[amsat-bb] Re: VUCC #223

[Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK)]

Steve,

> I'm pleased to report that my ARRL Satellite VHF/UHF
> Century Club (VUCC) certificate #223 has arrived.

Congratulations!

> Special thanks go to these stations who have gone
> portable to give all of us the opportunity to work
> additional grids.  (I'm now at 249 grids worked and
> 182 confirmed.)
>
><list omitted>

Thanks for the mention in the list you posted, along with
the other stations.  I enjoy working the radio, if I'm in a
park, parking lot, or (recently) in the back yard at home.
I'm happy that I could contribute to your grid counts in
the relatively short time you've been working the
satellites.

> My point with this list is not only to thank these friends
> for their effort, but to also illustrate that there are a lot
> of people going the extra mile to improve their skills by
> operating away from their home QTH.

Yes!

There are challenges in operating from different locations.
Assembling the equipment, trying it out, being able to travel
with the equipment.... there is a bit of technical skill that is
needed to do this.  There's Dave KB5WIA, who had to hike
in and out of the spot he operated from and being in 4 grids
simultaneously.  I am looking forward to his presentation at
the upcoming AMSAT Symposium, to see what he did in
preparing to go up there.  Or guys like Jim ND9M and Yuri
UT1FG working all sorts of satellites from ships.  K8YSE's
road trip through northwestern Ontario with a complete
satellite station in his pickup truck - TS-2000, antennas with
az/el rotator, and computer.  I pack a complete station in a
laptop bag I carry on aircraft, and add an Elk log periodic
in a checked suitcase - which have seen activity from all
over the USA as well as from Canada and Australia.

Stuff like this may not be the same technical challenge as
operating through a satellite at 35000 miles up, but there
is still a technical challenge in successfully working the
current crop of satellites we have from different locations.
It's something that can be done today - if you're willing to
give it a try.  It's fun, and can be addictive.

73!





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