Greetings fellow GERATOLers. We hope you are all well, and enjoying the summer as best you can, given the current environment.

We have a few items of interest for our net members:

First, we would like to welcome a new registration member to our website: Bill – W6ST, who hails from AZ. Bill has been a licensed ham operator for 50 years, so we hope he can join us on the air this fall. Especially for those of you looking to complete your 50/50 Award. Bill, that award is available for everyone on the net to work toward, and the requirements include working all 50 states, and also to work 50 operators, like yourself, who have been licensed for 50 years or more, hence the 50/50 aspect. Some of the guys have finished that challenging award, but I am sure there are several more who are looking to wrap it up in the coming GERATOL 2020/2021 Season. At any rate, welcome aboard, and we hope to hear you on this fall.

Second, our Awards Manager Dave, KJ8V has posted some sad news on the website, listing a few of our fellow GERATOLers as Silent Keys: Dave writes: “K3TX Dave PA #990, WU6I Dave CA #1078 call reissued and Fred N9TA IN # 2031. RIP Guys you will be missed – Dave, KJ8V“

Third, it won’t be very long, and before you know it, October 1st will be upon us, and the net will once again be in session. So if you have any antenna work remaining (As do I) let’s take advantage of the warm weather to make those changes/improvements, or in my case full replacements done before the net starts off. Thanks to fellow GERATOLer – Steve, N9SC G#2370, for kicking me in the butt, and getting me to purchase a new antenna as well as using his “Pressurized Launcher” to get the antenna rope up and over a huge pine tree !!

Finally, I’ve been speaking to our Awards Manager Dave, KJ8V about a new award for the coming season to whet the appetite of old and new net attendees, and he confirmed with me last time we spoke, that he and Sandy, KJ8W are brewing up a good one. I won’t let the cat out of the bag, but rest assured it should be fun, and if only one net member works toward this new award, it will reflect more activity than last year’s “dud” known as “The GERATOL INVITATIONAL AWARD” Hey, you can’t say I didn’t try….win some and lose some. At least everyone seemed to enjoy the 50/50 Award chase !!!

All the best, and take a minute to place a “Comment” on this POST, to welcome Bill aboard, or to make any comments about this POST.

Regards, Kevin N1KL Website Administrator

As a Worked All States net, we are continuing to share several fun facts about those “states” we are attempting to work, as we strive toward completion of the Unbelievable Operating Achievement Award, or any of the other awards and/or endorsements.

This week, we focus on the “Old Line State”. Maryland was the 7 th state in the USA; it became a state on April 28,1788.

The state motto is Fatti maschii, parole femine, which is Italian for “Manly deeds, womanly words”. Maryland is the only state with a motto in Italian.

The state bird is the Baltimore Oriole. The state flower is the Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). The state reptile is the diamondback terrapin. The state crustacean is the blue crab.

Maryland has many places important to the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the American Civil War. One of these places is Fort McHenry, which defended against the British Empire during the War of 1812. Another place is the Antietam National Battlefield, where the Battle of Antietam took place in 1862 during the American Civil War.

Founded by English Catholic settlers who wanted a place where they could freely practice Catholicism, Maryland was the seventh state to join the US. Maryland is known as the “Old Line State,” named after the Maryland Line, a regiment that fought in the American Revolution. Maryland surrounds most of the Chesapeake Bay, and the state is known for its Crabs and Crab Cakes.

Maryland is sometimes called “America in Miniature”. It has a wide topography that ranges from gently rolling hills to pine groves, to sandy dunes, and marshlands near the Chesapeake Bay. Maryland is home to lakes, rivers, and the Atlantic ocean. 400 types of birds, 90 species of mammals, 93 species of reptiles and amphibians, and hundreds of freshwater and marine fish inhabit the borders of Maryland.

Have fun tracking down MD during the upcoming season, and should you work someone from that state, you are now armed with some fun facts about the Old Line State.

Kevin N1KL

Let’s extend a hearty “WELCOME” to our latest GERATOL Net Website Subscribers:

Jim – N8JG Jim hails from Michigan, and will be in demand for his “Initial Call” sign on the net.

Chuck – AA0RI Chuck represents the great state of Arizona, and is an avid CW operator !!

Larry – WA2CNV Larry brings New York on to the net, and with that 2×3 call sign, will help those working on Endorsement # 17 !!

Welcome aboard guys, we hope you can join us this Fall on 3.668 at 0100Z starting October 1st Zulu time !!

Regards, Kevin N1KL Website Administrator

Tools for tracking progress toward BASIC Award, as well as forms to submit your application

A reminder to those chasing the BASIC AWARD, or the Unbelievable Operating Achievement Award, as well as all the GERATOL Endorsements, there are several tools available on the website for tracking your state totals and endorsements, as well as blank copies of the Award Application form.

