Tag: awards

Logs and QSL cards

Since I logged my first HF QSO back in 2005 I have been using one type or another of software logging. I have also enjoyed exchanging QSL cards but never developed a good system at keeping them organized. Jumping from one logging program to the next, managing the “sent” and “received” QSL card fields have been hit or miss. A good portion of my contacts were uploaded to eQSL. Some were pushed out to LoTW. But I am not at all certain that either accurately reflects all my logged contacts. Compounding the problem has been multiple moves and military facilitated DXpeditions to Iraq and Korea. So what I am left with is a filing cabinet drawer full of QSL cards and a hard drive full of various log files.

It would be nice to get this mess sorted out.

I taking a three-step approach to establish order out of chaos.

(1) Gather all my software based log files. Use a file format compatible with fldigi and convert all the log files accordingly… with the end result of one consolidated log.

(2) Organize all QSL cards by date. I have a few boxes that QSL cards fit in nicely as well as tabbed dividers. This will allow me to fairly easily crosscheck the cards I have against the digital log.

(3) Stick with fldigi as my logging program. Update the QSL card “sent” and “receive” fields as I mail out cards or receive them. File received cards by date of contact.

(BONUS) I am pretty sure I achieved DXCC back in 2007, but have never been able to sit down and pull out the 100 cards I need. With a consolidated log and QSL cards organized by date, I will be able to easily find my 100 cards.

100 Nations Award

I read about this in an issue of World Radio from Jan 1999. I don’t know if they still offering this award, but it seems pretty cool.

100 Nations Award

In an effort to encourage personal communications among peoples around the world via Amateur Radio, Worldradio offers the Worked 100 Nations Award to those confirming two-way amateur communications with permanent stations in 100 distinct countries having a permanent, native population. The purpose of the Worldradio Worked 100 Nations Award is to demonstrate the unique opportunity Amateur Radio offers for communications between international borders to further worldwide understanding.

The W-100-N is not a radio sport award as such, but a token of achievement in communication. At the same time, it offers all Amateur Radio enthusiasts several features not found in other awards.
1. W-100-N virtually eliminates the need to work geographic areas heard only during DXpeditions. Almost all national entities have amateur stations consistently on the air.
2. W-100-N, then, will be of perennial interest. The advantage to those stations having worked a national entity long absent from the air will be minimal.
3. W-100-N is difficult to achieve, yet is within reach of all moderately well-equipped stations whose operators utilize good communication skills.

Rules
1. The Worked 100 Nations Award is available to any licensed Amateur Radio operator who can prove confirmation of two-way communications with government-authorized Amateur Radio stations in at least 100 different nations of the world.
2. No contacts with stations using reciprocal calls will count toward this award, such as N6JM/UL7.
3. All contacts must be with landbased stations. Contacts with ships, at anchor or otherwise, and aircraft cannot be considered.
4. All contacts shall be made from the same country.
5. Only contacts made on or after 01 January 1978 will count.
6. The application shall include the following:
a. Letter requesting W-100-N.
b. List of contacts in alphabetical order by prefix showing nation, station call, date, band and mode.
c. A signed statement by two other licensed radio amateurs, General class or above that they have inspected the required QSL cards.
d. A fee of $5 to cover the cost of the award.
7. All applications and requests shall be addressed to:
W-100-N Award Manager
Worldradio
2120 28th Street
Sacramento, CA 95818
8. There are no special endorsements to this award; however, endorsements may be made if the achievement bears such recognition. All modes and bands may be used. Upon approval of an application for W-100-N, a certificate will be issued and the issuance of the award will be noted in a future issue of Worldradio.

