We would like to welcome aboard, the newest batch of Subscribers to our GERATOL Website. Welcome each and every one of you, and if you should have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask Kevin, N1KL (n1kl@arrl.net) or Bob, AI4IL (AI4IL@ARRL.net) We are both good on QRZ.

NEW SUBSCRIBERS

• AB4GR – Don from GA, who was first licensed in 1972
• KD2JO – Joe from NY, and the beautiful city of Oneonta
• KD2NZO – Bill also from NY and his SB221 sounds great on 80
• W3WC – Peter from PA and a member of the Allegheny Valley Radio Club
• K8AFP – Gerald from SC, the Palmetto State
• KD9UFQ – Larry from WI

Welcome gentlemen, and thanks for taking the time to subscribe to our website, and we hope to work you on the net in the near future !!

73, Kevin N1KL Website Administrator

Just a reminder to our subscribers, our Special Event station, K1G will be on the net frequency each evening at 0100Z, on 3.668. Anyone who has not worked K1G as yet, should stop by and say hi and work the special event to celebrate 54th year of the GERATOL WAS Net.

See you soon !

K1G is active through to this Friday evening, 3/13/26

73, Kevin N1KL

Just a reminder to all our net members, and especially the NCS Ops, this weekend we SPRING AHEAD !

Mar 8, 2026 – Daylight Saving Time Starts

When local standard time is about to reach
Sunday, March 8, 2026, 2:00:00 am clocks are turned forward 1 hour to
Sunday, March 8, 2026, 3:00:00 am local daylight time instead.

Sunrise and sunset will be about 1 hour later on Mar 8, 2026 than the day before. There will be more light in the evening and less light in the morning.

Also called Spring Forward, Summer Time, and Daylight Savings Time.

After your initial reaction of YUCK ! Mine too, let’s remember the net still starts at 0100Z, but now begins at 9PM Eastern time. I should be the first NCS victim of the time change, so hope to hear you all on 3.668 at 0100Z on Sunday evening, or 9PM Eastern.

73, Kevin N1KL

The GERATOL Net will be operating special event station, K1G from March 3rd through to March 14th, to commemorate the nets 54th anniversary as a Worked All States net in the Extra Class portion of the
80 Meter band.

In addition to working our Special Event station, we cordially invite you to join us on the net some evening, to say hi and to check out the various awards, certificates and endorsements we offer to Extra Class Radio Operators.

The BASIC WAS Award, which is the only award that requires QSL cards, is one of the most challenging awards in Amateur Radio. Since it’s founding 54 years ago, the net has only issued 2680 Awards. The good news is, as you work toward that goal, there are numerous other events, awards and certificates that are open to anyone checking into the net.

To receive a QSL after working K1G simply send your QSL, with contact information, along with an SASE to the following address:

N1KL
POB 124
Wheelwright, MA 01094

In addition, the net will be offering a printable Certificate available for downloading on our website, to those who work K1G.

K1G Volunteer Operator Schedule:

K1G V6 SCHEDULE 2026-latest version testing.xlsx

MONTANA and OREGON SKED IS ON !

Just a reminder, this Saturday evening at 12 Midnight Eastern, or 0500Z,
both Oregon and South Dakota will be on frequency. (3.668 +/- QRM)

John from South Dakota will be on once again, and our old friend Bill, from Oregon will also be there to work anyone who needs them for the BASIC and for any other Certificates, Endorsements or Awards.

SILENT KEYS

With sadness, we are reporting the loss of two of our fellow GERATOLers.

George, W4OUI from Alabama GERATOL # 554

Angelo, W8ERN from Michigan GERATOL # 1610

Our condolences to their family and friends on their passing.

We will surely miss them.

(Information submitted by Barry: K2MF)

GET READY !!!

For those who have been diligently working toward completing the VETERAN’s SALUTE AWARD, stand by because we have some breaking news, about those requirements.

Our Awards Manager, Bob – AI4IL has approved the following changes to this award.

RULES:
You must contact two each U.S. Veteran or Active Duty service member from: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard or Space Force, in each of the contiguous 48 states. 96 contacts are required for this award. No QSL cards required.  The two vets/active duty ops per state, must not be from the same branch of service, but any combination of two different branches.    

PLEASE NOTE:  These revised requirements go into effect starting immediately but ALL QSO’s made from 01/05/2015 are good toward the new requirements. 

This award is an ongoing award with no ending date. You do not need to have a GERATOL number to work towards this award. No GERATOL numbers are required from the stations contacted.

Typical log style information is required such as; Call sign, Name, Date, State, Time, Signal Report and branch of service of stations contacted. Frequency must be to four digits. (See the link below for Application forms)

Please note: If you work a remote station, such as N1KL who is remote from CO, his Navy Vet status is GOOD for CO, or any state from which he, or other remote ops may be operating. 

To apply for this award, send a check for $10.00 made out to our Awards Manager, AI4IL – Bob Gurka, along with the appropriate log information to receive the award.

For log and application form, go to the GERATOL Website, click on AWARDS on the menu bar, then click on OTHER AWARDS AND CERTIFICATES, scroll down to Veterans Salute Award and the log form is located on the attached link.