One of the tools available is the Excel spreadsheet, which allows you to enter a state as you work it, by putting in the word “YES” in the Worked Column, along with the station call sign worked, in the “CALL” section. The spreadsheet then automatically calculates your totals. This can serve as a “quick check” for those working on their basic. Below is an example of the spreadsheet, before any contacts are entered:

Once you begin making contacts, simply put a YES in the state worked, along with the call sign of the station you worked: See below example:

By putting the word YES in worked column, and adding the station worked, the spreadsheet will automatically calculate the number of states you worked, and how many you still need to work. As the example shows, two states were worked and op needs 48 more.

Of course, once you have worked, logged and obtained QSL cards toward your basic, you must submit the application form and proof of QSL to our awards manager, Dave – KJ8V. Below is an example of the form:

Tools for tracking your GERATOL Endorsements

(Just a reminder, to use GNEC, you MUST first download WinEQF logging software, and log your GERATOL QSO’s with WinEQF.)

As a reminder to those returning to the net, and the GERATOL Website, but especially for new folks joining the net, the GERATOL website was not designed to track your individual endorsements and awards.   The site does however, provide links to files in the menu bar, which allow you to download and begin using for your individual tracking purposes. 

For example, using GNEC with the logging files from WinEqf affords a very useful tool for tracking the progress of your individual endorsements.  Below is a typical screen shot of how progress is tracked using Frosty’s GNEC program in conjunction with WinEqf for endorsement status. 

The green color button denotes you are greater than three requirements from being completed.  Yellow only two requirements short and the orange color reflects you only need one more requirement to complete the award and maroon reflects completion.   Here are some examples of the various buttons:

GREEN BUTTON Example: Endorsement #24 requires one to work all 50 with “K” 2×2 Call signs. In this case the op has 14 left to work

YELLOW BUTTON example: Endorsement #2 requires one to work all fifty states with “N” 1×2 Call signs. In this example, the op needs two more to complete the endorsement. (See below example)

ORANGE BUTTON example:  Endorsement #15, you must work all fifty states with “W” 2×1 calls.

In this example, the op needs only to work the state of HI with a “W” 2×1 call.

Another neat feature of GNEC, is the ability for you to print your progress reports for each of the endorsements you are tracking.  As the example above points out, simply hit the PRINT button, after running your status check, and voila.  A nice printed summary of where you stand, which states you need. 

Yet another great tool made available by W0FP, is the GLIST program.   As with GNEC, the GLIST is available on our website, by simply downloading the latest version.   There are detailed instructions on the site, where the files are located, on how to set these tools up. 

As you can see it reflects the GERATOL number, call sign, name, D #, along with other pertinent information endorsement seekers may be looking to obtain.  You not only can sort it by GERATOL number, but by “D” number, Call sign, etc.   See below example:   

Just a reminder, the use of GNEC begins with downloading and using the logging software, WinEqf.   That software is also available on the website for you to download and begin using.  The key is to get your logging software as up to date as possible.  This will insure maximizing the uses of GNEC and GLIST

To do this, if you have not been using WinEqf to log your GERATOL contacts, you may need to import those from whatever logging software you are currently using, or input them manually into WinEqf.  Either way, it’s well worth the effort, for tracking progress against your GERATOL endorsements.

All the files in question, WinEqf, GNEC and GLIST, Basic Tracking Spreadsheet, may be found on our website by opening the website, looking at the main menu bar at the top of the site, and clicking on where it says “Files”   See below:

Once you have clicked on the “FILES” section, shown above. The dropdown menu then shown will list three items, including:  Additional Aids and Forms for the GERATOL Net

Click on Additional Aids and Forms for the GERATOL Net and you will see the following shown below:

Begin by downloading the Win-EQF software.  Set up the software as directed, and begin logging your GERATOL QSO’s.   You can then download GNEC, following the instructions put out by Frosty, W0FP and begin updating GNEC, once you have contacts logged into WinEQF.

Below is a typical WinEqf log page, once properly set up and in use:

Also, remember you need to “marry” your WinEqf logging software to GNEC.  Simply follow the instructions set out by Frosty, W0FP when attempting to do this. Those are found under the instructions, when you download GNEC

Regarding other awards, such as Vet Salute, Director’s Award, 50/50, etc.  There are instructions on the site under the AWARD portion of the menu bar, for how to track and submit your QSO’s for those awards.   Have fun, and good hunting.   Kevin – N1KL

I am sorry to report that George Tomlinson AA4GT G#2533 D#633 became a silent key from complications due to COVID-19 on April 9, 2020, as reported by KN4SWS to N4CD and posted in the County Hunter Web Forum at this link: http://countyhunterweb.org/DisplayForum.php?id=15596.

