Hi!
Last night's presentation and VO-52 demonstration at the Escondido Amateur Radio Society's meeting was a great time for all. Including the pre-meeting pizza dinner (that was a restaurant called World's Best Pizza, and I can't argue with that one), it wrapped up a busy yet fun day.
I left Phoenix around 1300 UTC, and made the drive to San Diego in 5.5 hours. After stopping by the local HRO store and meeting another local ham for lunch (thanks Dan WD8PFS), I met up with John W9EN club vice president, and program chairman) at his office. I had a nice tour of that complex, then we prepared for the dinner and meeting. VO-52 was passing by about 20-25 minutes before the start of the meeting, and that was the satellite I used for the demonstration. Thanks to Ron N8RO, Leo W7JPI and Jim ND9M for showing up and saying hello to me and the crowd. Then, the meeting and presentation. One of those in attendance drove in from Palm Springs for the meeting, about 2 hours' driving time each way!
Thanks again to the club and W9EN for the invitation. Other than impromptu presentations/demostrations in Mexicali I've done in 2009 and 2010, this was the first time I gave a presentation and formal demonstration somewhere away from Arizona. I will return home later today, so I can be out at the hamfest in Scottsdale AZ (east-side suburb of Phoenix) tomorrow morning with an AMSAT table and more demonstrations on different satellites. Even though gasoline prices are no fun (around $4/gallon in most of the San Diego area), this has been a fun trip.
73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK - Valley Center, California (north of San Diego) http://www.wd9ewk.net/