Jim and all,
Thanks for your thoughtful post, and congratulations on your achievements over the years. That is all very cool!
You may have seen my update - that the ARRL Awards Desk informed the man who reviewed my application and cards that it will accept the contacts in question, so my Satellite VUCC application is going in today with all 130 grid squares I claimed being accepted and approved. I'm truly excited because it's Satellite VUCC totally handheld (i.e., radio in one hand, antenna in the other), which was my goal.
I suspect I'm not the first to do it, but I'm thrilled to have Handheld Satellite VUCC in the works. Who else has done HH/VUCC? Drop me a note - we need to start a net or something, or at least come up with a logo for our QSL cards!
Like you, Jim, I don't anticipate doing much more in the way of claiming grids. Handheld Satellite VUCC was my goal. I'll continue to send QSLs to stations when I work them the first time, and I'm sure I'll send SASEs to stations whose grids I'd like to confirm - like VE8NSD from AO-51 last night.
I also have on file an application for the AMSAT Satellite Achievement Award using only contacts I made runninng 50 mW RF out on the same set of 2 AA Duracells in my HT. I'm at least as excited about that as I am HH/VUCC because of what it says about our abilities as amateurs to facilitate useful communication under truly emergency conditions.
I would like to earn Satellite WAS because I'm fairly close (it sure won't be handheld, though!), and I hope to work and confirm the minimum of states/provinces/countries necessary to apply for a separate AMSAT Achievement Award using only AO-16 "bent pipe" contacts. It's only got a few weeks left, it seems, and I'd sure like to be able to have that certificate as a reminder of (1) the resourcefulness of AMSAT folks in making it a viable communicatons tool again, and (2) the satellite itself, and how much fun it provided after many pretty much concluded it was gone forever.
I need four more at this point for the AO-16 award. Maybe I should list what I have here, and ask anyone who lives in other states/provinces/countries within the footprint (when it include EM84) to listen for me.
I thank the ARRL Awards Desk for accepting those grids, and I will contact them about the one pass I worked from a grid border to confirm whether they will accept those handful of contacts I made, in case the stations I work want to claim the grids on the basis of our contacts. I'll let you know what I hear.
73 to all,
Tim - N3TL AMSAT Member No. 36820 Athens, Ga. - EM84ha
-------------- Original message from "Jim Danehy" jdanehy@cinci.rr.com: --------------
I was disappointed by N3TL's email posting on the AMSAT BB today concerning
ARRL's VUCC program as it applies to satellite operating. I have been an ARRL member for 55 years. I have VUCC on both 6 meters and 2 meters. I also am on the ARRL DXCC Honor Roll and I have the ARRL #1 Honor Roll plaque for having worked all the DXCC countries. I have been around for awhile. I remember very well the Gus Browning , W4BPD QSLs from places that he never operated from or had permission to operate from. I also remember problems that the league had with Don Miller, W9WNV for the same reason in their DXCC program. I recently got back on the satellites (was on in 1974 through 1976). In about 6 weeks I have worked over 130 Grid Squares. My goal is a VUCC on the satellites. Some of those have been Grid Expeditions. Not so certain now that I want to continue to expand my efforts and money (SASE and outgoing postage) only to have the league question the legitimacy of those operations.
Does the ARRL question the "Rovers" that take part in the ARRL VHF contests ? I am unaware of any of those operations from rare grids being challenged or disallowed. Someone please correct me if I am in error on that opinion.
I had been planning to do some grid expeditions myself. There should be some communication and understanding by the league that is missing at this time. It is a shame that there is inconsistency and selective application of documentation and confirmation standards of where you were operating from.
Disappointed but not surprised by the ARRL's AD HOC rule enforcement.
Jim W9VNE EM79tb Cincinnati, Ohio _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb