After just under 7 years, I have worked and confirmed all 488 US Grids to complete the AMSAT GridMaster award! Many thanks to the Super and Sneaky rovers who traveled to these remote areas for activations! I have worked all of these grids portable, most from my front or back yard. All contacts were made with either a D72 or a set of FT-817’s. First Satellite QSO: KV4FL SO-50 4/29/17First Confirmed Grid: K0FFY ISS APRS 4/30/17Last 488 Grid: N6UA SO-50 4/23/24 182 Unique Callsigns provided grids, 64 provided multiple grids Completed GridMaster Map:
Based on some posts from 9k2gv on X, I added Oman, Saudia Arabia, and the UAE to the shared GridMaster Google Sheet. You can get that update HERE. Here are those maps, Unfortunately only 1 confirmed grid on those 3 countries so far via IO-117. SKED’s anyone?: Oman: United Arab Emirates: Oman:
Below are my current GridMaster Maps as of 6/3/23. Only 3 left (DN37, DN02 & DL88) for the AMSAT GridMaster award! Thanks, Rovers🚙🚗!!! Here is KE4AL’s original GridMaster post. I have updated the Google Sheets map to include some other areas, take a look HERE. I got a lot of these grids from following @GridMasterHeatMap on Twitter. After you create your map, e-mail it to gridmasterheat AT comcast DOT net and you will get tagged when a rover is in a grid you need. Total Grids: 663! US GridMaster: 485 / 488 US GridMaster Premium: 490 / 497 Alaska: 19/235…
Amateur Radio Satellite Contact with Astronaut @AxiomSpace Ax-2 Pilot John Shoffner on the ISS with Andrew KE8FZT. John, call sign NA1SS, is using the IORS radio in the Columbia module of the International Space Stations. Andrew was using 2 – FT-817’s with an Arrow 2 portable antenna.
Amateur Radio Satellite Radio contact with @NASA Astronaut Kjell Lindgren (NA1SS) on the International Space Station and Andrew KE8FZT in Portage, MI. Kjell is using the IORS radio in the Columbus module of the ISS, Andrew is using an Icom 821H Radio with an Arrow 2 handheld antenna. Also heard: W8OSS, AI5VX, KC1MMC, NA1SA. Featuring my Dad on Fathers Day! Keep an eye on the @ARISS_Intl: More information on the ISS crossband repeater: https://www.amsat.org/amateur-radio-on-the-iss/ chirp config for FM Voice Repeater:
Here is a quick reference guide to switching between the ISS and FalconSat-3 on a D72: https://andrewbnortham.com/ke8fzt/d72-satellite-aprs-quick-reference/
Exchanged a few packets with a new (to us) satellite yesterday, FalconSat-3. I decided to write up my D72 config: https://andrewbnortham.com/ke8fzt/falconsat/
