an adventure is now laid to rest

I have laid the Camp Perry Special event project to rest.




For the past two days I have done nothing but look up addresses on QRZ.com, fill out cards, stuff and stamp envelopes. Tomorrow I go to the post office and mail out the last of the QSL cards.



Every QSO except one has has a card being sent and the one that didn't get a card sent was not on any database. I could not the find callsign on QRZ.com OR the FCC database. Maybe I miscopied it, but I did try to make sure I got them right. I took my time writing down callsigns.



While the general way a Special Event QSLs is to send a QSL card to anyone that sends them one I just decided that the best way to wrap this entire thing up was to send a QSL card to every contact we made and just get it over with and behind me as I suspect the cards would be dribbling in piecemeal for the next couple of months.



Thirty-six states, Puerto Rico, Bermuda and several Canadian Provinces. Not that too awful bad.



This special event was my idea and although I was planning on getting a little more help than I wound up with, it was something I had taken upon myself and for the most part I was responsible for it.



I did spend a few bucks more than I planned and bought a couple of things that were not used but I can say that I guess I'll be able to put these items to use so I'm not really out in the long run.



I did tell people they could QSL me directly and because I used my callsign instead of the Special Event one I didn't know the FCC had issued me the cards started coming in mainly to my address. No problem.



It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize that I was going to have a confusing mess with incoming requests for QSL from either the Event or my personal QSOs so I figured the hell with it and sent a QSL to everyone that contacted me.



I like getting things done and now I can put the Special Event behind me.



I'd like to thank the guys that did help me out, one in the field and several from the sidelines. One man went out to Perry a few months ago and greased the skids for me. The offer I had of cash has been refused for my own reasons, but I am quite grateful for the offer. There has been a gift of a roll of stamps, a long term loan of a parachute, and the help of another ham that worked with me for the last two days at Perry and who was invaluable rinning his rig and especially when the rains came and we had to secure gear with short notice.



There were a few others that gave me moral support and advice and a couple of non hams that dropped by at Perry and either enjoyed a cold drink with me or offered me one.



There has been other help not mentioned here. I am grateful for that.



I figure that there are now a number of people that are now at least aware of the National Matches or are aware that you do not have to either be a hotshot shooter or be in the service or some high-toned club to come and shoot at Perry.



If a few of them come next year and shoot I suppose the mission will he accomplished even though I likely have no way of knowing.



I would like to thank Ltc Barb Herrington-Clemens, the commander of the base for permission to set up there and I'd also like to thank the NCOs and enlisted people that helped me out from time to time.



Oh, yeah. There is also a Pfc that I would like to thank. When I arrived at Perry I kidded an NCO and asked him to have his people keep his eye out for my mother to show up so I would have someone to pick up after me. One Pfc asked me what she looked like and I told him she was the identical twin of Barbara Billingsley so he whipped out his phone and google imaged her.



He spent the week looking for her and reported to me periodically but Mom never showed.



Thanks for your efforts, Private.



When the card get mailed tomorrow night, the Special Event is, for all intents and purposes, closed.



While I had a lot of fun running 120 mph for a week, I am glad it is now beind me.



Now it is time to find another adventure.


my other blog is: http://officerpiccolo.blogspot.com/ http://piccolosbutler.blogspot.com/