I made my first via-satellite contact attempt on two afternoon SO50 Saturday passes. I suppose Field Day is probably the worst time to try for a first contact. ;-) I also had a bunch of people come out to watch me (No! Go away! I hardly know what I'm doing! I want to fail in peace, without an audience!). I do appreciate fellow BVARC hams who helped hold the antenna, make a recording, and call out az and elevation, while I shifted frequencies and tried to make a contact.

I was absolutely thrilled (and I think others were impressed) to start picking up voices at a slant range of 1500 miles. I couldn't bust the pile up with my little HT, but I can't wait to try again (and again, and again)!

73,

--Bill, KG5FQX (operating as KK5W for Field Day)

On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 9:00 PM, Paul Stoetzer n8hm@arrl.net wrote:

How did everyone's Field Day go? Heard quite a bit of QSOs made. Heard quite a bit of struggling too!

Weather was awful, so I was just operating from the grounds of my apartment building here in DC. I managed 20 QSOs with 5 watts, which wasn't easy with how overloaded the transponders were with strong signals.

Next year maybe I'll help out a local club on the sats.

73,

Paul, N8HM _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb