Hi!

The first day (actually, a half-day) of the Yuma Hamfest was a good one for AMSAT. I can't cite statistics, but it appeared that more people stopped by the booth on Friday than on the past couple of Fridays. The hamfest opened for business at noon (1900 UTC) yesterday. Today should be busier, but there was a good crowd in the hall all afternoon, and still more people walking around the Yuma County Fairgrounds to visit the tailgaters parked all over.

During the day, WD9EWK worked 4 different passes to demonstrate satellite operating - one AO-73 pass in the morning, along with one AO-7 and two SO-50 passes in the afternoon. Thanks to everyone who worked WD9EWK, or at least tried to work WD9EWK, during those demonstrations. I'm hoping for more today, including an FO-29 pass this afternoon.

Rick K7TEJ, a satellite operator and AMSAT member from the Phoenix area, helped with the AMSAT booth yesterday. He brought his TH-D72A HT and homebrew 2m/70cm Yagi, which sat on display at the booth. With his help, I was able to go outside for the demonstrations during the afternoon. He will be back here today.

If you do not follow me on Twitter, I have been posting photos from the hamfest and some of the aircraft flying around the airfield south of the hamfest site. You are welcome to look at my @WD9EWK Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/WD9EWK if you don't already use Twitter (no login required, it is open for public viewing). Across the street from the hamfest is Yuma International Airport and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. The two facilities share the runways, and this makes for some interesting sights. I have some video clips from the air operations I saw yesterday morning, and will upload them to my YouTube channel after I return home.

The hamfest opens in about a half-hour, running from 8am to 5pm (1500 to 0000 UTC) today. If you hear WD9EWK on satellite passes during the day, please call and join in the demonstrations.

73!

Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/