Chatter From the Trenches:
Comments From W1AW/8 Michigan Stations
The opportunity for 50 stations in Michigan to operate as W1AW/8 during the week of February 19 (00:00 UTC) - February 25 (24:00 UTC), 2014 was nothing
short of fantastic. Everyone had a ball.
The real key to the success of the week was due to the unending efforts by Randy (AA8R) who worked tirelessly to
make sure that everyone had a chance to participate and enjoy themselves. Randy kept in touch with all stations
on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis. Schedules were defined, spreadsheets circulated, and suggestions made.
Never getting in the way, all stations knew that if a question arose you could always email Randy for an answer
(and, if it wasn't too late in the evening you could call him on the landline). Thank you Randy for a job well done!
Here are a few of the many comments that were shared during the week on
the W1AW/8 email list. The excitement is evident throughout!
* The best run here was on 40 SSB yesterday from 1pm to 4pm. Made 465
QSO's in 3 hours which averaged 155/Hour. Ran simplex the entire
time. Never needed to go split. The callers were very well behaved
and stopped calling immediately when a contact was underway.
*
Worked 48 states up to this point. Still missing Wyoming and Hawaii.
Best DX was South Africa on 40 meter RTTY.
*
I currently have heavy snow and thunder here in Hastings, MI.
*
I operated at 150W which was a good thing because on some of those sigs I think I strained something as I was squinting to pick calls out of the noise and higher power would have probably resulted in a hornets nest of weak stations. Maybe later in the week if conditions improve.
*
You can really tell when you get spotted because you go from begging to having 10 stations calling you instantly.
*
I slugged away at it again last night, and on 2 meter simplex, I hade 8 calls on Tuesday night, and 12 calls last night, to make a total of 20.
*
I just left 10M RTTY and I ran 300 CQ's and had 1 QSO with a neighbor.
*
I had one contact in two hours (9 - 10 a.m.) this morning on 15m.
*
I ran 27 on cw on 20 meters from 9-9:30, switched to 17 meters and snagged 150 on cw, but was a struggle, has to ask for fills on about 80%, All but 3 qs were Euopeans, two W4s and 1 W5 snuck in....
*
I worked some interesting people: N3KN, pres of ARRL & K1ZZ CEO of ARRL. I even had W1AW/4 work me!
*
Having fun, but it is work.
*
On my RTTY shift, 20M at 17Z, I ran 33 in the first 25 minutes and then
nothing until 1759 when a HB9 called in to finish my shift.
*
When / if this solar CEM runs its course 20 meters and up will be
great, but until then they are a waste land. 20 meters is showing
some signs of improvement. Hopefully we will have it back by the
weekend and can make up for propagation that was lost.
*
Very slow for me on 20m phone. I kept getting run off of my frequency by foreign stations. Happened three times. Someone spotted W1aw/8 on w1aw/4 frequency for awhile.
*
It was a very rough day. I SURE HOPE tomorrow is better. We have the worst behind us.
*
Just shut down 160 meter CW. Thanks to the receiving loop I put up this
afternoon, I was able to copy through the S9 noise to the tune of 156 Qs in
three hours. I'm not a CW whiz; so, I felt pretty good about that rate.
*
Things kind of sucked big time on 80M CW last night. I got on and was just getting them whipped up into a pile when a couple of claps of thunder forced me to shut down at 11PM. I am the highest thing for at least 2 miles so I don't take lightning lightly. Don't see lightning in February too often though.
*
The high bands are showing signs of recovery. I just finished 17/12/10 CW
and had great runs into Europe.
*
Took a lunch and ear break between 12M and 10M operations today.
*
We have several open time slots this weekend on CW and the WARC bands on Digital. Come and get them...............
*
2 satellite passes this morning on FO-29 and VO-52 for 4 satellite QSO's
*
I had to give up my 160 CW for tonight. XYL orders.
*
Someone said that a call like W1AW/x improves one's signal strength by 10 dB, and I believe it. :)
*
I just finished 2 1/2 hours on 40 meters PSK3131 and completed 66 contacts tonight. 90% of the calls gave me a signal report, their two letter state, and thanks , the other 10% had to tell me their life story. PSK31 is like that.
*
I never
would have guessed before the first of the year that this operating
event would have generated such interest around the world. I expected
some interest but nothing like this.
*
Goodnight All - crashing for the night.
*
Just finished 30M and had a rate of 70 Per hour. Some fun and all simplex.
*
All you guys have been a fantastic job. Especially considering the bad weather we had and a couple days of bad propagation .
*
Just completed 12 RTTY. Great runs. Band died here at 1720Z. Now, to work on snow removal and to fix Toyota 4-Runner.
