Ham Geekery: Worked All States

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randy
Posts: 8334
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:33 pm
Location: EM79VQ

Ham Geekery: Worked All States

Post by randy »

I just completed my Worked All States (WAS) and submitted my application to the ARRL.

For the non-Hams, WAS is an award given when you make a confirmed 2 Way ham radio contact with a station in each of the 50 states. It's given out by the American Radio Relay League, sort of like the NRA for hams (in many different ways ;) ).

I was using a Digital mode called FT8 which uses a program working through a sound card connected to my radio to detect and decode weak signals as well as transmitting my information.

I started 30 June when I started playing with FT-8. Figured WAS would be a long term goal as Hawaii and Alaska would be hard, until I worked stations in both the first week. So started pressing on. Turns out Nevada and Vermont where the last two hold outs. So WAS in less than 30 days. (Helps I'm on disability and no funds to do other things)

Geek Alert:

Did multiple bands (6-80 Meters), with most the contacts on 20 and 30 Meters. Using an IC-706MKIIG with an LDG IT-100 tuner and either a 10-40 sloper oriented East/West or an 80m HamStick Dipole oriented North/South. Signalink USB and using WSJT-X and GridTracker software.

Limited to 40 Watts as the tuner is only rated to 30 for digital, but I figured I could push it a little and so far no problem.

I'm using ARRL's Logbook of the World (LoTW) as it allows for quick confirmation (no waiting for QSL cards and then having to mail them in for checking).

Might look at working on do WAS on 30 and or 20M (picked up another Alaskan station last night on 30.)

I also need to confirm Africa and get an Asian station to get Worked All Continents. Have several European stations and New Zealand confirmed as well Trinidad & Tobago and St. Lucia for South America.

I never looked seriously looked at going after any operating awards due to my minimal HF stations, but the digital modes make it doable, and using the software above tied into auto up loading contacts to my logging software (N3FJP ACL) and LoTW make the admin drudgery of the "old days" to get confirmation go away.

So, that's how I'm spending my summer so far (and weekly bacon cheeseburgers at the VFW Post).
...even before I read MHI, my response to seeing a poster for the stars of the latest Twilight movies was "I see 2 targets and a collaborator".
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Weetabix
Posts: 6106
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:04 pm

Re: Ham Geekery: Worked All States

Post by Weetabix »

Nicely done! I have a self-awarded W1S. :P

The digital modes sound interesting, but I've not pursued them... or much operating recently, TBH.
Note to self: start reading sig lines. They're actually quite amusing. :D
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randy
Posts: 8334
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:33 pm
Location: EM79VQ

Re: Ham Geekery: Worked All States

Post by randy »

Got my certificate from the ARRL.

I've also completed WAS on 40M, and closing in on 20M (need 4 states) 30M (need 2 states) and 80M (need 3 states) The hard ones on 80 are likely going to be Hawaii and Alaska given my limited space antenna system. On 20 and 30 the hard ones are neighboring states where my signal flies over their heads and theirs over mine.

I've also confirmed 59 foreign stations (known as DX in Ham-speak) towards my "worked 100 countries" award (known as the DX Century Club or DXCC). I've actually worked way more than that in foreign stations, but only the first one in each country counts towards the DXCC,

The most recent I've worked are Asiatic Russia (he actually called be yesterday after I finished with a US ham) and Kazakhstan tonight.

The geekery continues...
...even before I read MHI, my response to seeing a poster for the stars of the latest Twilight movies was "I see 2 targets and a collaborator".
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