11/25/2009 | W8EDU I've just returned to Case Western Reserve University as a physics graduate student, and it just so happened that this was my first year doing W8EDU's phone effort by myself. And wow, what a blast! I managed about 20 hours on the air between Saturday night and Sunday, getting a clean sweep and 780 contacts. I'm very proud of my first solo effort, particularly since most of the checks I got from other operators were from before I was born!

Most things ran relatively smoothly at the station this year (thanks to W8WTS for helping out when they didn't) and the last holdouts for the Sweep were AK, NT, and PR of all places... Of course I got five Alaska contacts returning my CQs after I went out of my way to find one on the band, funny how that works sometimes, and was frustrated at my inability to hear the NT stations for a long time despite keeping an eye on the spots. Luck came through about a half hour before sunset for NT- good thing, I was starting to get nervous- and PR was a cinch after that. To quote a non-Ham friend after I announced my Sweep on Facebook (along with the obligatory explanation of what this "Ham radio thing" was), it's nice to know that if civilization collapses I will be better connected than the Twitterati ever will.

As a last note, it was great to hear so many YLs my age or younger on the air this contest, as well as so many other school stations.
Hoping to hear some more of you all next year so the precedent doesn't confuse as many Hams during the exchange ("Sierra, Sierra, S for School Station"), but until then I hope to work you guys during School Club Roundup!

73, de Yvette, KB3HTS.
-- W8WTS