Every year the one contest I always look forward to is ARRL FD. Perhaps it is a combination of my love of camping and ham radio? But FD always is the highlight of the year for me.
Several years ago, being that we are out of the zone for the SMC and at the time, the KCG was kinda dormant, 4 of us locally here formed our own dx and contest club. We put up a dx cluster and web page and made a goal of operating FD each year.The 4 of us did well, we usually finished in the top ten in 1A.
Then one of our operators was working on his tower in preparation for Nov CW SS, and fell to his death.
The club got his callsign in memorium, and the other 3 of us have been operating, carrying on in his memorium.
This past year, one of the other operators bowed out. AA4RL and I decided to carry on even with just the two of us to continue to honor our friend.
My XYL who had flirted with the idea of getting her ticket for years, decided to make her goal of getting her ticket in time for FD, so she could operate. She studied hard and finally did pass just in time for FD, becoming K4RMW.
This year with a brand new operator and loss of one of our other FB CW op, we still turned in a respectable score, coming in 15th in 1A. Great job K4RMW, AA4RL, K4SAC, and KY4COE who did antenna duty!
San Diego DX/Pt Loma ARC- W6PT 2457 2 7 8,596 SDG
South Heartland Contest Society- WØICT 1651 2 7 6,862 KS
Bonfield Area Radio Fraternity- K9TP 1480 2 3 6,688 IL
Union City Wireless Assn- W3CG 1702 2 11 5,866 WPA
Army Research Lab ARC- W3ARL 1318 2 7 5,722 MDC
N4OL 1199 2 13 5,560 NC
Tucson Tracon ARC- WA7NB 2079 2 3 5,390 AZ
Robert F Heytow Memorial RC- K9YA 1130 2 6 5,270 IL
Case ARC- W8EDU 1311 2 4 5,058 OH
Mobile Em Com Club- W3USA 1540 2 4 4,944 OH
Bozo and the Lids- W9TG 977 2 6 4,748 IL
Greer ARC- W4IT 1327 2 12 4,744 SC
Friends and Alumni of LT- K1LT 1071 2 8 4,624 OH
Buckeye DX Club- W8OS 1041 2 4 4,614 OH
KY IN DX Assn-NW4T 1015 2 4 4,582 KY









