Hi!

Thanks again to all the hams who have been sending me checks to help with the effort to bring Hector to the AMSAT Symposium later this week. As of today, I have received a total of $935 from those checks. This will cover almost half of what I estimate the total costs will end up being for this effort, and I appreciate the help. I told Hector about this via e-mail earlier today, and he also appreciates the generosity of everyone who is helping with this trip.

Hector will fly to Miami on Wednesday, arriving a couple of hours before I arrive later in the afternoon. Hector has a friend in Miami who will meet him in the Miami airport after clearing US Customs and Immigration, and then I'll get with him after I arrive. The current plan is for the two of us to drive up from Miami to Orlando on Thursday morning, arriving in Orlando around midday depending on when we get out of the Miami area. Hector will be at the Symposium all weekend, and also take the KSC tour next Monday (10/29). His flight home is next Wednesday (10/31), so we will return to Miami either after the KSC tour Monday evening or early Tuesday morning, so he has more time to spend with his friends down there before his flight home.

Thanks again for all the support - and not just those sending me checks. I have received lots of e-mails, and also seen posts on other public forums, with good words about this effort. Seeing Hector in person later this week will make this worth all the time and money spent over the past 7 months. :-)

73!

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