[SixClub] Talk about timing!

[John Geiger]

FM25 has long been a blank spot in my 6 meter grid map.  It looks like it contains part of the Outer Banks of North Carolina and some (probably marshy) mainland.  I can't recall even hearing a station on from FM25 before.

This morning I was on pingjockey.net getting some things set up to run WSJT (If necessary) for the K5N expedition to DL88.  WB3BEL was logged in there and listed his grid as FM25 but it didn't click at that time.  He had a successful 6m QSO with EM13 which is just to my southeast.  I then go to the DX cluster and see WB3BEL being spotted on 50.153 and as being in FM25.  Suddenly that clicks!  He was just on pingjockey.net.  I go there and send a message to him but he has logged out.  Have the radio on 50.153 but not hearing a thing.  

Figure it is time for the morning shower.  It is already 11 am but hey, I am on summer break.  Can't do that, the XYL is in the bathroom but I do hear my Daughter's Guinea Pig, Lollipop, squeaking loudly because I haven't given him his daily carrot yet, so I go to the kitched to get them.  Feed Lollipop one carrot and realize it is pretty big, so I figure I will save the other piece for later since we are almost out of carrots.  I walk through the shack on the way to the kitched to put the other carrot back in the refrigerator and and suddenly on a Es burst I hear WB3BEL weakly calling CQ!  Work him quickly, he gives me a 52, and he is about the same here.  By the end of the QSO he is back in the noise and gone, but I have FM25 in the log!

Out pets give us many wonderful things in life, mine just gave me a rare grid square!  

73s John AA5JG