George was a very active Geratoler as was his wife Mary NV4Z G#885 D#86 whom he married on September 2, 2000 and who predeceased him on July 21, 2018. He was also a very active county hunter and was 86 years old.

We will all miss George. Please stay home and stay safe during this pandemic!

73, Barry K2MF G#325 D#739

As previously posted, over the next few months, we will be featuring information about our 50 States.

As a Worked All States net, it may be interesting to refresh our memories about the states we hear and/or work on the net. This week we will focus on the state of Connecticut, the fifth state to ratify the constitution.

As with all our states, Connecticut has several nicknames. The official nickname is: “The Constitution State.” Connecticut is referred to as the “Constitution State” due to the fact that it has the first written constitution as recognized by many historians. It is also referred to as the “Nutmeg State”, because Connecticut’s early inhabitants had the reputation of being so ingenious and shrewd that they were able to make and sell wooden nutmegs.

Connecticut’s first European settlers were Dutchmen who established a small, short-lived settlement called Fort Hoop in Hartford at the confluence of the Park and Connecticut Rivers.

The Connecticut State Capitol is located north of Capitol Avenue and south of Bushnell Park in Hartford, the capital of Connecticut. The building houses the Connecticut General Assembly; the upper house, the State Senate, and lower house, the House of Representatives, as well as the office of the Governor. How many of you GERATOLers, have worked the Capitol of CT ???

Fun facts about the state of Connecticut:

1. Noah Webster, the author of the first dictionary, lived in West Hartford

2. The first automobile law was passed in Connecticut (and the speed limit was only 12 miles per hour).

3. Connecticut is home to the first hamburger, Polaroid camera, color television, and helicopter.

4. It’s illegal to walk on your hands in Hartford.

5. In order for a pickle to be considered a pickle in Connecticut, it must bounce.

6. Besides being known as the Consitution state, Connecticut is also known as the nutmeg state.

7. Our official state song is “Yankee Doodle.”

8. The Hartford Courant is the oldest continually published newspaper in America.

9. Connecticut never ratified the 18th amendment (prohibition).

10. The smallest natural waterfall in America, Mill Pond Falls, is located in Newington, Connecticut

These are just a few of the interesting facts about Connecticut. Have fun working CT as you pursue your W.A.S. or any of the GERATOL Awards and endorsements, that require you contact the Constitution State. You may wish to mention some of the fun facts to the folks you contact from CT.

01/14/2020

ARRL’s new On the Air podcast for those just getting started on their amateur radio journey, will debut this Thursday, January 16, with a new podcast posted each month. The podcast is a companion to the new bimonthly On the Air magazine, which is already on its way to member subscribers. On the Air magazine editor Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY, will be the host of the new podcast. Both the podcast and the magazine are aimed at offering new and beginner-to-intermediate-level radio amateurs a fresh approach to exploring radio communication.

Listeners can find the On the Air podcast at Blubrry, Apple iTunes (or by using your iPhone or iPad podcast app (search for On the Air), and Stitcher (or through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or Android devices). Episodes will be archived on the ARRL website.

Each On the Air podcast will take a deeper dive into the articles and issues raised in the magazine, including advice and insight on topics covering the range of amateur radio interests and activities: radio technology, operating, equipment, project building, and emergency communication.

Supplementing On the Air will be a new Facebook page for those who share a love of radio communication and are looking to learn and explore more about their interests.

The biweekly Eclectic Tech podcast for experienced radio amateurs will launch on February 13. Hosted by QST Editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY, Eclectic Tech will highlight topics involving amateur and non-amateur technology, offer brief interviews with individuals involved in projects of interest to amateurs, and include practical information of immediate benefit to today’s hams. Eclectic Tech will be available via iTunes and Stitcher.

The ARRL Mags apps including QST and On the Air are now live on Apple iTunes and Google Play. The digital edition of On the Air magazine is now live and linked from the On the Air page on the ARRL website

Source: ARRL News

From: Larry Phillips – W0FP

We had one nomination for each office.

A motion was made to elect the nominees to office as there were no additional nominations made from the floor.

So our newly elected officers are:

Chairman         W0FP    2026

Vice Chairman  KE9TC  2437

Secretary         AA0ZP  1932

Treasurer          KJ8W    2594

ThanksFrosty

The GERATOL Board of Directors has recently approved a new award for members to pursue. The award is called the “GERATOL INVITATIONAL AWARD”. No GERATOL number is required to complete this award, so all may participate in working toward its completion.

