We would like to welcome the following operators, who took the time to register on the GERATOL website. Welcome aboard guys !!

NK0X – Mark who hails from Denton, NE
Mark was first licensed in 1981, and also enjoys CW

AD8IF – Rod, from the great state of Michigan.
Rod is currently using an FT991A into a 130′ End Fed antenna

AF4DN – Felton, who operates from the state of GA, and the town of Sugar Valley
Sugar Valley can boast of a Post Office that has been in operation since 1844

N0WD – William, from Wildwood, MO.
Wildwood is in the county of St. Louis

N7QJP – Stu, from Bemidji, MN.
If you work Stu on the net, ask him how is little friend “Simon” is doing

Welcome aboard our GERATOL website gentlemen, and we hope to hear you on the net. Should you have any questions about the net and/or the website, feel free to reach out and ask by sending me an email to: N1KL@ARRL.NET Kevin

We currently have 317 registered members on our website

73 – Kevin N1KL Website Administrator

A belated Happy New Year to all GERATOLers ! Let’s hope the new year brings improved conditions on the net, and that we continue to greet and meet some new operators to our net, and our website.

Last evening, Bob – AI4IL ran the net, and did his usual superb job in welcoming some new folks to the net. The net had a lot of activity, with WY as well as the CO Capital checking in.

Conditions are improving, and it’s time to make good on that New Year resolution, where you told yourself you would try to check into the net once and a while. Now is the time, with some new ops working on their basic award, some not-often heard states, like WY checking in, and just saying hi to old acquaintances, not to mention, working on the new Call Area Challenge certificate. (See website for details on that one)

Also, don’t forget to mark your calendars for March. GERATOL Special Event station, W1G will be on the air for one week in the month of March. Again, more details on the website for days, times and frequencies.

REMOTE QSO’s and QSL’s from N1KL

Just a reminder, while I am in Florida, (Jan-April) I will be unable to send out hard QSL cards, confirming any QSO’s from the various remote states, in which I have operated, unless the QSL’s are done via eQSL.

I WILL reply to ALL QSL via snail mail, but not until I return to MA in April.

Thanks for working me while I am transmitting from remote stations, and thanks for your patience in getting my QSL.

Regards, Kevin N1KL

We have been informed, that long time GERATOLer, John – N7TT, GERATOL # 787 from Washington, is now a Silent Key. John was also an active County Hunter, with the USA – CA # of 191.

May John’s soul, and all the souls of our previously departed GERATOLers, rest in peace.

My thanks to Barry, K2MF for providing us with this update.

Kevin N1KL

We were informed by our GERATOL Net Chairman, Frosty – W0FP, that our long time friend and dedicated GERATOLer, Dave, KJ8V passed away on Christmas Day.

It is certainly with a heavy heart, we share this news with our fellow GERATOLers, who came to know Dave very well over many years of his support and hard work on behalf of our WAS Net.

Dave assumed the duties of Awards Manager, which was a HUGE task, given the condition of the data base, and it’s need for updates. Dave took it upon himself, to reach out, to research and to catalogue, as many names, call signs and awards, to fill in all the blanks on the data base, as humanly possible. To say he was tireless in that effort, would be an understatement.

More recently, he and Sandy, his XYL and KJ8W, provided the net with an awesome keepsake award, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the GERATOL Net. The Award remains active, and for anyone interested, may continue to work toward that, as a way of expressing your thanks for he and Sandy’s support of that award. The award, and all the hard work he has done for the net, will be remembered on our website as a tribute to his commitment and dedication to keeping the net alive.

On behalf of the GERATOL Board of Directors and Net Officers, as well as all the members of the GERATOL Net, we wish to express our deepest sympathy to Sandy, KJ8V on Dave’s passing. Please know, there are literally hundreds, if not thousands of GERATOLers past and present, and from coast to coast, who will keep Dave and yourself in our thoughts and prayers.

Kevin – N1KL

For those who need a copy of GLIST 1.10 to run the programs created by Frosty, there is a copy on the FILE section of the tool bar, but in addition, please find one attached below.

