[amsat-bb] Re: The "Good Ole Days" are now

[george abbott]

Thanks' for sharing your experiences. I'm inspired! W1GMA
 
> Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 15:31:54 -0500
> From: les at highnoonfilm.com
> To: amsat-bb at amsat.org
> Subject: [amsat-bb] The "Good Ole Days" are now
> 
> Like many hams (I suspect), I dreamed of working satellites for decades. 
> Followed them with at least a passing interest but always seemed to put 
> them off till "someday". Even during the craze of the "work satellites 
> with your handheld", I was distracted by other priorities. When I got 
> involved in VHF/UHF a few years ago, and purchased an Icom IC-910H, I 
> kept thinking I'd finally pull the trigger. But years passed without 
> anything other than weak-signal contacts being made on that rig.
> 
> A few months ago, I finally decided to give it a try. Downloaded 
> SATPC32, and updated my keps. FO-29 was the next satellite coming my 
> way, so when I was inside the footprint, I tuned around a bit, and found 
> some stations coming in. Cool! I was actually hearing hams on 
> satellite---next up was answering a CQ...nervously I pushed the PTT on 
> the mic.
> 
> 82 grids and a few hundred contacts later, I'm having a ball!
> 
> I don't miss the birds that came before, but just enjoy what we have 
> now. My only complaint might be that more folks are not active on F0-29 
> and VO-52. Even SO-50 can be nearly empty after midnight.
> 
> My understanding is that within the next year we'll have 2 or 3 more 
> linear LEO satellites, and possibly another FM bird, right? While we may 
> not work a lot of DX on those, we should get to the point where no one 
> has to wait long for "something" to be overhead. That's exciting to me!
> 
> AMSAT is staffed with wonderful volunteers, and seems to be doing great 
> work. I'm thrilled to be a member, even if it is #38965.
> 
> The good ole days are now. Get on the birds and make some contacts. I 
> need your grid! (ha, ha)
> 
> 
> -- 
> --
> 73,
> 
> Les Rayburn, N1LF
> 121 Mayfair Park
> Maylene, AL 35114
> EM63nf
> 
> 6M VUCC #1712
> AMSAT #38965
> Grid Bandits #222
> Southeastern VHF Society
> Central States VHF Society Life Member
> Six Club #2484
> 
> Active on 6 Meters thru 1296, 10GHz & Light
> 
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