06/25/2007 | WD5DCZ Even though I have had a ticket for over 25 years, I just upgraded from Tech Plus to General on June 2nd of this year. My OM (K5BZH) and I had planned to operate in the field in Knox County, but plans went astray, in fact we had some wrenches tossed into to operating from the house, but managed to overcome them.

We operated under my call. I made 53 phone contacts and let Jim make a dozen CW contacts. Not having my hard copy of my new ticket, I was signing WD5DCZ temporary AG. Let me tell you, that is a mouthful in a contest. Conditions werent too good, but we gave it a good college try. Truthfully our biggest mistake was not running off our generator so we could have been 1E instead of 1D, that cost me a few states I was trying to collect for a WAS. To provide an example, every Nevada station I heard (there was a bunch) was running 1D and being 1D myself, the rules stated that I wasnt allowed to work them. I still captured 29 states and 1 Canadian province.

Least I forget, I want to say thanks to all of you for being patient with me and I even forgive a couple of you for making fun of the way I say West Texas.

As a comment, the enclosure N8XMS (see his pictures in this years soapbox) used in his backyard portable in this years Field Day looked like the cats meow, wouldnt mind having one like it.

I can report that life is still good. My new ticket arrived in Mondays mail, along with a QSL from SY9CVY in Crete who provided my first contact as a general. Now if those blankety blank sunspots will just start improving. -- WD5DCZ