Hi!
After a 3-hour drive from Phoenix, I am in eastern Arizona in advance of the White Mountain Hamfest in Show Low, Arizona. I will have an AMSAT table at the hamfest tomorrow morning, and demonstrations planned for several passes:
1338-1349 UTC on FO-29 SSB (maybe) 1349-1411 UTC on AO-7 SSB 1542-1602 UTC on AO-7 SSB 1613-1626 UTC on VO-52 SSB 1714-1730 UTC on HO-68 SSB 1730-1744 UTC on SO-50 FM 1750-1801 UTC on VO-52 SSB (maybe) 1913-1924 UTC on SO-50 FM 1937-1944 UTC on AO-27 FM
The hamfest site is in grid DM44xg, and officially runs until 2000 UTC. I hope to hear K8YSE and KD8CAO at their hamfest in Michigan along with N2SPI at the Rochester NY hamfest and KK5W operated by N5AFV in Texas. Lots of activity tomorrow morning.
After the hamfest, I will find someplace in DM54 for passes in the afternoon and evening. I have already tried to find a spot on the DM44/DM54 grid boundary. Trees and "No Parking" signs have ruled out some places I've already surveyed this evening. I found a spot north of Show Low that might work. I may be able to get on the AO-27 pass at 2118-2125 UTC from DM54 or possibly DM44/DM54. After that, I plan on attempting the following passes from somewhere in DM54 or on the DM44/DM54 boundary:
2256-2311 UTC on AO-7 SSB 2315-2329 UTC on AO-51 FM
I have 3 passes that overlap in the 0040-0110 UTC period:
0043-0105 UTC on AO-7 SSB 0053-0107 UTC on FO-29 SSB 0054-0108 UTC on AO-51 FM
I am leaning to working one of the SSB passes, probably AO-7 since it is the longest of the 3 passes. I might work the first part of the AO-7 pass, and then switch to AO-51 for the west-coast operators that may be looking for DM54. Please e-mail me if you are in the western US or Canada, and would like to try for a QSO on that AO-51 pass.
After that, SO-50 comes by at 0206-0219 UTC. Then FO-29 and AO-7 pass by around 0237-0257 UTC. I'll probably start on AO-7, if I am still outside working the radio at that hour (approaching 2000 local). I don't want to stay out too late tomorrow night, since Sunday morning will start very early, for the 3-hour drive up to DM56 in time for mid-morning passes.
As with my other road trips and hamfest demonstrations, I will be happy to QSL all contacts made with WD9EWK from the hamfest and wherever I end up in DM54 tomorrow. Just e-mail me with the QSO details; if you're in the log, I'll send out a card.
73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK - Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona http://www.wd9ewk.net/