Today I received a box in the mail that I was not expecting. After I soaked it in water in case it was a bomb, I opened it and found a pleasant surprise from the net: The Phoenix Award.

Thank you all that had a hand in this. It means a lot to me. I have worked towards many of the net awards and endorsements, but never seemed to get around to ever applying for them. I always enjoyed the actual on-air part more and I kept procrastinating. This one was a complete surprise.

I don’t remember when it was I started the web page for the net, but it began very simply as a project while I was learning HTML. I hoped my tinkering with it could turn into something useful to the net. Several hosts later and a couple of domain name changes (Remember www.freeport.net/~geratol?) it’s become a central point of communication for the net.

Since handing the reins over to Kevin N1KL, we’ve got the site running smoothly and added some features to make it even better. I know it will continue to serve the net well under his guidance, and I will assist when needed.

Thank you again. I will place this in a prominent place in my shack!

73, Al AE2T #1800

(Just kidding about soaking it in water!)

Kevin and I have been working on this web site and we have noticed a few people have gone ahead and created accounts. It’s great to see the interest.

I have approved all the registrations that were not obvious spam. One problem for any site like this is, there are all kinds of people and bots that want to exploit it for advertising or worse reasons. To prevent nasty posts, we have set things up so that every new user that registers needs to be activated manually by an administrator. If you register and it looks like nothing happened, that’s why.

To help us out so that we can tell the real people from the spammers, to be approved we need to see a callsign in either the user name or the email address. For most of us, that is not a problem, we can do one or the other.

Comments will be allowed on posts, such as this, that appear under NEWS on the right, but comments will not be allowed on pages, such as the rules for an award, or other static information.

We hope that some discussion will be relevant to the topics posted and increase interest in the web site. Please help keep them on topic and civil so they can continue.

The settings and inner workings of the site are complicated and might not work out perfectly at first. If there is a glitch, please bear with us.

Al AE2T

The GERATOL Board  recently approved the launch of our latest and very challenging award called the 50/50 Award.

The gist of this award is to work all 50 states, in keeping with the tradition of our net, and in addition you must work 50 stations who have been continuously licensed for 50 years or more !!!  See details below:

                                               GERATOL NET 50/50 AWARD RULES

The GERATOL NET 50/50 Award is open to all U.S. and Canadian amateurs, with operating privileges in the Extra Class portion of the 75 Meter amateur band. Qualifying contacts for the award, must be made 03/01/2017 or later. Candidates must also use the GERATOL 50/50 Award form, to log and summarize their results.
Successful candidates must complete both of the following criteria to qualify for the award:
1. Make and log contact with each of the 50 United States, starting on 03/01/2017 or later.
a. Two way SSB QSO’s only are permitted
b. Contacts must be made in the Extra Class portion of the 75 Meter Ham band

2. Make and log contacts with Amateur Radio Operators, who have been continually licensed 50 or more years, as confirmed by the station operator being contacted. All QSO’s must be made 03/01/2017 or later.
a. Two way SSB QSO’s only are permitted
b. Contacts must be made in the Extra Class portion of the 75 Meter Ham band
c. Stations with 50 + years licensed can be from any state in the United States
d. Multiple states can be used. For example, a successful candidate for the award, can work as many
licensed hams with 50+ years in a state as he/she can make QSO with

For Example: Working six hams from New Jersey with 50+ years, all six QSO’s would count toward the total of 50 stations with 50+ worked

Stations worked for either segment of the 50/50 Award, (W.A.S. or Years Licensed) may have any formatted call sign, 1×2, 2×1, 2×2, 1×3 or 2×3.

No QSL cards are needed to complete this award. Applications are based on the honor system.

Be sure to inform the Awards Manager how you would like to have your name appear on the award: For example: John A. Smith, or Johnny Smith, etc.

Candidates who qualify for the award, must send the completed 50/50 Award Log form, along with __$ 5___ to the GERATOL Awards Manager, Dave Ertel KJ8V to apply for the award. Please make $5.00 check payable to Dave Ertel.

50 50 AWARD 4 Sample
50 50 Award Application Form

I just updated the site to reflect the most recent names of Net Officials and their correct e-mail and/or physical addresses.   In addition, I posted the latest set of RULES for the Veteran’s Salute Award, which references the tool in GNEC that Frosty created for tracking progress of same,  along with a link that shows you a SAMPLE of the award.  In addition I have added the RULES for the latest Award, the 50/50 Award, along with a link showing a SAMPLE of how that award appears.

All the best,  Kevin  N1KL

The GNEC data file has been updated to version 1.26. It’s available on the Files page.

I’ve updated the above files to the latest versions. You’ll find them in the Files section of the website.

Thank you to the net members that let me know the web site was not working. It’s now fixed and fully updated.

WordPress has made great strides in making their blogging platform painless, but once in a while there is still a hiccup. Something got messed up (that’s a technical term) during an update of either a plugin or the main program. I simply had to do a manual update, which consisted of replacing all the files with the new version manually, then running an update script.

Next step – I will get the info on the new award added.

The October board meeting of the GERATOL Net was held on 3.668Mhz at 0100UTC (8PM CDST) on 29 Oct 2014.

Present were: W0FP, KJ8V, KJ8W, AI4IL, WV9O, WX4H, and AA0ZP. A quorum was present.

The Chairman asked if there was any old business; there being none, he asked for any new business.

There were two items: first, W0FP is making changes and updates to the Net Information Packet.

Second, AI4IL is updating and making changes to the Net Preamble.

There being no additional business, the Chairman asked for a motion to adjourn. AA0ZP so moved and KJ8W seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously passed and the meeting was adjourned at 0104UTC.

Respectfully submitted, Frank Taylor – AA0ZP, Secretary-GERATOL Net

Congratulations to new Vice Chairman, Marv, WV9O, #2448. This is the only change resulting from the recent election.