- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
Hi all. This is my first post here on the forum. It’s a nice site. I ‘ll be stopping by on a regular basis. I am trying to find out if anyone knows Bill KC4AAC from Palmer Station. I had a QSO with him in October of 2004. I was wondering what his home call or e-mail address is. Can anyone help? Thanks and 73, Sam Krunsberg KG4HEB
Hi Sam,
Do you know if Bill had his own call sign? KC4AAC is the station’s call sign, which is what people are supposed to use while they’re there (instead of their own). I ask this because it might be easier to contact him through QRZ.com that way.
I was just at Palmer but I don’t know who Bill was. There’s a lot of turnover there. Also, sometimes folks from the resupply vessel get on the radio for just one or two evenings, make hundreds of QSLs, then leave. Most of them are good about logging their contacts, but… To make matters more, uh, interesting, KC4AAC had (has?) a state-side QSL manager for many years but I don’t know how many QSL cards have been sent out. It’s frustrating for us because we know how much people would like to receive a card yet very often we hear from people saying it’s been X years and they “still haven’t received a QSL card.” Last I saw, there was a stack of blank QSL cards on station — perhaps one of the comms techs decided to take matters into his own hands? Not sure what the status of that is, but if it’s a QSL card you’re seeking please PM me and I’ll see what I can do.
As of early this past [austral 2006] winter, sometime in May, the 3 element Yagi blew over. It broke magnificently, and was down for the whole winter. About July the tech hooked the transceiver to a sloping V antenna, and while it would occasionally pick up someone it seemed difficult to punch out with it. I tried several times this winter but between the crappy skip conditions and antenna problems I made a grand total of zero contacts. Oh well.
cheers,
glenn
I spoke with Chuck Kimbal recently and found out it was Bill Hance KD7CWA. Chuck is getting a card to me. I don’t think Bill kept a log or planned on qsl’ing. He could have told me this when I QSO’ed him. He instead said to qsl via Larry Skilton. Many other hams and myself agree that Larry is not a good qsl manager. But thank God it still worked out. Well Glenn, I hope to hear you soon on the bands down there. I can never have too many qsl’s from Antarctica! 73, Sam
Hi Sam,
Ahh, Bill Hance. I *do* know him. Duh. Glad it’s all working out.
It may be a while before I’m back on 20m… I’m ‘between contracts’ right now, which is a nice euphamism for unemployed. Not sure when — or if — I’ll get back to the Ice any time soon.
Uh, it’s an unpaid vacation!
Hey all
I’m off the ice, back from McMurdo. I suppose I can shed light on the QSO problems at the stations.
Probably the root cause is the quantity of people who go through. Most keep there own logs if at all. There is no continuity. In fact when there, I never knew who was on the air. That was always Larry’s problem, He only knew a fraction of the people operating. In order for him to be a qsl msgr, people had to send him logs. That never happened regularly. Larry always insisted that in order to get a card you actually had to make the contact and have it recorded. He told me many times that people would just send him the info without ever making a real contact. (there are covetted awards that can be won if you have a card).Several operators have just sent cards to anyone, compounding the problems.
He kept it up for several years, but I haven’t heard much from him for the last 3 years or so. Others have offered to be the manager, but they will have the same problems. It falls on the individual operators to qsl or not.
Hi Mike,
I think Palmer works a little bit different than McMurdo. Palmer has a log spreadsheet on the common drive, and anyone who uses the radio should enter their contacts in it. (Not all do, but in general I think there’s been good compliance. The exceptions appear mostly to be operators who use their own call sign instead of KC4AAC, which is their business, but they’re supposed to use Palmer’s call sign if their using Palmer’s equipment.)
When there’s been a number of contacts the Comms Tech forwards the spreadsheet to Larry. As far as I know Palmer’s been good about logs and forwarding the spreadsheet, but the cards never seem to go out.
One of the recent Comms Techs started sending the cards himself, but with the turnover of personnel it’s hard to establish continuity for that. I am of the opinion that a stack of cards should be beside the radio and operators should be responsible for filling them out themselves. Postage may be an issue but there could be solutions for that too.
g
I received the card from KC4AAC via Chuck. A very nice card and I am very pleased. I really appreciate everyone who helped me! HAPPY EASTER 😀 , Sam KG4HEB
Holy smokes it’s april 10th already. It seems I just wrote that email. As to the logs at palmer, That would be great to log onto the net, but the ham shack at MCM is out of town and while it has a computer, it is not hooked to the net as there is no net access out there. There are logs but again with the turnover, its difficult to get anyone to send them.I ran across an old copy that I made a few years ago so I have the old ones. My problem now is that I’m too mobile. Living out of a backpack so to speak doesnt leave room for normal life stuff like carrying around cards. I’ve debated making an email card and telling everyone to trade by email.
Anyway, one of these days I’ll print the list and have it on hand.
cheers
mikeHi All,
The logs I had were e-mailed to Larry once a month when I was there.
Not sure why you did not get any response but I’m glad Chuck got you one.
If anyone else is missing one I have a few more cards that I brought back with me I can send out.
Bill
Hi Bill. Thank you very much for the QSO. I have come to the conclusion that the problem lies with Larry Skilton K1IED the qsl manager. Many, many other hams have this same problem with him. I would really like to see a new qsm who can do a better job. I have never had any problems with other qsm’s, only Larry. Thanks Bill for letting myself and others know. I hope to work you again on the bands one day. 73, Sam
@KG4HEB wrote:
Hi Bill. Thank you very much for the QSO. I have come to the conclusion that the problem lies with Larry Skilton K1IED the qsl manager. Many, many other hams have this same problem with him….
It is because of these issues that, when I was the comms tech at Palmer, I had my own QSL manager. My contacts are in the station logs at Palmer (the old-fashioned paper ones), but I kept photocopies.
If anyone had a contact with KC4AAC between September, 2000 and the first week of May, 2001, I’d be happy to QSL, assuming the QSO is present in my logs. QSL to my home call (NØXU).
Unfortunately, I was a one-season wonder, and am not familiar with anyone in the program anymore, and will most likely be unable to resolve QSL issues outside of these dates.
73, Drew NØXU
- The forum ‘HAM Radio & Communications’ is closed to new topics and replies.