[amsat-bb] Re: Wyatt AC0RA, a skilled and dedicated operator

[Craig Gagner]

Great Job Wyatt, I know I have worked Wyatt a number of times and he is an
awesome operator !

Craig
W1MSG

-----Original Message-----
From: amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org] On
Behalf Of Clayton Coleman W5PFG
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 11:01 AM
To: AMSAT
Subject: [amsat-bb] Wyatt AC0RA, a skilled and dedicated operator

Wyatt Dirks AC0RA is very passionate about his satellite operations.
Having started with a home brew antenna, he has experimented with
several portable station configurations including LPDA's, commercial
Arrows, and recently added a 13-element M2 beam.

Just today, January 28, he made a 6,941km contact with ON4HF using
AO-7 mode B.   While this is several hundred kilometers below the
distance record for mode B contacts, it is important to note that
Wyatt performed this feat completely portable, without a set of
cross-polarized beams, without automated antenna tracking, and more
importantly - out in the cold Iowa weather.

He's recently been making contacts with other stations in Europe.
This does not come easily in a portable setting from the mid-USA
states.    Many folks who have been around for a long time, who have
"been there and done that," may not see this as much of an
accomplishment.   I assure you if we had satellites capable of greater
distance contacts, Wyatt would be on them pushing the limits of their
capabilities with minimal equipment.

Not only does Wyatt posses the right equipment, he demonstrates skill
and dedication, something uncommon in young men his age just shy of 20
years old.  We should encourage operators of this caliber as they will
be our future engineers and friends in the space frontier.

73,
Clayton
W5PFG