[K9AIA]

Hi everybody!  Some of you may not know it, but when I left following a Club meeting last year I went to California on a one year engineering contract.  I recently finished that up and next headed to Connecticut.  Phillip (W5EBC) and his lovely wife Kathy (W5WON) Beall followed my 3,000 mile drive using APRS and helped to keep me entertained…and awake.  Once over in this area of the country I tested and passed my Extra exam.  All this since I last made an in-person meeting there in Paris (Lamar County).

Since I am already in Connecticut and was only thirty minutes away, yesterday I went to ARRL HQ.  While there I accomplished several firsts. Two are: 1) My first HF contact, and; 2) My first contact calling as W1AW.

With an instructor/Elmer sitting next to me we first started off on 10M.  It was dead so next we tried 20M.  After a few minutes of scrolling through frequencies, we noted some activity on the waterfall and the next thing we heard was something that I did not know existed – W1AW/8.  An Ohio club was using an allocation of ARRL section numbered W1AW frequencies.  I learned that this is something each section gets to do periodically during the year.  In this case it was an Ohio club, section 8 whereas our Club is in section 5, and were they surprised to hear me reply to them!  When I was done operating, I got a very cool certificate.

When I got back to my temporary abode I texted a picture of the certificate to Phillip and then called him.  That conversation lead to an interesting idea.  I will let Phillip explain, but we hope we can do something kind of cool for the Club.

73

Gary Sorensen (K9AIA)

• This topic was modified 3 weeks, 2 days ago by K9AIA. Reason: Title corrected

[Phillip Beall]

All,

Gary reached out to me and to Steven Lott Smith (KG5VK) about an idea he was mulling.  It took several texts and phone calls to get everyone on the same page, but what we came up with was this – How fun would it be to get a bunch of Club members at someone’s home and get Gary back at W1AW and we make a bunch of individual contacts?  KG5VK’s Section 5 has an allocation from September 20-26th of this year.

We thought it sounded like fun, so in coordination with the other Club officers and kicking some different days of the week and dates around (Gary and several officers work, Steven is busy, busy, busy.) we settled on Saturday following the September Club meeting.  WOW! Club meeting, go somewhere, take birthday cake (that Saturday is also Steven Lott Smith’s birthday) and then make HF contact with Gary at ARRL HQ!  What could go wrong?  Oh, ARRL is only open Monday-Friday and W1AW is only available from 0900-1445 Central.  (Cue up the sound of a record player needle scratching across a vinyl record…).  We settled on Friday, September 22, 0900-1500 and Steven and Zogail (KB5KBE) graciously agreed to host it at their home.  Please mark that on your calendar.

Steven has the correct logging software, he knows how to use it and how to keep each operator’s record separate from the other operator’s record so that each operator can individually get credit for working W1AW – And do so while talking with RRVARC member Gary at the other end of the connection!  When I hung up with KG5VK he was headed off to reserve some specific bands.  You can use different bands and modes, as explained at this Oklahoma link for a February operation, but because this is our first time and we are specifically trying to reach Gary at W1AW we opted to keep it simple and only reserve for phone.  If anyone wants to do the exercise again in the future, we can use any and all bands and modes that people want to coordinate.

We will plan to pack sack lunches, water and sodas.  A birthday cake may show up, even if a day early.  We will see how many Club members can log a contact and fun will be had by all.  Please email Phillip an RSVP so that we will have a head count.  We will email the address and a map to everyone that signs up.  Again, if you plan to attend, please RSVP as a courtesy to all involved.

73

Phillip Beall (W5EBC)

[Steven Smith]

I am looking forward to hosting The W1AW/5 Texas Red River Valley OPS working Gary K9AIA our fellow RRVARC member while he is at W1AW

in Newington, CT.

On the 22nd of this Month
I can not think of a better way to celebrate my 68th Birthday a day earlier,
other than being with fellow amateurs and having fun !

Cheers!
Steve
KG5VK

Your ARRL North Texas Section Manager

[Phillip Beall]

All,

If anyone wants to take a look at some background, pictures, etc., related to W1AW, please click this link and go take a look.

Enjoy,

Phillip

[Steven Smith]

I could not resist…………..

 

[Steven Smith]

[Steven Smith]

Keep in mind while steve KG5VK was the Control OP
all of the member contacts with Gary K9AIA were done from the Technician Portion of the Ten Meter Band.
28.355 MHz

I hope everyone had a great time and anyone that would like to come back and operate my station just let me know and we will
find a date time that works for both of us.

I would also like to highlight that every year the ARRL sponsor a casual contest know as the Rookie Roundup
Which is used to promote licensed amateurs to get on HF and have fun
If you are considered a “Rookie” and would like for me to Elmer you in one of these events
Please just ask me, I will be thrilled to help anyone get more enjoyment out of our hobby
Especially on HF 🙂

Here is a link to more info on the Rookie Roundups

Cheers!
Steve
KG5VK

 

[Steven Smith]

Wow !

I buried the lead, maybe………

Definitely should have said thank you to those that came and played W1AW/5 Texas
I always enjoy fellowship and radio time with fellow amateur radio OPS

Also, thanks to Kathy & Philip for bringing me a Birthday Cake
yes, on the next day I turned 68 years OLD 🙂

Been an ham radio OP now for 51 years, I was first licensed in 1972

Cheers!

Steve
KG5VK

[Author]

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