Good afternoon,

Today I received VUCC Satellite certificate #248, dated March 26, 2014. Thanks to all for the QSOs and QSLs. Special thanks to those I've worked in multiple grid squares.

Although I had made a handful of QSOs previously, my serious satellite operating started on August 21st of last year. On January 23rd, I received the QSL card for my 100th grid and my cards were checked on February 24th.

All of my satellite operating is done portable in the courtyard and parking lot area of my apartment building about a mile southwest of the U. S. Capitol. My uplink transmitter is a FT-817ND and I've used a Kenwood TH-F6A HT, a Icom IC-R10 handheld receiver, and now use a FT-817 with blown finals as the downlink receiver. I've used both Arrow and Elk antennas and have now settled on the Elk.

Operating portable through this brutal winter has been fun! I've been outside early in the morning to work OH2FQV on FO-29 with negative wind chills and I remember going out for a 3:30am pass of AO-7 to work UT1FG/MM out in the Atlantic where it was 25 degrees with 25 mph winds.

I look forward to continuing the chase and increasing my totals. As of this morning, I am at 233 grids worked and 128 confirmed.

Thanks again, 73, and see you on the birds!

Paul Stoetzer, N8HM Washington, DC (FM18lv)