[NCDXA] W3ICM DXCC on the WARC Bands

[Thomas Valenti]

Congratulations, Fred. Some good stories there.

Now, on to "double DXCC" all bands...

On Fri, Feb 11, 2022 at 6:24 PM Fred Matos via NCDXA <ncdxa at ncdxa.org>
wrote:

> I finally made DXCC on the WARC bands, all on LoTW, and using SSB and CW.
>
> As many of you know, I was inactive for a long time, but I moved to a new
> QTH in 2018 where I erected antennas.
>
> I had never worked the WARC bands in the U.S., but I was very interested
> because I was a member of the Advisory Committe for Amateur Radio (ACAR),
> the FCC's advisory committee preparing for the amateur proposals to the ITU
> 1979 WARC.  Prose Walker, W4BW, chaired the ACAR, and it was his decision
> that the amateurs should propose obtaining additional bands at the WARC.
> It was the very first time that amateurs actually gained spectrum
> allocations at an ITU conference.  It was a great decision by Prose who I
> got to know and considered a friend.  I nominated Prose for a special award
> at Dayton a few years ago, and he was very pleased that his leadership was
> recognized.
>
> That's all background about the WARC bands.   My initial operations at my
> new QTH were with 100 watts and a G5RV.   The propagation on 12 meters was
> poor.  My very first QSO was 5K0K, the San Andreas DXpedition.  That was my
> only 12 QSO for a long time until condx improved and I could work more DX.
>  Some of my early DX was TZ4AM, S01WS, TL7M, TT8SN, and 5T5PA, all Africa.
>   I followed the DXpeditions, and worked a few including S90K, 7Q7RU, and
> HD8R.  Missed VP6R because of propagation and opportunity time.  EU
> stations would come later.
>
> I had around 70 countries when I began to call CQ DX on SSB around 9:00 AM
> local time.   The usual result was a ton of G, I, and DL stations, but also
> surprises such as T77LA, ZS1WY, SV9ANK, OD5OJ, and FP5AC.   The propagation
> to northern EU was poor, so I have never worked an RU, and very few OH, LA,
> SM, YL, etc.
>
> Here's an interesting part to this story:  After almost three years, I had
> NOT had a QSO with a U.S. station, although K3RA and I would have very
> small chats occasionally when we accidently ran into each other chasing
> some DX.  We never formally exchanged calls and reports.  I was calling CQ
> DX one morning when I was answered by KE1DX.  He uploaded to LoTW, becoming
> # 80.   I had considered achieving DXCC WITHOUT the U.S.   But I uploaded
> the QSO to LoTW  where it was confirmed.
>
> A second interesting part is that # 97 was YS1RR, and 98 was YT1TU, both
> resulting from my CQ DX last week.  I answered KL7SB one afternoon who was
> calling CQ, becoming # 99.  Then I heard V47UM calling CQ. That was W3UL,
> Bill, from Annapolis where I live.  I had worked six other new stations,
> but Bill was the first to upload to LoTW making him and V47UM  # 100.
>
> It's a pleasant coincidence that V47UM is also # 100 on 30 meters.
>
> 17 meters was very easy, and I am up to 155 on LoTW.  My 30 meters DXCC
> objective was stalled at 98 for almost a month, with P4/DL4MM finally
> uploading an old QSO for # 99; and V47UM becoming #100 in the same day as
> my 12 meter DXCC.
>
> I would like to get the certificates made out to "W3ICM, Fredrick Matos,
> honoring W4BW."  That would be like my 160 WAS certificate.  I called the
> ARRL inquiring about it, but they were not sure.  I sent a follow-up
> inquiry message.   If they can't do the certificate that way, I will get
> stickers.
>
> It's a long story.  Thanks for reading.
>
> 73
>
> Fred
> W3ICM
>
>
>
>
>
>
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