FrostFest


I went up to the Richmond, VA hamfest (aka FrostFest) on Sunday. They had an ARRL card checker and I was able to get my QSL cards verified for the Worked All States (WAS) award. I spent the early part of Sunday organizing my cards (my QSL card organization needs some work). Most states I have multiple contacts for except for Alaska, Wyoming, and Delaware. The drive up to Richmond took about an hour and the parking lot was packed. Tons of cars and trucks with amateur radio license plates, most bristling with antennae. Arriving at 9:30am (the door had opened at 8:30am) I found no line and was able to walk right in. The hall was packed. I found the ARRL card checkers right away and dropped my cards off. Wondering around, I saw mostly junk… but some good stuff. I ended up purchasing a mobile antenna for 40M and 20M as well as a bumper mount. Ending up back at the card checker I was told that my cards were good to go and I can expect to get my WAS certificate in about a month.

Be Prepared for this Scouting Award

The Scouting 100 Radio Award is awarded for contacting Scout stations during 2007, the Centenary year of Scouting. This is an International award, available to any operator – it is also available on a listener basis, with the same requirements as the operator award.

Objective:
To help celebrate the centenary of Scouting through the medium of radio. To help publicise the Centenary, and to provide radio amateurs the opportunity of gaining another Award. Although not intended for profit, any surplus made will go to support Radio Scouting in developing countries.

Duration:
The Award will begin at 00:00:01 on January 1st 2007 and finish at 23:59:59 December 31st 2007.

Bands and Modes:
The Award is available through all bands and all modes, within the terms of the individual’s radio licence. The Award is also available through Echolink and IRLP modes. The Award can be endorsed for any special modes or bands ie ‘All satellite contacts;’ ‘all QRP contacts,’ etc. Activity for the Award should be focused around the Scout frequencies.

Requirements:
Stations are required to contact Scout and Guide stations to count for
points as follows:

* Each ordinary Scout station counts one point.
* Special Event Scout stations count 2 points.
* The World Jamboree, Gilwell Park and Brownsea Island stations count 5 points.
* Your logs should be verified as accurate by 2 other local radio amateurs.
* Normal log information is required with the following additional information: Name, Scout details and age of the operator of the station you contact. Your age should also be submitted when applying for Awards. Female operators send `YL’ as their age!

Website:
The Award is supported online by a website – full details of the award are available at www.scouting100award.org. An Honour Roll of Award holders will also be published on the website.

Contact: info@scouting100award.org

The Last Frontier – QSO with Alaska!

I turned the rig on during lunch yesterday for a quick spin around 20M and ran into the Alaska-Pacific Emergency Preparedness [http://www.alaskapacificnet.org/] Net run by Will, AL7AC, from Sterling, AK. I heard the traffic net taking Alaska station check-ins… passing their callsigns, locations, and a brief weather report. I was excited because I was hearing Alaska! I’d never actually heard them before, so this was a first. And I wasn’t just hearing one station, I was hearing almost all of them… at least a good dozen. Then the NCS asked for guest check-ins. I grabbed the mic and figured I’d toss in my callsign, not expecting a reply. But Bill came right back to me with a nice signal report! So I thanked him, checked into the net, gave my QTH, and “no traffic”… 1st QSO with Alaska complete!

The quest for Worked All States (WAS) is almost complete… one state to go: Wyoming.

425

Here’s my current roll up for DXCC – just need to get those QSL cards! I have 53 confirmed so far.


