In this post, we will review the following topics:

• 2023/2024 SEASON TO GET UNDER WAY OCT 1ST
• NET CONTROL OPERATOR SCHEDULE, AND NCS OPENINGS
• GERATOL NET BOD and OFFICER POSITIONS
• NEW CERTIFICATE FOR ALL OPERATORS, WITH OR WITHOUT G NUMBERS

NEW SEASON STARTS OCT 1ST AT 0100Z TIME

The net will launch it’s Fall/Winter session for 2023/24, on Oct 1st at 0100Z on 3.668 Mhz

Don’t forget, Oct 1st, Zulu time, means the net launches on Sept 30th, at 9PM Eastern

Let’s start the net off, and all have a chance just to say hi, and see how we survived the summer months.

NET CONTROL OP SCHEDULE AND OPENINGS

Per Frosty, here is the latest NCS Op schedule:

• SUNDAY – FROSTY W0FP
• MONDAY – NCS OP NEEDED
• TUESDAY – RON AA8PI
• WEDNESDAY – BOB AI4IL
• THURSDAY – STEVE AC1DR
• FRIDAY – NCS OP NEEDED
• SATURDAY – STEVE AC0SG

Anyone interested in volunteering as NCS, please contact Frosty, W0FP

Once again, we wish to thank ALL our NCS Ops, past, present and future, for their willingness to withstand rough band conditions, and for keeping the GERATOL Net a viable WAS Net on 80 Meters for 50 years and counting. Well done folks !!

GERATOL NET BOD/OFFICER POSITIONS

Anyone interested in volunteering to serve in the capacity of Awards Manager, should please contact Frosty, W0FP. Awards manager is an appointed position.

As part of the nomination process for our upcoming election, anyone interested in running for any of the GERATOL Board of Director elected officer positions, including: Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer or Secretary, should make sure to notify the nominating committee, once they are appointed. We will notify the operators soliciting nominations via a POST on our website, and on the net in the weeks ahead of the election.

Sandy, KJ8W our current Treasurer, has announced she will not be running for re-election to the that position. She will remain as Treasurer however, until the upcoming election.

NEW GERATOL NET CERTIFICATE !

On behalf of the GERATOL Net Chairman who has approved the launch of a new Certificate, we are pleased to announce this new CERTIFICATE will be offered beginning this Fall. It is entitled the “CALL AREA CHALLENGE”

To qualify for this colorful certificate, you must work all call sign formats, in each of the 10 United States call areas. The call sign formats you must work in each call area include:

• 1×2 example: W0FP
• 2×2 example: AC0SG
• 2×1 example: KJ3C
• 1×3 example: K2DJL
• 2×3 example: KA4CZL

To complete the requirements for this new certificate, that means you need a total of 5 QSO’s with each call sign format, from all 10 United States call areas, for a grand total of 50 QSO’s. All QSO’s must be made during the net, or on the net frequency of 3.668 Mhz. A template for tracking your progress on the Certificate is now available on our website to download, under the top tool bar, under FILES, then under ADDITIONAL AIDS AND FORMS FOR THE GERATOL NET.

Only QSO’s that take place after 10/1/23 (Zulu time) will be allowed to complete the requirements for this certificate. Also, for 6th and 7th Call Areas, you do not need to work a KH6 or KL7 station, simply work all call sign formats, from the 6th and 7th call areas, as you would for all the others.

The call sign number, must coincide with the call area to count, hence the name for the certificate, CALL AREA CHALLENGE. For example, working K3RI would only qualify for a 1×2 call sign from the third call area. Working K3RI from MA would not qualify for a 1×2 from MA. However, if K3RI is in MA, it would still qualify for the 1×2 from the third call area.

Also, to qualify for the special W1G Endorsement, you must work W1G during it’s activated period, from March 17th through March 23rd. Previous QSO’s with W1G from last season, do not count.

Simply keep track of your progress using the template, and when completed, send it via email or snail mail to Kevin, N1KL who will be issuing the certificate, until a new Awards Manager is designated.

Send email with completed log information to: N1KL@ARRL.NET

Or if you decide to send via snail mail send your completed log form/application to:
Kevin Lynch N1KL
POB 124
Wheelwright, MA 01094

Please be sure to put your call sign, and name on the log form sent. That information, is what will be placed on the certificate. Also, by adding your email address on the form, it would assist in quickly resolving any issues that may arise.

In addition, there will be a special ENDORSEMENT for this certificate. To qualify for the Endorsement, you need to work the special event call sign, “W1G” which will once again be active in 2024 from March 17, 2024 through March 23rd 2024. Previous QSO’s with W1G during 2023 do not qualify for this endorsement. W1G will be operational during the net.

There will be no fee charged for obtaining this certificate, nor for the endorsement. Simply complete the requirements, fill out the log form application, and send it off to Kevin N1KL. A hard copy of the certificate will be mailed to your snail mail address. If your address differs from QRZ database, please make sure Kevin knows the correct address.

Good luck chasing this requirements for this new Certificate, and let’s start the Fall season off with a great showing, this coming Saturday evening.

73, Kevin N1KL GERATOL Website Admin and Public Relations Officer

GERATOL BOARD and APPOINTED OPENINGS !!!

AWARDS MANAGER NEEDED !!

Frosty, W0FP and GERATOL Net Chairman, has informed me that our long time, and diligent Awards Manager, Dave – KJ8V is stepping down from his position as AWARDS MANAGER. Dave, has done yeoman work on the entire GERATOL Award process and database.

