Oklahoma LOTW confirmation received. Still waiting for Missouri. So now, I have 249/250 states confirmed for 5-band Worked All States. One of these days (I hope), this award will be completed. During the past week the bands have been terrible. 10 meters seems to suffer the most, even though this time of year things are supposed to improve. This just doesn’t seem to be the case right now.

I have finished up working all 50 states for the 5-band WAS award. I worked Delaware on 10m JT65 on Monday, May 13, 2013. Now just awaiting confirmations from Missouri and Oklahoma so that paperwork can be submitted to the ARRL.

In summary, when I got serious in obtaining this award on Dec 21, 2012, I had 149 of the 250 states worked and confirmed. It has been a challenge to get the last few on each band. However, 80m and 40m turned out to be the easiest to finish, while 10m turned out to be the most difficult.

So right now: 250/250 worked and 248/250 confirmed.

It has been over a month since providing an update. Carolyn and I left on May 1 to go out to Oregon to see Andrew and his fiance Katie. We helped (or hindered) them in their move to their first house that they just bought. We also were able to do some sightseeing while there, going to Smith Rock State Park, Sisters, the headwaters of Metolius River that comes right out of the ground and then within a few feet is a wide and fast flowing river. and the fish hatchery nearby. What a beautiful spot. We also went to Prineville and saw the reservoir and damn there and the beautiful drive along Crooked River. Carolyn said she wants to move to Oregon one of these days. The drive from Portland was just spectacular, especially passing Mt. Hood, which had a lot of snow and ice on it. Just breathtaking. We returned to Virginia on May 7th.

Katie’s mom, Jackie was there also.  It was our first time to meet her.  She is a wonderful lady.  Andrew will have a wonderful Mother-in-Law after they get married on June 20th, in just over a month, at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.

I have included a picture of Katie’s cat, Paisley.  What a cute cat.

On the 5-band WAS effort, I am now just down to working Delaware and South Carolina, and awaiting confirmations from Oklahoma and Missouri. All of this remaining effort is on 10 meters.  It would be nice to wrap this this up soon.

I worked NH and PA late this afternoon on 10m. The band just opened up enough to make the contacts. Both have been confirmed via LOTW.

Current states needed on 10m are: AR DE IA KS LA MO NE ND OK SC WI

I would like to thank Mr. Paul L. Herrman, N0NBH, for having his Solar Data Banners & Widgets available for use on any website. The information provided is invaluable when it comes to providing propagation data to the amateur radio operator (and others). Paul has always been prompt when replying to any technical/administrative questions about his service. Thanks, Paul!

Since the last update.  Worked and confirmed AL NY SD on 10m.  Confirmations for GA on 15m and GA TN on 10m were received.  So now 80m, 40m, 20m, and 15m are complete.

Current states needed on 10m are:  AR DE IA KS LA MO NE NH ND OK PA SC WI

Yesterday was our 17th anniversary. Where have all the years gone? They sure have gone by really fast.

A big thank you to my son Adam for posting the decorative NJ3H at the top of the screen. Appreciate it.

Worked MI and TN today.

Still awaiting AL and GA confirmations on 15m
Still awaiting NC and TN confirmations on 10m.

States still needed on 10m:
AL AR DE IA KS LA MO NE NH NY NC ND OH OK PA SC SD TN WI

Still working on the 5BWAS project. Finished all contacts needed for 15m yesterday (NH was the last one needed).  Still awaiting Logbook of the World confirmations for my contacts with Alabama and Georgia from last week.   So on to the final band – 10 meters. Currently I have 30 states worked and 29 confirmed. Waiting on a confirmation from Georgia. States still needed to be worked are:

AL AR DE IA KS LA MI MO NE NH NY NC ND OH OK PA SC SD TN WI

Notice all the western US is complete. Just waiting for short distance propagation. Hopefully as the summer rolls around.

I made my first JT9-1 contact this evening. It was with K1JT, Joe Taylor, who is the developer of the JT65 and JT9 protocols. Joe is a Nobel Laurette. It was an honor to have him as my first JT9 QSO. I was running 10 watts to a 5BTV on 160m. Yes, I know that antenna doesn’t cover that band, but the Kenwood TS-940S’s auto-tuner pretended to tune up there. K1JT is located in Princeton, NJ.

I started in Dec 2012 to work on the ARRL 5-band WAS award. I went through old QSL cards and Logbook of the World confirmations. Out of the 250 band-states needed, I had confirmed 149 band-states.

Being in the winter season, I felt it was important to finish up the low bands (80m and 40m). On 80m, I had 21 states confirmed and on 40m I had 41 states confirmed. Both of those bands are now complete as all 50 states are now confirmed. On 20m, I had 43 states confirmed. That band has now been completed also.

The real challenge is going to be 15m and 10m. In Dec 2012, I had 18 confirmed on 15m and 26 confirmed on 10m. Band conditions have not been very good on 10m, but some progress has been made on 15m. Currently, I have 37 confirmed on 15m and 27 confirmed on 10m.

Most needed states over the last couple of months have been worked on JT65. 10m has had very few band openings for me.

Hopefully, as the spring and summer approach, 15m and 10m will open up and allow contacts to be made on these bands.