[amsat-bb] My First Year on the Satellites

[Ronald Oldham]

September 2010 marks the end of my first year on the satellites and I have had a great time meeting new hams and working the birds. I have a modest station consisting of two omni-directional egg beater type antennas mounted on the eave of my roof, mast mounted pre-amps and an IC-910H. During the year I have been able to make 2,036 contacts distributed as shown below:

AO-51		709 ( 34.8% )
AO-27		237 ( 11.6% )
HO-68		273 ( 13.4% )
SO-50		203 ( 10.0% )
SO-67		   8 ( 0.4% )
FO-29		248 ( 12.2% )
VO-52		222 ( 10.9% )
AO-7		133 ( 6.5% )
ISS		  3 ( 0.1% )

I have managed to work 49 states with 48 confirmed (missing HI & WV), and I have about 250 confirmed grids.

I want to thank all of the hams that helped me along the way. Their great suggestions and patience is very much appreciated. I’d like to extended special thanks to Allen – N5AFV for my first contact on satellite as KE5EQZ, and John – K8YSE,  Jim – ND9M, Pat – WD9EWK, Kerry -WC7V and Larry – KI6YAA for the numerous contacts and the many new grids that I  acquired during their Grid Expeditions.

Ron Oldham - N8RO