After inheriting a rather challenging set of data, he worked very hard over several years to insure the continuity of both GERATOL and DIRECTOR numbers, and to confirm the accuracy of historical data, to insure they followed the tradition of the net. He is to be commended for his tireless efforts, and for continuing to provide the AWARDS, ENDORSEMENTS and CERTIFICATES we all enjoy chasing each year. Especially for the folks with new numbers, getting their GERATOL and D numbers, is a rewarding culmination to hard work, and Dave has made that happen for many operators. Much appreciated Dave.

Anyone interested in volunteering to fill this appointed position, should reach out to our Chairman, W0FP to let him know you would be interested. Thanks to Dave’s hard work, the transition to a new Awards Manager should be a seamless effort.

GERATOL BOARD MEMBER – TREASURER NEEDED !!

In conjunction with Dave’s retirement as our Awards Manager, Sandy, KJ8W, our current GERATOL NET Treasurer, has also submitted her resignation to Frosty, our Chairman. Once again, we thank Sandy for her efforts as our Net Treasurer for many years, and for both her and Dave’s underwriting of the 50th Anniversary Award, which net members truly enjoyed. Well done, Sandy and Dave.

As Chairman, Frosty can appoint an interim Treasurer, up until a new election is scheduled. This being an odd year, it is an election year. Nominations are typically taken for elected positions, such as Treasurer, in December of the election year. So, this December, if you would like to run for the Treasurer position, now is the time to start planning. In the mean time, if needed, Frosty can appoint an interim Treasurer.

Rumor has it, that both Dave and Sandy plan to spend even more time in Floriday this Winter. God speed to both of them, and we know they will enjoy the warmer climate, (I know I will this year also) and maybe get a chance to relax and not have to worry about net operations this winter.

Again, feel free to pass along your thanks to both Dave and Sandy for their outstanding efforts, and support of our grand old GERATOL Net ! 50- years and counting !! You can make a COMMENT on this POST thanking them, send them a QSL with a thank you, or simply email them.

THE GOOD OLD DAYS !!!

For those who have been on the net for many years, some of the information shown from this old newsletter sent out by the net, may bring back some fond memories.

For those who may not have been around that long, or who may be new to the net, these old excerpts may make for interesting reading, and provide some additional insight about the net, and it’s humble beginnings.

My thanks to Barry, K2MF for providing copies of these old newsletters, and for agreeing to let us share the content. Barry was the Newsletter author back in the day.

Below is an example of page 1 of an old newsletter, sent out via snail mail. This one from August of 1982. How many of you folks have worked the stations listed below, at one time or another ? Also, note the net frequency, at the time. This frequency was in the Extra Class portion of the band, prior to frequency reallocation by FCC for Extra Class ops.

Here is another excerpt from 1982, explaining how to submit your cards, application, etc. to the ARRL which used to award the Special 75 Meter WAS certificate for the GERATOL Net, which was serialized and became our GERATOL number. Nowadays, of course, our awards manager issues the Unbelievable Operating Achievement Award, where you get your serialized GERATOL Number. The numbers, following ARRL dropping the award, remain sequential from the last one issued by ARRL.

Here is yet another interesting snapshot from 1982, which shows the last number issued, as of August, 1982. # 677 was issued to Jon, NQ4Z Anyone recognize # 667 ?? Yup, Harlan has been checking into the net for quite some time !! (See below)

Finally, here is a picture (Rough copy from old newsletter, but a nice piece of history) from the 1982 Hamvention at Dayton. The GERATOL gang would try, as they do today, to meet up for an eye ball QSO during the convention. (Note the hippy with the beard in the back row !)

We hope you enjoyed this brief trip down memory lane, and we may publish a few more in the future, since Barry was able to find, copy and send a few more newsletters.

NET BEGINS AGAIN IN OCTOBER !!

Don’t forget, the net starts up once again, beginning 0100Z on October 1st, (Zulu time of course) so get ready to stop by the net. We are hoping to have our NCS stations from last season on hand, but in case we need to fill some empty slots, simply reach out to Frosty, W0FP and he would be more than happy to put you on his NCS back up list.

Keep an eye out for a new POST, in the coming days, where we will be unveiling a new CERTIFICATE being offered by the net, and which will be challenging, yet fun for all. No G number needed to go for this one, but more to come. Stay tuned !!!

All the best, Kevin N1KL

NEWS FROM OUR CHAIRMAN – Frosty W0FP

Frosty asked me to POST the following information regarding a new GLIST file:

This is a totally new GLIST program, it has all of the original stuff
plus I added an area that shows the military status of the members
GLIST ver 1.10 is brand spanking new
I haven’t released a new update to either the old GLIST ver 1.09
or this new one yet
I will do that a little later.
The old version 1.09 will use Gnumber1.dat
The new version 1.10 will use Gnumber2.dat
They will not work in each other’s program.
73 Frosty W0FP

The new GLIST Version 1.10 is available on the website, under the top menu bar under FILES. Any questions, feel free to reach out to Frosty for additional details.

NEW GERATOL FALL/WINTER SEASON APPROACHING FAST !!

Don’t wait to finish up that last bit of antenna work, or new rig installation, the GERATOL Net new 2023/24 Season will soon be under way, beginning in October. Same time, 000Z same frequency 3.668 +/- QRM.

If you have not stopped by the net in a while, please do so, just to say hi, and maybe even help some of the folks working very diligently toward their basic award.

We hope to see, errr, I mean HEAR you soon !! Kevin N1KL

GERATOL NET SILENT KEY UPDATE

I received the following notices from Barry, K2MF about several of our GERATOL colleagues, who became Silent Keys. As always, our condolences to their families and friends, and we will surely miss them all.

• Ken Ruddock K6HNZ G # 217
  
  
• Jim Bobo W5ODD G # 1099
  
  
• Larry Card W9CC G # 725
  
  

Our thanks to Barry for providing us this latest update.