards VUCC is something that interests many satellite operators.
It gives us something to work for every day.

It was nice to see my callsign at the top of your list for grids
worked.  I guess that makes me the "Satellite Hog". not unlike
the title of "DX Hog" which has also been conferred upon me.  The
title has pluses and minuses.  Everyone can decide that one for
themselves.  Speaking from personal experience, we all like to work
our friends when we are out on an expedition.  It shows that our
friends are interested in what we are doing and it provides
us the encouragement to keep doing it.  I hope you feel the same.

The writeup was so detailed that my head was spinning as I read it.
It's hard to imagine how you could do this all by yourself out in
some of the most remote territory in the United States.  Congratulations
on a very successful grid dxpedition.  I hope to work you on many more.

John K8YSE