13 Colonies

I think what may have "irked some of the old curmudgeons" wasn't so much the...enthusiasm...but rather, things like the propensity to call others things like "rat bastard" for just about any reason, references to spending money as "raping the credit card", wild exaggerations presented as facts, and blithely ignoring best practices and safety.

Here's hoping all is getting better there.

 

I'm listening to GB13COL on 14308 on 6 July at 23:10Z, he's working split, up 5 to 10. He announces that he's working split every time he calls CQ. A multitude of stations have called him on his frequency. The lidfest has somewhat subsided after about 10 minutes after multiple "frequency cops" have informed the offending stations about the split operation. Too many people just don't listen to instructions from the calling station. Pathetic.

 

Finally heard him on 40 cw and just made the contact. I think he must have been using a code reader. But what ever it takes, that's OK with me. Not going to send for the certificate. I just enjoy the activity and challenge.

 

I've read through all 8 pages of comments and as is usual in all human endeavors, I agree with some and disagree with others. I managed to work all 13 "original" colonies including K2C in RI that I needed for WAS. I've put the log and other requested material in the mail yesterday and am excitedly awaiting my certificate. This was the first special event that I've worked since returning to the hobby last fall. I made all my contacts digitally and even though some here don't consider it a "real radio" mode, they still counted and I had a lot of fun trying to get them all. I realize it was a bit easier since I'm on the East Coast, but NJ, DE and RI were fairly tough when I only have a fan dipole and a 6BTV + 100 watts to work with. I want to thank all the people that made this event possible and am looking forward to next year's event. Maybe this time I'll try using SSB!

73

 

I managed to get all 13 colonies on 20 meters SSB with 100 watts and the Hexbeam. Last night I managed to get a contact with WM3PEN on 20 meters, but no luck with the stations in France and Great Britain. The pileups for them were down-right ugly with everyone transmitting over each other. It was a wonder anyone got a QSO! Even when doing it by the numbers it was crazy! Next year I will put my AL-80b in line and maybe I can try some other bands and modes. I also need a better 40-meter and 80-meter antenna.

N6RGR Roger

 

Here I am with a little more than 12 hours left and I still need K2F(MD). It was the toughest colony station for me last year as well. I should set up for FT8.

I've been unable to bust the pileups for TM13COL. Didier, by the way is a fantastic operator. I haven't heard GB13COL well enough to try.

To ensure proper operation of my rig I stayed up late (for me) last night and made contact (easily) down to Chile. And to the ever present on 20m R5AJ (Valery), 60km outside Moscow. That one is fun for me, when I get through the pileup and he comes back calling me by my first name. Nice touch by a good operator.

Watching dxsummit for Maryland......hopefully someone there will do a SSB today, 20m, since 40m on my rig is turrible to the East.

 

I also heard those two stations as well as Norway and managed a contact on 15 meters with 3D2AJT in Fiji to check my operation out. For some reason the noise level has been fearsomely high at my QTH.

N6RGR Roger

 

Noise level has been very high this week here at my QTH as well. A huge break on the noise while TM13COL was on 20m yesterday. He was coming in at a fantastic 57-58. But dadgummit, couldn't bust the pileup.

Ahh Norway! Wish I woulda seen that spotted or heard it while spinning the VFO knob.

 

I got everything except GB13COL, I never ever saw him on CW, and couldn't hear him through the nasty pileups on SSB. I just figured they didn't have any CW operators there. Maybe next year they could get Sandy G0VQW to run the CW station, he's 100% CW.

73, Chuck
N0NC

 

I don't do FT-8, and use phone less than in the past. I was busy with family stuff over the weekend, and didn't get started until the 6th, so never caught him on CW, maybe next year if I'm still around. I had to break down and work 2 of the others on phone, but got the rest on CW.

73, Chuck
N0NC

 

TM13COL is on 18.083 now, if anyone still needs him.

 

I started out thinking I would probably get half a dozen colonies, and that would be it. But after logging six early in the event, I changed my goal to get all 13 plus bonuses - all CW. My last was K2J this morning.

I got TM13COL, but never even heard GB13COL on CW - or on SSB, either, for that matter. FYI - some of us DO NOT run FT8!

My hardest colonies were NC and NJ from my QTH in GA. When I finished 13, I still had two colonies I had worked on SSB. I was able to go back and work those stations on CW, so now I can get the CW endorsement on my certificate.

Even running 100 watts and a wire, I did not encounter bad pile ups. Perhaps my GA QTH had something to do with that. But wow! the speed some of the ops were running! Most were way too fast for me to copy anything other than call signs and 5NN, but it was good practice.

Hats off to the great operators who put so much time for this event. I had a great time, and look forward to the RT66 Special Event.