Any questions should be sent to either Bob – AI4IL or Kevin – N1KL

Montana will be on frequency (3.668) this coming Saturday evening, at 12 Midnight, Eastern time.

Steve, KA4CZL from NC has made arrangements with John from MT, to be on our net frequency, this Saturday evening, Feb 1st

In addition, I will be on from either WA or CO to make sure we can hear John, and alert him you guys are calling.

I will also notify via email the following Ops:

W3NU
KD2NZO
AA3KC

Regards, and good hunting……

Thanks to Steve for arranging this sked with MT

Kevin N1KL

Hey everyone. Good news is the website transfer is FINALLY completed. Both the DOMAIN NAME and CONTENT have been successfully transferred over to the new owners.

We can now begin the process of updating the site, and fixing some of the previous links, etc. we had been hoping to address, prior to the transfer.

73, Kevin N1KL

Silent Key Update

We have been informed by Barry, K2MF about the passing of an old time GERATOLer…..

I am sorry to report that John Kanode, N4MM, G# 48, became a silent key on 1/13/2026. You can see this on QRZ.

From K2MF, Barry: “I first remember hearing about John when I first got on the Geratol Net in December, 1978, since he was the 48th person to earn the coveted 2-letter 75m WAS award, but I never did hear him or work him. Unfortunately, I don’t have the exact date he earned this award. It looks to me like he was the first double suffix ever who earned a G#.”

More about John from his old QRZ page:

First licensed in August 1952 as WN4WSF. Upgraded to General in May 1953 and to Amateur Extra in December 1958.

Served as manager of the W4/K4/N4 ARRL QSL Bureau in the 1970’s. Elected ARRL Vice Director for the Roanoke Division in 1981 and to ARRL Director in 1989. Elected ARRL Vice President in 2000.

Received the ARRL Roanoke Division Special Service Award in 1984 and was inducted into the CQ DX Hall of Fame in 2000.

Past calls held were W4WSF, K5UYF, HP1XWS, KZ5II (Canal Zone), PJ9KK, KK4ITU, KJ4ITU.(Special Calls for ITU Week),N200MM.

Served on the ARRL DX and Contest Advisory Committees and the CQ DX Awards Committee and the CQ Contest Committee.

Member of the North Shenandoah DX Association, National Capitol DX Association, Potomac Valley Radio Club and the Shenandoah Valley Amateur Radio Club.

Life member of ARRL, QCWA, AMSAT, INDXA and IARC.

Elected ARRL Honorary Vice President in January 2003.

Top of the Honor Roll for DXCC, DXCC Challenge Award 2986. VUCC 6Meters #4 1055 grids, 2M 159 grids, 70 CM 58 grids.

Member:  The ARRL Maxim Society, Member of the NSDXA-SVARC ARRL VE Team, Conducted over 180 VE Sessions.

Our thoughts go out to John’s family and friends on his passing. May he rest in peace.

Kevin, N1KL

Attached below is a thumb nail sample of our new award, the “FROSTY AWARD“, commemorating our late Chairman of the Board.

A very colorful award to commemorate the work of our former long serving Chairman of the Board – W0FP, Frosty

Bob – AI4IL, our Awards Manager has done an awesome job creating this colorful award, which will be granted to those who complete the requirements. Remember also, stickers will be awarded for each of the elements you complete.

Bob announced on the net Sunday evening, you have a choice of how you would like to receive the award. Once you complete the award and send your application to Bob, you will be able to download a printable version off our website, or you can request a formal professionally printed version upon request. The downloadable version is free, but the specially printed version will cost $10.

Speaking to a few regulars on the net, they are having fun chasing this latest award, and are making fairly good progress already……it will be interesting to see who will be the first to complete the requirements.

GERATOL SPECIAL EVENT

We are pleased to announce the GERATOL Net will once again be running a Special “1×1” call sign special event station some time in 2026. Stay tuned for more information

73, Kevin N1KL

A time for giving thanks !! All the best to our fellow GERATOLers, their families and friends. We hope your turkey is moist, and your gravy is plentiful !!!

FROSTY AWARD REMINDER

THE FROSTY AWARD LAUNCHES DECEMBER 1st, but remember that is November 30th our time, since 0100Z net time, is December 1st. All QSO’s made on that date or later, will qualify to help you finish the new award in honor of our late Chairman of the Board, Frosty Phillips – W0FP

AWARD LOG FORM

The log form for this award can be downloaded by clicking on the Download link below. Simply open the excel file, save it to your computer and start updating it with your QSO’s

If you don’t have excel, you can use the attached pdf form, and fill out the log form by hand. Again, click on the Download button below, and get started. (PS Try to be as legible as possible for our Awards Manager.)

Let’s have fun working on this latest Award, and we are sure Frosty would be very appreciative of keeping his legacy with the GERATOL net for years to come !!

Any and all questions surrounding the award, including the rules, etc. may be directed to Bob, AI4IL or Phil, AE4GH. Both are good on the QRZ pages.