NEW LOGGING FILE FROM FROSTY

For those of you using the N3FJP logging software, in conjunction with tracking GERATOL QSO’s and endorsements, please note, that a new file has been placed out on the website. Go to the main tool bar at top of opening page, then to FILES then to ADDITIONAL AIDS AND FORMS FOR THE GERATOL NET and you will find the latest GNECAC file from Frosty there.

From: Frosty – W0FP
New GNECAC FILE
I added the AC on the end of the name to identify that it is for
N3FJP’s ACLog that produces Microsoft Access database Log files.
One thing that I found out is ACLog doesn’t put the Canadian province abbreviation.
in the state field of the log, so everyone will have to modify their log file
in ACLog adding the 2 letter province abbreviation in the State field
I found out that I can run both ACLog and GNECAC at the same time
that ACLog does not lock the log file while it is open.
ACLog is a great program.

One other thing, I put all of the abbreviations.
for the different items like initial call (IC) in the Comments field of ACLog
I moved the Other8 ACLog field on the main ACLog screen and placed it
between the County field and Country field and I renamed the Other8 field
GERATOL that is where I put the Geratol number.

If there are any questions, just ask. If people are moving their Win-EQF file
to ACLog with an ADIF file, to move the Geratol number from the EQF Track field
to the ACLog Other8 field, you have to rename the ACLog Other8 field
to APP_EQF_TRACK during the ADIF Import in ACLog. After the import
is complete, you name the Other8 field to GERATOL

I hope people enjoy this effort
73 Frosty W0FP

Frosty, thanks for the hard work and time you put into making all our logging files so useful.

GERATOL SILENT KEY UPDATE

With sadness, we have been informed that Fred, W0ULU GERATOL # 878 is now a Silent Key. Fred was a resident of Cottage Grove, Minnesota.

We would like to pass along our condolences to all his family and friends on his passing.

NEW GERATOL CALL AREA CHALLENGE CERTIFICATE UPDATE

Well, guys continue to work toward completing the newest GERATOL Certificate being offered, entitled the CALL AREA CHALLENGE.

No one has completed or applied for the certificate as yet, but listening to the net, it is obvious that folks are having fun chasing QSO’s to complete the requirements. There have been a few new stations on frequency this season, some invited up by folks chasing the requirements for the certificate. So, if there are some call sign formats you need, regardless of what call area they currently reside in, feel free to fire off an invite, and have them come on frequency, to say hi and make a few QSO’s.

For example, if a station from Maine, (1st call area) checks in, and his/her call sign is W7XYZ, that call sign is good for the 1×3 format from 7th call area.

As the administrator of the certificate, I declared myself ineligible for the certificate, but will be confirming Logs submitted, for completion of the challenge, and to send those ops who complete the requirements, a nice copy of their certificate. (See example below) I can’t wait to issue the first one !!!

And don’t forget, we have a special ENDORSEMENT sticker, for those who work W1G, the Special Event call sign, commemorating the GERATOL Net, which will be activated on St. Patrick’s Day, 3/17 and remain active for an entire week.

All the best, and good hunting folks, and above all “have fun” chasing it.

73 from the Website Administrator

PS My thanks to Al, AE2T for his recent assistance on some of our website file placements. Thanks for always being on hand to assist Al !! Much appreciated N1KL

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Greetings fellow GERATOLers. On behalf of the GERATOL BOARD of DIRECTORS, OFFICERS AND NCS OPERATORS, we would like to extend a Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you. Enjoy the time with Family and Friends. We hope you get to relax and enjoy the day.

STEVE – KA4CZL

Hi all. It has come to our attention that Steve, KA4CZL has recently undergone surgery on his leg and is recovering. We have not heard him on the net, due to this, and the fact his ham shack is located a distance from the house, and he is not able to make the trek out to the ham radio shack at this time.

He does plan to get back on the net, as soon as he is strong enough to do so. If you would like to mail Steve a get well QSL card, his address is as follows:

KA4CZL
STEVEN W HARRIS
PO BOX 197
FALCON, NC 28342

From: N1KL, Kevin Website Administrator

UPDATE TO THE CALL AREA CHALLENGE CERTIFICATE

The good news is, folks are continuing to work toward completing the requirements for this new certificate, and seem to be having fun doing so !! That’s what it is all about.

