[amsat-bb] VY1RM VO-52, 1000th grid worked

[John Papay]

It is difficult for me to believe that there
have been 1000 grids active in the last 5 years.
When I first started in satellites I thought two or
three hundred grids would be about it, but many things
happened to move that estimate up. Last night I worked
VY1RM in the Yukon for grid number 1000 with VO-52 at
2-3 degrees.

This total would not have been possible had it not
been for the many who have gone to grids away from
their home comfort zone and operated on the birds,
sometimes under very difficult conditions.  I thought
it might be interesting to create a listing of those
who have given me more than one NEW grid.  Many have
also operated in multiple grids that I already had.
This list does not reflect the many who have given
others NEW grids over the past five years.

UT1FG/MM 175   2M1EUB/P 4     XE1AO 3
ND9M 113       G7MAR/MM 4     AJ9K 2
WD9EWK 31      KB5WIA 4       K0BAM 2
WC7V 21        KB9BIT 4       K7CWQ 2
KD4ZGW 16      KI6YAA 4       K7DRA 2
K5OE 10        KK0SD 4        K7TRK 2
KB0RZD 10      VE6AB 4        KA0RID 2
KD8CAO 9       W5ACM 4        KC2LRC 2
AA5CK 8        WA8SME 4       KE7DOV 2
N5AFV 8        XE2AT 4        KG6NUB 2
XE3DX 8        XE2JA 4        KL1WE 2
KC0YBM 7       AA5PK 3        KL7AC 2
N5ZNL 7        CO6CBF 3       N0RC 2
VE8EV 7        DL7VTX 3       N3TL 2
W6GMT 7        G7KES/MM 3     VA3BL 2
N0JE 6         KC0ZHF 3       VE3NKL 2
N2SPI 6        LA4FPA 3       VE7JMN 2
VO1ONE 6       N9AMW 3        WA5KBH 2
WA4NVM 5       W6ZKH 3        XE1BRX 2
XE1AY 5        WA6ARA 3       XE2JTS 2
                WA7HQD 3

UT1FG/MM tops the list from operations onboard
cargo ships in 2009-2010-2011.  Yuri is the ship's
Master and has sailed across the Atlantic,
around South America, through the Panama Canal,
into the Caribbean and up the Atlantic coast to
the St. Lawrence Seaway.  Pictures of his most
recent voyage on the Mottler are on my website.
They were taken by Walt WP4T, Carmen WP3PJ, and
Walner, WP4NYS.  Wes KP4WES was also on board the
Mottler.  You may recall hearing his voice on one
of the ARRISat-1 broadcasts.
     http://papays.com/sat/mottlerweb/page_01.htm

Next on the list is ND9M who recently operated /MM
on a voyage from Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean,
across the Pacific, through the Panama Canal to
Jacksonville FL and then on to Charleston SC.  He
got up in the middle of the night to work the birds.
Jim has also operated from hundreds of grids in the
US.  He holds reverse-VUCC at 325 grids!

Patrick, WD9EWK is an experienced satellite rover and
has made trips to Canada to put on the rare ones.  He
is always active traveling to Arizona grids and setting
up AMSAT tables at hamfests in the West.

Next up is Kerry, WC7V.  He has traveled to many of the DN
grids by car and sometimes by flying there in his personal
airplane. He continues to be active on all the birds.

Rob, KD4ZGW, is an over-the-road truck driver who has traveled
all over the United States.  He was very active from his big
rig in many rare grids.  He holds reverse-VUCC at 100 grids! Many
have had the chance to meet him when he has traveled through their
home town.

Jerry, K5OE, was a very active satellite operator years ago and
has recently become active again. His cruise ship vacation netted
quite a few water grids for me and for many others.

Gail, KB0RZD, is a very active satellite operator and has traveled
to many rare grids around his QTH.  His photo qsl cards give an idea
of where he actually operated from.  He continues to be an active,
away from home, grid expeditioner.

My son Doug, KD8CAO, has traveled to many grids that I needed.  He got
me started in satellites and we have enjoyed the hobby together.  He
is on the AMSAT Operations Team and very active on the birds.  He has
designed both hardware and software that is used in my home station.

The list is huge and there are stories associated with each operator.
They all have made life on the birds more interesting.  Interest in
satellites is higher now than at any time since I started 5 years ago.
In the DX world, dxpeditions create challenges and activity.  It's no
different in satellites.  It can get very crowded at times but it would
be very boring if there was nothing new to work.

Most everyone lives close to another grid and sometimes those grids
can be very rare.  If there is no regular operator active in a particular
grid, there will be many that need it.  So if you are up for a challenge
you will find the experience very satisfying.

Thanks again to everyone that made this milestone possible.

73,
John K8YSE