13 Colonies

Does anyone know when K2f will be on next on phone on what band that’s all I need for all 13.

 

It took all 7 days, but I finally got all 13 of the colonies, no special stations though. I got 1 on 40 SSB, 1 on 15, SSB, the rest on 20 SSB.

This morning I was only down K2H and was gripping hard to get it. I’m not very comfortable with my CW skills yet, especially in a pileup, but I was really trying to get all 13 so I figured I’d give it a shot. Fortunately no mistakes this time on my end sending my call and report, but I did forget to send my state CA. His report was taken out by some QSB. I know he heard me and I heard him, but don’t like to cheat myself or event, so I stuck with it throughout the afternoon until I got a “by the letter” proper contact with K2H on 20 meter SSB.

What a great event though! This was a lot of fun. Much respect and gratitude to all the people that put in the time to make this event happen.

 

Found him on 7.239 waiting my turn!

 

Got him for a clean sweep! Is there a different certificate for a clean sweep?

 

Yes, the behavior of some of the responding stations was downright despicable. It’s one thing to be a taildragger or tailender. In fact some of the 13 stations would ask for every to slow down, spread it out and they would often pick the last station that called. That’s okay. The problem is the people that just keep repeating their call sign over and over while both the other stations are exchanging reports. The problem is also compounded by the people that use a recording of their call sign and keep smashing the send button non fregin’ stop.

Sadly, I looked up some of the most egregious line crossers. Pretty much every single one was an Extra class. And almost all of them were licensed in the ‘70s or earlier. This wasn’t recently licensed hams acting a fool. This was people that have been around a long time. They should know better, they do know better, but rules and common courtesy don’t apply to them in their mind.

 

I worked 11 on 20m ssb 100 watts indoors on a portable dipole!

 

Licensed in the ‘70s or earlier means born in the 50's or before. A bunch of old men in their 60's-80's. Dementia? Simply forgot what they were doing and got stuck in a loop!

 

Yipeee! K2F on 14260! Number 13!

I'm over 50 and I felt like a kid when I got that one. Down to the last couple hours to get it too.

TM or GB would be great. But time is short.

 

True. Or they think they’ve paid their dues and don’t have to get into the rotation like everyone else. I hate to say it, but often it’s best if the calling station takes their call, just so they leave.

 

I had a good time in this year's event. I got all the US stations on 40m CW, and TM13COL on 20m CW. Never heard GB13COL, even using the RBN to spot him. I would hear a lot of people calling , though. Sometimes the dits and dahs were just one noisy mess.

I'll try again next year, maybe with a better antenna set up at home.

 

I managed a few contacts. Certainly not as many as when I lived in the mid Atlantic.

GA station must have severe noise issues as I called and others called and K2G kept calling CQ.

 

I worked as a K2J op and can tell you, the lack of courtesy is in all the ranks.
Even among the event ops.
NC has won the event the last couple of years and there seemed to be a concerted effort to QRM K2J ops.
EVERY TIME I got a pile up going at least one of the same 3 states would park on top of me and start calling CQ.

 

and that is your right, being fairly new to all the modes/bands that have popped up since I was on a "forced" sabbatical, I find FT8, FT4, JS8 and the rest to be a lot of fun. I also like SSB when I have the time to spend prowling the bands, but I'm not at the point of relearning CW. I did it once many years ago but that knowledge has been pushed out of my brain in the intervening years and replaced with other things that are more relevant to my professional life. That definitely doesn't mean I won't go back and relearn CW, it just means it's fairly far down on the "to do" list.

73