[amsat-bb] Chicago-to-Europe satellite QSOs during AMSAT Symposium?

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

Hi!

I will attend next week's AMSAT Symposium in Chicago, and will
have my portable satellite station (IC-2820H for FM, two FT-817NDs
for SSB, Elk Antennas 2m/70cm log periodic) along for the trip.  As
I did on my trip to Dayton earlier this year, I am hoping to have an 
opportunity to work stations in western Europe while I am in the 
Chicago area.  I have made some preliminary pass predictions for 
those days, using the Symposium site as my starting point (grid 
EN62aa), and there appear to be some passes on AO-7, FO-29, and 
even HO-68 that cover both the Chicago area and parts of western 
Europe.  I am prepared to get up a little early, or make time in 
the late afternoons or early evenings, for this effort.  

I arrive in Chicago on Thursday (7 October) afternoon, and will 
be there through Sunday (10 October) for the Symposium.  After the 
Symposium concludes on that Sunday morning, I will go sightseeing 
around Chicago and possibly drive into Wisconsin and/or Indiana.
My rental car has no mileage limit, so I hope to take full 
advantage of that.  Sorry, no road trip to Delaware this year.  There 
will be satellite operating from wherever I end up, although I do 
not know what grids besides EN62 I will operate from.  I will have 
APRS capabilities as I drive around that area, so my location will 
be visible for anyone to see online.  I will return to Chicago by 
Monday (11 October) in the late afternoon, so I can catch my flight 
home that evening.  

If anyone across the pond is interested in making an attempt at a 
satellite QSO with WD9EWK while I am in the Chicago area, please 
e-mail me directly.  We can start identifying passes that would 
support this effort.  

Thanks in advance, and 73!






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