Hi!

The first day of the two-day Yuma Hamfest in southwestern Arizona was a great day. A huge crowd showed up as the hamfest opened at midday, there was steady traffic through the main hall where my AMSAT booth was located, and I had a nice crowd watch and listen to a demonstration on AO-7 in the afternoon. The hamfest continues tomorrow, with a full day of activities wrapping up with a barbecue in the evening.

Thanks to AC0RA, W5PFG, AA5PK, and N8HM for the contacts on the AO-7 pass around 2240 UTC. This was the only demonstration I gave today. This pass showed how well this 39-year-old satellite is still working, and these stations - in Iowa, two different parts of Texas, and Washington DC - illustrated the coverage of this satellite. I had some help for this demonstration. Frank N7ZEV, a satellite ham and AMSAT Area Coordinator from Las Vegas, was outside for this pass with his TH-F6A HT and the 2m part of his Arrow Yagi listening in as I worked the pass. Keeping an eye on my booth in the hamfest's main hall during this demonstration was a group of ARRL card checkers, including long-time satellite ham Ron W6ZQ.

The hamfest continues at 8am (1500 UTC) tomorrow morning, and I am planning to get on passes during the day. I am going to try to work SO-50 as it passes by at 1441-1453 UTC, just before the official starting time of the hamfest, and other passes later. Please call me if you hear WD9EWK on any of these passes. I'm also planning on going outside the hall to copy AO-73 telemetry on at least one of the two passes later in the morning.

73!

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