PURPOSE:  To provide all net members, but especially our regulars, an opportunity to pursue a fun, yet challenging award, this season and if necessary next season.   

In addition, the purpose of this award, and perhaps the most important aspect of the award, is to create a level of activity on the net, which results in multiple states checking into the net throughout the upcoming season/s beginning this November, as approved by the GERATOL Board.

DURATION: The Invitational Award is expected to have a finite duration, and will be attainable from November of 2019 through April of 2020.   However, should conditions remain marginal this 2019/20 season, the Board has elected to review the award status, and if need be, extend this award out through 2021. 

ELIGIBILITY: Any amateur radio operator, with Extra Class operating privileges.

REQUIREMENTS: To successfully complete the award a successful applicant for the award must:

1. Invite, then successfully contact at least 25 stations in the Extra Class portion of the 80M ham band (3.6-3.7Mhz), and/or during the GERATOL Net on 3.668 Mhz.
2. Must work an additional 25 stations in the Extra Class portion of the 80M ham band, or during the GERATOL Net on 3.668 Mhz, that were invited there by other operators.
3. At least 25 different states need to be represented by the 50 QSO’s completed in items 1 and 2 above.
4. All QSO’s must be logged, and then listed on the “Invitational Award” application, and submitted along with $5.00 to the Net Awards Manager, KJ8V.  (See GERATOL Website for additional information, and application form)
5. No GERATOL number is required to work toward this award.

RULES:

1. Qualifying QSO’s for item 1.  The invited station must confirm he/she was invited by the station working him/her.  Successful exchange of signal reports and call signs.  All QSO’s must be made in Extra Class portion of Ham Band 3.6-3.7MHz
2. Qualifying QSO’s for item 2.  After being identified as an “invited” station by another net member, a successful QSO would also consist of exchange of signal reports and call signs.
3. All QSO’s must be made in Extra Class portion of Ham Band 3.6-3.7MHz. Applicant must successfully work, by exchange of call sign and signal reports, a minimum of 25 states from items 1 and 2 above.
4. Stations who identify themselves as being “invited” by a net member to the NCS, must identify which member invited them.  The member identified by the invited stations will be the ONLY station allowed to work the invitee, at that time, in order to keep the net check-in process at reasonable levels.   If the invited station agrees to remain on frequency for the net, any other stations may of course work him/her by getting on the work list or if the NCS allows them to work that station before a work list is taken. If they had also invited them, they can add this QSO to their Item 1 total, when they successfully work them, or their Item 2 totals, if they successfully work them, but did not invite them. 
   • It will be the Net Control Stations prerogative, to determine how many stations may or may not work the invited station, prior to a formal “work list” being taken.
   • All decisions on this are final, as determined by the NCS
   • Should anyone need the “Invited” station to complete 48, 49 or 50 for the basic award, or other endorsement or award completion, as always, the operator needs to alert the NCS by stating “48”, “49” or “50”

THANK YOU:

                It is our intention to provide a special THANK YOU to those stations who came on frequency that were invited up by our net members.  We will be talking more about this, as the Award is approved and operators begin working toward it.

Have fun, and above all, enjoy working toward the new award, while bringing new friends and old acquaintences on to the net frequency.

As previously posted, we will be featuring information about our 50 States. As a Worked All States net, it may be interesting to refresh our memories about the states we hear and/or work on the net. This week we will focus on the state of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania is the 5^th most populous, the 33^rd most extensive, and the 9^th most populated state. It is located in the northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Pennsylvania attained statehood on December 12, 1787, becoming the 2^nd state to join the union.

Pennsylvania (nicknamed: the Keystone State) has 67 counties. The state’s capital is Harrisburg. Pennsylvania is the second state, after Delaware, to ratify the Constitution of the United States of America. The Liberty Bell, an iconic symbol of American Independence, is located in Pennsylvania. The bell can be seen in the Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Historical Park. The bell was commissioned from London in 1751 by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. The bell was rung at the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Before the establishment of Washington D.C. as the permanent capital of the United States of America; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was the nation’s capital between 1790 and 1800s. Did you know that on September 27, 1777, Lancaster, Pennsylvania served as the country’s capital for just one day?

PENNSYLVANIA FIRSTS:

The first computer in the world–The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer–was invented at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946.

The first Zoo in the U.S. was opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 1, 1874.

The first public library was founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1731 in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia is also the place where the first American Flag was sewn in 1777 by Betsy Ross.

These are just a few of the interesting facts about Pennsylvania. Have fun working PA as you pursue your W.A.S. or any of the GERATOL Awards and endorsements, that reuire Pennsylvania.