All Hams Picnic

This past weekend Jack (KD4TNY) and Teresa (KI4ZQO) put together the second All Hams Picnic at Norris Dam State Park. Several of our area's HAMs showed up for fellowship and just a good time with good food. We got to meet several of the Hams that we talk to on a regular basis on the 2 meter repeaters that are in our area. It was good to meet them all and finally put faces to callsigns. The final count in the guestbook was 46 and after further observation the count amounted to around 65 or so when the signatures included and family... I'd say it was more like 80 considering not everyone signed the book.
Anyway, we all had a great time and we all got our bellies full on BBQ, hotdogs, and all the other fixin's and trimin's along with desserts. For those who missed it, below are some pictures we took. Maybe this will entice you to show up for the next one.
You can also check out Robin's (AJ4IJ) blog for more picnic pictures.

Robin-AJ4IJ, John-KU4ME, and Karen-KF4SSI
sitting around having a blast

Jack-KD4TNY, Teresa-KI4ZQO, and another Gent
who was there with Bruce-KI4QIS and family

Cathy-KI4YPO, Rick Sr.-N4JTQ, Ashby-KJ4EGJ, Robin's Head (AJ4IJ),
and a few others in the background

Several Hams gathered around for a live QSO. Sharon,???
Dusty, Ricky-KG4WYW, Jim-KQ4AB, Kevin-KG4LGL, and Tom-AG4SF

Get Your Kicks on Route 66

Well just last week and from what I understand the last couple of weeks, a special event was going on across the country commemorating the 82nd anniversary of the old Route 66 Highway. Well dad (KU4ME) worked them all week. I had heard about it but hadn't had the time to go over and play due to the website work we've had going on these past couple weeks. Last weekend however I was able to go over and work a few of them. Even Robin (AJ4IJ) worked one of them even though she really wasn't wanting to. It was fun but I'm more happy to hear that with 2 or 3 minutes of the event, dad was able to get the last station he had been hunting. In total I think there were 19 stations, two of which were rovers in California. Well dad was able to get them and I think he's going to send off for the certificate.

That's it for the moment. We attended an all Hams picnic this past weekend and got to meet and visit with a lot of the Hams we speak to on a regular basis on 2 meters in the local area. I will be posting on that soon.

Until then 73 de AJ4JD,
Tim

5 Band Worked All States Update

Just thought I would give everyone an update on my WAS status. Below is an updated look at my progress as to the states I have confirmed and the bands they have been confirmed on.


On 20 meters I have the following states confirmed: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware.

On 40 meters I have the following states confirmed: Kansas.

I know what you are thinking, I've got a long way to go if I've only got 1 on 40 meters and nothing on any of the others. I've made some contacts on 80, a few on 40, maybe a couple on 10 if I remember correctly. I just haven't received QSL cards back from them and I don't use LOTW at this time. Anyway, Yes I've got a ways to go but things are looking good on 20 for now and I reckon I'll start on 40 and 80 with Winter approaching.

So that's all I've got for now. Until next time....

73 de AJ4JD
Tim

TV Station Tours and QSO Parties

I know it's been a while since I've made any posts and I apologize. It's been a busy few weeks and I haven't had a lot of time. However, I thought I would take a few moments and give everyone an update on my happenings in HAM Radio.

As you well know a few weeks ago, I had to go out of town for work for a week. I was in Alpharetta, Georgia participating in a disaster recovery drill to ensure that the company I work for can recover our IT infrastructure and applications to run the business in the event a disaster where to strike the corporate office. Well while down there I had my HT with me and listened a bit every morning and every night to the happenings on the repeaters down there. I have to say there were several repeaters in and around the Atlanta area and several conversations and topic were always going on at night and in the morning. I have to say I never once heard anything that was out of line. Never once did I hear anything on politics or any other subjects that could cause major disagreements. So to the Atlanta area operators I say cheers. If you ever find yourself in the area, a great resource for net and repeater information can be found at the North Fulton Amateur Radio League website: http://www.nfarl.org/repeaters/Atlanta_Area_Repeaters.pdf.

So upon my return back to Knoxville, my XYL informed me that Rick N4JTQ and several others from the 470 Amateur Radio Group were going down to one of our local news stations for a tour of the facilities. This was all made possible by Jim Yearwood, KE4HX who works down at the station. So we decided to meet down there for the tour with mom and dad so we could see the news station and to meet some familiar voices and put faces to the names. It was a wonderful tour and very interesting to say the least. You can read my XYL's blog as she also has a post about it. I will include some pictures below as well.

This last weekend, September 6, 2008, dad (KU4ME) gave us a call to see what we were doing and to inform us that the Tennessee QSO party was happening that afternoon. We told him we were at the grocery store and to go start working it and we would drop by once we were done.
So after we finished our errands we headed over to dads. Robin was up first as down had only made 5 contacts from the time he called us and the time we got there.
Within the first 25 minutes Robin (AJ4IJ) had made 17 contacts on 20 meters and was ready to trade places. So it was then my turn. In the same amount of time I had about 13 contacts on 80 meters as 20 had faded out. We tried to get dad in there for some more but he got more joy watching us contest than anything. Although he did make one contact and then gave it over to Robin. In about another 35 minutes or so she made an additional 29 contacts. After that round she turned it over to dad who made another 5 contacts for the team.
It was after that time Robin decided she was a bit tired and needed a nap. So dad and I went back out and I picked up where we left off. I started on 40 meters and 20 more contacts in a little over 20 minutes.
After that brief stint I woke up Robin and we decided to run out to town to pick us up dinner. Upon our re-arrival at dad's we ate dinner saw that dad had made an additional 6 contacts while we were away. So we finished dinner and Robin went at the last hour and few minutes of the contest like a mad woman on a mission. In 1 hour and 6 minutes she made a total of 43 contacts. When all was said and done we had a total of 140 contacts in 2 DX entities 1 Canadian Province, 32 different states, and 30 Tennessee counties.
Our official log was sent in on Thursday evening with a total of 130 contacts as we removed the duplicate contacts from the hand written log. I'd imagine we should know something about how The Toadtown Team did sometime in October. We certainly had a whole lot of fun and look forward to the next contest.

Anyway, that's about all I've got for now. Check out the TV Station Tour pictures below and stay tuned for pics from the HAM picnic that Jack (KD4TNY) and Teresa (KI4ZQO) will be putting on at Norris Dam State Park. The weekend after that will be the TenTec Hamfest. Anyway, Until then...

73 de AJ4JD
Tim