Also, we have been asked if OTHER call signs, such as Canadian Province calls like VE3SIQ would count toward the THIRD call area 2×3 requirement. Unfortunately, the answer is NO. This particular challenge is for the United States Call Areas, 1 through 0 only, as the map on the certificate (See above) illustrates. But it was a great question, and hey, who knows, maybe a Canadian Call Area Challenge may be something we consider down the road, to engage even more of our neighbors to the north to jump on the net.

We have updated the requirements for the Call Area Challenge certificate located on our previous post, to reflect U S Call areas only.

We would be curious to see how folks are progressing on this CHALLENGE. If you feel like doing so, fire a note off to Kevin, N1KL at n1kl@arrl.net and let him know how many of the 50 QSO’s you have under your belt already, this early in the GERATOL season.

GERATOL SILENT KEY UPDATE

We are very sad to announce that one of our true regulars, who put Oregon into many, many log books before moving to Texas has passed away. Ed, K7OC was a trooper, who would attempt to check into the net through thick and thin on the conditions front. Ed was an avid amateur radio enthusiast, and served as the Vice President of the COWTOWN ARC in Forth Worth, TX. We will miss you Ed, may you RIP.

Thanks to Louis, N9LY for alerting us of Ed’s passing, and keeping us informed.

The new GERATOL Certificate, entitled the CALL AREA CHALLENGE, is now available, and operators are working toward trying to complete the requirements. Rumor has it a few ops are more than half way to working all call sign formats from each call area. The certificate is available to ALL operators who check into the net, and no GERATOL number is required to complete the requirements. It’s a fun way to work toward completing a nice GERATOL approved Certificate, as you look for new states, endorsements, etc.

To find out more about the new certificate, and how to qualify, check out our previous POST on it, or go to the FILES page for log forms, etc.

CALL AREA CERTIFICATE LOG FORMS

Speaking of log forms, there are TWO versions on the FILE section of our website, one is an excel file, and the other is an updatable version in pdf format, that Frosty W0FP put together. Either is acceptable, when applying for the award.

No doubt, given current band conditions, getting all the formats from 6 and 7 land will be a challenge. So, if you know any hams in either of those call areas, or hams that have 6 or 7 in the call sign, regardless of their location, feel free to invite them up on the net some evening to join the fun.

SPECIAL EVENT STATION W1G

Just a reminder, to qualify for the special certificate endorsement on the call area certificate, you must work GERATOL Special Event Station W1G, which will be active from March 17 through March 23rd. So, keep that in mind, and we will of course, send out a reminder or two, prior to the activation.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Don’t eat too much of that candy left over from the Trick or Treaters !!!

73, Kevin N1KL Website Administrator

NEW SEASON IS UNDER WAY

The new GERATOL Season is well under way. The net launched it’s Fall season this past Saturday evening, with NCS Steve, AC0SG doing the honors opening the net. We had double digit check in totals, with eleven states represented.

Frosty, W0FP Chairman, announced the launch of our new GERATOL Certificate, entitled the CALL AREA CHALLENGE ! Several of the ops on frequency, began working toward the award that evening. Check out the previous post on the website for details on this new certificate, and join in the fun chasing the QSO’s needed for this one. Also for log form information, etc on the award, check out the website file section.

Here is an example of the log form, being used by N1KL starting last Saturday.

Stop by to say hi, and renew old friendships at 0100Z on 3.668 Mhz. We’d enjoy hearing you !!

SILENT KEY

K5OH Troy G#2065 D# 340 now SK, as reported by Barry, K2MF.

Per Bob, KA9JAC who spotted Troy’s passing in QST and relayed the information to the County Hunters Net. As Barry pointed out in his note to me, there are many, many GERATOLers, who are also County Hunters.

We wish to extend our condolences to Troy’s family, friends and fellow ham operators who worked him on the net.

RECOGNITION OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

As we all know, our hobby has multiple awards, certificates, achievements, etc. that many operators enjoy pursuing. No doubt, chasing down a GERATOL number on 80 Meters, is one of the toughest to achieve.

However, we don’t want to miss an opportunity for you to share other Ham Radio achievements you have accomplished, so feel free to send Kevin, N1KL an email n1kl@arrl.net with any Ham Radio related achievements you may have recently completed. We will compile them, and periodically put a POST up on our Website to recognize your achievements.

73, Kevin N1KL