Bump for 2015 http://www.13colonies.info/
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this year they've added endorsements for NRA, Vets, & American Legion Members.
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Lots more CW and digital stations this year.
Less people signing off with "God bless America". Be sure to do that if you participate. It's still got a patriotic feel on the air, but a little less so than in years past.
I need 2 more for a clean sweep. CT and DE. They seem to always be skipping over my head or have their beams pointed elsewhere.
GB13COL is a new one, and it has me laughing. It's over in England?!?!??Wow - I haven't even gotten on the air for the event yet...don't forget about the 2 sister stations too: WM3PEN in Philly and the Brits at GB13COL.
Good job with the key. I got about half the colonies with CW and I found it easier and the operator was able to process the pile-up faster with Morse.Where in hell is NH? My own state, it's all I need for a clean sweep and the only freqs I've heard them on is 20 meters. Too close to make contact.
I may have to dust off my morse key and see if they are on cw...
EDIT: Worked K2K on CW...first CW contact I've made since 1989...it was pretty rough but it got the job done.
Good job with the key. I got about half the colonies with CW and I found it easier and the operator was able to process the pile-up faster with Morse.
What a shit show though. I really got to see the dregs of ham operators. On voice there were guys that would throw out their call 2 or 3 times, slooooly, seriously extending the cycle time. I also got to see some masterful operators like the guy that would ask for only the last 2 characters of your call. In one cycle he could collect 2-4. Then he'd announce who he got, tell them to stand by, ask for others to do it and once he got 6-8 he would blast through them in no time. I never saw that trick before and it tripled the speed he processed his pile-up.
Yup, lots of shooting over local stations. I just got VA, leaving me needing the 3 closest states: CT, RI and NH. I think I'll give up during daylight hours and hope they get on 48/80/160 after dark for some NVIS.Many of these guys are beaming west and or just shooting over me.
I've hit 2 states so far and found but couldn't break into a 3rd. They were all on 40M.
This is actually the first time using my HF rig (FT-857 W/tuner and 100' long wire up 50') and I'm learning a lot. I'm down in a hole and and I'm not being heard very well. My best report was 57. I'm already starting to think about stringing a couple of dipoles.
You actually heard K2K? I'm jealous. Of course I also have S8 to S9 noise at my house, so maybe he's there at S6 and I could work him if I could hear himI got one...but K2K is in my skp zone on 20m. They were up on 14.314 and Ii couldn't get him. He was 59 on my radio, but he was getting some scatter as well.
Will keep trying tho. Tons of pile ups..and If you are not pushing 500W, it is hard to break in.
Clean Sweep + W3MPEN.
GB13COL is on 14.285 right now, but i can barely pick him out of the noise.
Hope he drops donw to 40m tonight.
I too got my clean sweep plus WM3PENN,. All but K2C were CW. I'm stunned at the rude and selfish behavior of the hams in some of the pileups. To totally fill my cert I need GB13COL, but sitting in the pileup I couldn't stand listening to some of the a$$holes calling 2 or 3 times in a row, calling in very late or ignoring when the station is working by the numbers ( "3 stations only") and calling when they shouldn't. It's really quite sad.
I have no issue with the voice recorder. Anyone working hours on end the way these stations do deserve all the help they can get. I get lazy with Morse. For this event I have just my call sign programmed into the keyer. Working the pile-up I just hit the button at the right time. One time I did that and when the station called me back I realized my key wasn't plugged into the radioI get lazy. . My IC7100 has a voice recorder...so I recorded my CQ callout and then use that recording every minute or so. Saves on the vocal chords.
If anyone wants to try it out, PM me and I can send you the manager's email address and you can reach out to him.
I just finished my clean sweep. I got the Philly station but I was also disgusted with the GB13COL pile up. I gave up when someone stayed playing sirens.
I worked all but 1 station CW. Were the SSB contacts full of "God Bless America" salutations this year? That's one of the things I like about this event.