This gentleman wrote me a couple weeks ago, thanking me for my meager "How to Work Sats..." tutorial he found on the 'Net.

Fellow AMSATers, I have created a monster. Here's his latest email message...

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Hey Clint,

I crunched some numbers here just now based on the seven contacts I made yesterday running 50 milliwatts out (!) :

I worked all three birds with crossband FM mode (AO-27, AO-51 and SO-50)

During those seven contacts, my signal travelled an average of 620.7 miles to get to the satellites.

My longest trip was to SO-50 in a contact with KD8ILL - my .05-watt signal travelled 830.5 miles to the bird.

Finally ... on a 25-degree-angle pass of AO-51 an hour ago as I type this, N7JK in Phoenix became my 100th contact on the birds - in less than 13 full days.

Yeah ... I'm soooo hooked!

73,

[Name deleted to protect the innocent]

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YES - I got him to join AMSAT-NA. And he is anxiously awaiting Martha's initial mailing.

But what am I to do? I mean, all this exhibited unbridled enthusiasm and energy...

(grin)

And so it goes...Ain't this a magnificent hobby?

Clint Bradford, K6LCS / KAF3359 909-241-7666