CALLSIGN DATE BAND MODE DXCC CNFRMD
OH0X 10/28/2006 20 SSB Aland Is.  
7X2LS 12/11/2005 20 PSK31 Algeria  
VP2EBR 12/16/2005 20 PSK31 Anguilla  
V26B 10/29/2006 15 SSB Antigua &
Barbuda		  
LW9EOC 10/15/2006 15 SSB Argentina  
P40W 10/28/2006 15 SSB Aruba  
VK4CZ 10/29/2006 20 SSB Australia  
OE1DWC 2/7/2006 40 PSK31 Austria R
CU2/OH1VR 10/28/2006 15 SSB Azores  
EA6ADM 1/17/2006 20 PSK31 Balearic Is.  
8P2K 10/28/2006 20 SSB Barbados  
EW7EW 12/21/2005 20 PSK31 Belarus R
OO6FN 11/29/2005 20 PSK31 Belgium R
V31LL 10/17/2006 17 SSB Belize  
VP9LN 8/20/2006 20 SSB Bermuda R
PJ2T 10/28/2006 80 SSB Bonaire, Curacao  
T94KC 3/23/2006 20 PSK31 Bosnia-Herzegovina R
PS7LN 12/11/2005 20 PSK31 Brazil R
VP2V/AH6HY 10/1/2006 20 SSB British Virgin
Is.		  
LZ1BJ 1/26/2006 17 PSK31 Bulgaria  
VE9DX 12/4/2005 17 PSK31 Canada R
EA8/OH2NAF 12/6/2005 20 PSK31 Canary Is. R
ZF2PP 1/9/2006 20 PSK31 Cayman Is.  
CE/VE7SV 10/17/2006 20 SSB Chile  
HK3GXI 4/30/2006 40 PSK31 Colombia R
TK5IH 2/10/2006 20 PSK31 Corsica R
TI8II 10/1/2006 15 PSK31 Costa Rica  
9A3LE 1/22/2006 20 PSK31 Croatia R
CO3JN 11/30/2005 20 PSK31 Cuba R
OK2VA 1/2/2006 17 PSK31 Czech Rep. R
OZ5ESB 8/19/2006 20 SSB Denmark  
HI3/OK2ZU 3/4/2006 20 PSK31 Dominican
Republic		 R
HC1JQ 10/29/2006 20 SSB Ecuador  
YS1PY 8/20/2006 20 SSB El Salvador R
G3PGA 1/7/2006 20 PSK31 England R
ES7FQ 1/9/2006 20 PSK31 Estonia R
RW3DQC 12/9/2005 20 PSK31 European Russia R
OH3GIF 1/26/2006 20 PSK31 Finland R
F5RRS 12/1/2005 30 PSK31 France R
FY1FV 11/27/2005 20 PSK31 French Guiana R
DL5KSS 12/4/2005 17 PSK31 Germany R
SV3FUK 1/22/2006 20 PSK31 Greece R
J3/DL3VFN 1/8/2006 20 PSK Grenada R
FG5JK 10/29/2006 15 SSB Guadeloupe  
TG9SM 1/21/2006 40 PSK31 Guatemala  
8R1EA 10/29/2006 15 SSB Guyana  
KH7U 10/29/2006 15 SSB Hawaii  
HR2/LU1DY 2/7/2006 20 PSK31 Honduras R
HA7TY 1/13/2006 20 PSK31 Hungary R
TF4M 10/29/2006 20 SSB Iceland  
EI7M 10/28/2006 20 SSB Ireland  
MD4K 10/28/2006 20 SSB Isle of Man  
IV3LBP 12/8/2005 20 PSK31 Italy R
6Y1V 10/29/2006 20 SSB Jamaica  
RK2FWA 10/29/2006 20 SSB Kaliningrad  
YL2AZ 1/9/2006 20 PSK31 Latvia R
HB0/HB9AON 10/29/2006 20 SSB Liechtenstein  
LY2ZZ 10/19/2006 20 SSB Lithuania  
LX8DL 12/13/2005 20 PSK31 Luxembourg R
Z35T 10/28/2006 20 SSB Macedonia  
CT3DL 10/7/2006 15 SSB Madeira Is.  
9H1SP 1/9/2006 17 PSK31 Malta R
FM/K9NW 10/29/2006 15 SSB Martinique  
XE2YWB 1/7/2006 15 PSK31 Mexico R
ER0ND 10/28/2006 20 SSB Moldova  
VP2MHX 10/28/2006 15 SSB Montserrat  
CN3A 10/28/2006 15 SSB Morocco  
PA1FR 1/13/2006 20 PSK31 Netherlands R
ZL6QH 10/29/2006 40 SSB New Zealand  
YN2EJ 10/28/2006 20 SSB Nicaragua  
MI3JQD 10/22/2006 20 SSB Northern Ireland  
LB9JE 1/10/2006 20 PSK31 Norway R
HP1DCP 2/7/2006 20 PSK31 Panama R
ZP5MAL 10/29/2006 20 SSB Paraguay  
OA4WW 10/29/2006 15 SSB Peru  
SP4R 1/2/2006 17 PSK31 Poland R
CT1GTI 12/11/2005 20 PSK31 Portugal R
KP4SQ 12/19/2005 40 PSK31 Puerto Rico R
XF4DL 10/28/2006 15 SSB Revillagigedo  
FS/SM7DKF 5/7/2006 20 PSK31 Saint Martin R
T77GO 2/17/2006 20 PSK31 San Marino  
HI8HCJ 5/28/2006 20 SSB Santa Domingo R
IM0GNF 2/5/2006 20 PSK31 Sardinia R
GM0KWW 1/27/2006 20 PSK31 Scotland R
6W8CK 12/7/2005 20 PSK31 Senegal R
YU6AO 7/23/2006 20 SSB Serbia &
Montenegro		  
OM5DP 10/18/2006 17 SSB Slovak Rep.  
S51HA 2/8/2006 20 PSK31 Slovenia R
EA3BDE 11/28/2005 20 PSK31 Spain R
V44KJ 2/6/2006 20 PSK31 St. Kitts &
Nevis		 R
PZ5RA 12/21/2005 17 PSK31 Suriname R
SM4FZW 1/13/2006 20 PSK31 Sweden R
HB9ODP 1/20/2006 20 PSK31 Switzerland R
9Y4NZ 10/29/2006 20 SSB Trinidad &
Tobago		  
VP5VAC 5/21/2005 6 SSB Turks &
Caicos Is.		 R
UV5QB 1/29/2006 20 PSK31 Ukraine R
CX7BF 12/18/2005 15 PSK31 Uruguay  
K8LF 11/17/2005 80 SSB USA R
YV6QD 1/10/2006 20 PSK31 Venezuela R
WP2Z 10/28/2006 20 SSB Virgin Is.  
GW5PH 1/29/2006 20 PSK31 Wales R