*
The Branch County ARC pulled together 8 operators for our 3 hour time slot on 20M SSB today. We made 311 contacts, averaging 103 contacts opera hour. If we heard them, we worked them! Had a lot of fun in the process.
*
Great fun - excited when DG9NDT worked me on 20M SSB while he was aeronautical mobile over France.
*
I just ran an hour on 20 SSB from my home station and bagged 83 in condx that were a bit tough with DX pileups working split and plopping on top of me. Made two frequency adjustments to try to get away. Band was fading a bit also at my location. Was glad when that hour was over.
*
Good activity on 30 meters between 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today. 42 contacts with 19 states and Ontario. I had one narrow band SSTV contact as well. Can't wait for tomorrow!
*
Just finished two hours on 30M RTTY and ended up with 120 Q's. Not bad !!! The arm is numb and the chair is hard, so going for some bourbon refreshment
*
I think the well is drying up on 40 meter CW
Slowed the code speed down and coaxed a few more into the water, but
I'm getting a lot of dupes.
*
150 Contacts in two hours. Band was bad toward the beginning but straightened out toward the end. Now on to 15 I go.
*
1 contact on 17 in 20 min
*
I had a pretty good run of consistent contacts, although things did seem to
dry up a bit toward the end of my two hours.
*
Had a late start this morning, but I think I had about 70 contacts this morning on PSK31. Last night's crowd was about 10% with their life stories, today's was probably closer to 20%.
*
It was going good but the grand kids came over - I do have my priorities, grandkids; ham radio; food; shelter; clothing. In that order
*
Started around noon today and made 20 QSO's on the following satellites, AO-7, FO-29, SO-50, and VO-52.
*
Band was "up and down" on 10, but skimmers in Europe gave me between 2dB and 40 dB SNR.
*
The experience has been a great one, and I sure hope I can do more operating
as W1AW/8 before this very special year ends!
*
Up to date, 861 SSB QSOs on 80, 20, 18, 15 and 10 meter bands. Hope to make more than a 1,000 as long as my voice holds out. Best DX was Siberia and Malta.
*
Pleased when my old friend Vidi - ZS1EL - was able to break my pileup from Capetown.
*
We have a request from Uli, DM5EE for a 15m CW contact. We don't have a 15m CW time slot currently schedule so if you're thinking of adding or changing a time slot consider 15m CW.
*
I am on 7.070 MHz, PSK31 and doing my last run, kinda lonely here, so if you don't have any PSK contacts, please give me a call.
*
Great job getting W1AW/8 active on the satellites. I've heard you guys on almost every pass.
The crowd watching the satellite demo at the Vienna Wireless Winterfest this morning loved the QSOs with W1AW/8 on VO-52 and FO-29.
*
Just finished my last run on 15 MTRS SSB about 240 contacts for 2 hours - talked to a few JA's and had VK land trying just couldn't pull him out
*
Satellite AO-07 must have switched modes last night so I was unable to make any contacts using that bird but, here are my satellite counts for today. FO-29 - 14 Qso's, SO-50 - 2 Qso's,
VO-52 - 4 Qso's
*
Just finished on 17 ssb for 2 hrs, like results, 232 qs, Beam pointed west and worked all US call areas, even some WI, IN, IL, OH, tough on the close ones. Nice run of JAs and one RW0.
*
Nice going everybody.
*
Total here for the week is 1620.
*
At 7PM went to 80 meters and after a few minutes I thought I'd be
better off going back to 20. But I decided to just keep at it. It
was pretty hit and miss but wound up with 110 Q's on 80 after 2 hours
and worked 4 countries.
*
We're almost at the finish line. A little more than 25 hrs to go.
*
583 Total QSO's for the day - 3,812 for the week. Getting tired but I'll give it one more run tomorrow
*
I'm giving it one last gasp on 15 meters for two hours and 1 hour on 12.
*
I am somewhat puffed out but if I can get up early for the 40 SSB sunrise opening (JA' & pacific) I give a try because I see that such slot are open.
*
Just ended short time on 10CW - very nice run into Europe
*
Was able to work the entire East Coast plus all of the 8s and most of the 9s and 5s. California was coming in nicely off the back of the beam as were points North of us (Wisconsin, Nebraska, Kansas Iowa, etc.). 39 Qs (18%) outside of US.
*
Had a great time. Conditions in the U.P. weren't the best but we plugged away.
*
Was very pleased with how courteous everyone was.
*
The past week was a really different ham radio experience.
*
I will second That - Whew! What a ride!
*
OK - calling it a night, at least until the next 100 year celebration.
*
Congratulations to the whole Team: outstanding effort on all modes! Randy your coordination of the event has been fantastic.
