XYL, Kathy and I are planning a quick trip to Grand Cayman in July around the CQWW VHF contest. We hope to hang out at seven mile beach and do some diving.Kathy is not certified, but I am hoping for a least a "resort" dive for her. I will operate my call, ZF2EZ again at the club station, ZF1E for the contest.

Last July, 2012 - VP2MSJ repeat but this time with Bob, now, VP2MUQ. Looking again to rock 'em in the CQWW VHF contest, the good folks at M2 sent me a 6M7JHV for the contest. We wrestled it together and it worked great but to no avail.the e-skip Gods deserted us for the contest but an hour after, here came the Q's rolling in from the East coast and as west as Texas. Great time with David and Clover at their wonderful place, Gingerbread House. This was after our 2011 effort atZF2EZ with ZF2UQ, my Elmer,Bob, W5UQ. We had a blast! The CQ WW VHF Contest was much better than 2012 and better than 2010 atV31SJ and the year before at VP2MSJ's first effort. We operated at the very comfortable club station in Savannah, ZF1EJ. Station manager, Andrew Eden was most helpful in getting all of the information on the station, what we need, where to stay and was a great host.

My XYL, Kathy, and I now live in Indian Shores, Florida (Tampa Bay area) where we operate a vacation rental management company. We still have a home in Arkansas where the main operating is done. I am on the air with a modest station - ICOM 756 PRO III and R5 over the water of Boca Ciega Bay. It works pretty darn well over that salt water. We hope to spend time in both places, soon.

I have held calls in a dozen or so Caribbean locations, including my favorite, VP2EJ, plus a great time two years running operating the same top band contest from the shack of great guy, Andre, PY0FF, Fernando de Noronha. The trips both included spending time with one of the nicest guys in South America, PY1RO, Rolf, and his dear lady of a wife, Sonia, in Rio de Janeiro!!

In spite of the fact that I am active very little most of the year,I try to stay active in DX circles. I am a past president of the Lone Star DX Association, past president of the Arkansas DXA and a member of the Mid Florida DXA.  I hold DXCC # 1.  I also play with radios that glow in the dark!

Pix is from 160 meter CQ WW CW contest in 2003 from PR0F at the shack of Andre, PY0FF

Jay, W5JAY, is our QSL manager for past DX-ploits. All QSL's from any of my modest DX-ploits go to Jay.

73 es gl, de Bill, W5SJ/4

04/27/13