… From The Shack

2006 CQ WW DX Contest: It has been a learning experience so far. Much more intense than Field Day. It seems as if the bands are jam packed – nothing but “CQ Contest” from 80M to 10M. I started last night a had contacts mostly on 80M, but also a few on 40M – mainly South America and the Caribbean. Today contacts are about even between 15M and 20M… more Caribbean island stations, Africa, and Europe. Not much heard from the Pacific. I did hear a KH6 station on 15M buried in noise.

When I wasn’t on the radio I was finishing the QSL cards from the W4M special event station. I now consider my QSLing activities for W4M complete.

I’ve also been cleaning up my log. As of right now, I’ve logged 1069 QSOs since I upgraded to General in Nov 2005. Of those, 102 are CW QSOs (the first was back in DEC 2005). I need to go back and look up FISTS information and see if I’m close to their basic award. I’ve contacted a total of 86 DXCC entities – maybe I’ll be able to get 14 more during the remainder of the contest. The total towards the Worked All States award is 47. I’m missing Hawaii, Alaska, and Wyoming. I’m also probably close to the basic award for Worked All US Counties. The basic award is for 500 counties, I think.

Best news this weekend – I got the ICOM CT-17 working!. It’s quite slick, I can now click on a DX cluster spot in my logging program and my IC-706MKIIG automatically flips to that frequency. Or, if I’m hunting and pouncing, the log will automatically grab the freq and mode from the radio and place it in the log. I wish I had done this earlier.

I also had a short 30M QSO with Bill, WD8RTW over in WV. The QSO was going well, but then he disappeared. He came back briefly but we ended the QSO.

W7 QSL Bureau

I received some cards today for my old KD7PJQ callsign from the W7 QSL Bureau. The coolest one was from Senegal – there was also another from Grenada and one from Croatia. A bunch from Germany. After I’ve sent out what’s left of the W4M cards, I am going to consolidate my old KD7PJQ log with my AD7MI log and figure out exactly where I am at towards DXCC. My guess is that I’m still short by about twenty confirmed entities.