LU7EHR/E – Martin Garcia Island Expedition 2020

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Get Your Park ON! 2020

Wow! Get Your Park ON! Celebrating Earth Science Week just completed, and wow. This is the third year for the event that is run in conjunction with Earth Science Week, a fabulous national and international program sponsored by the American Geosciences Institute advancing educational programs focusing in K-12 schools teaching our youth about responsible stewardship of the Earth.

Lots of KFF activity that was aided by some good propagation to make for quite an event. And there were many, many European hunters too with the top European hunters logging over 100 KFF references during the event. Ironically, the top European hunter logged more KFF references than the top U.S. hunter. I don’t think that is so much a damnation of the U.S. hunters, but a testimony to the good propagation and the international interest that is developing for Get Your Park ON! So, here are some statistics:

• KFF References activated: 214 
• KFF Activators: 58
• KFF Activators QSOs: 13,000
• European Hunters: 103
• NA Hunters: 284

The addition of the Special Event Stations (SES) added a nice flair to this year’s event. Hats off to the eleven SESs activators who did an outstanding job in terms of both references activated and the quantity of QSOs. Several Europeans managed to work all eleven of the SESs, quite a feat. Of the group, N9G (N9JF) and N3G (KB3WAV) activated the most references with 16 activated. N5G (N9MM) had the most QSOs logged with 1,628. K6G (W6LEN) deserved recognition for working the European openings from the west coast with approximately 40% of his 582 QSOs being Europe. Top SES goes to N9G who had 14 of 16 qualifying activations and 1,214 QSO. Here are the total SES statistics:

• KFF References activated: 95
• SESs Activator QSOs: 6,736

With so much activity, many qualify for the GYPO 2020 participation certificate which requires only working 25 WWFF (not just KFF) references. Also, an endorsement is available for those Europeans working five 1×1 SES stations, or 10 for NA stations. If you’d like one, email n9mm@arrl.net with the total number of WWFF references (and SESs) worked during October 10-18, 2020.

Even before the smoke clears on GYPO 2020, we are thinking about next year when propagation will be even better with the new sunspot cycle. For sure the Special Event Stations will be returning. A couple have already reserved their 1×1 call signs. And it will be great if more European activators join Dave G1OCN, and GYPO becomes a more international event. Remember ALL WWFF Activators and Hunters are invited to participate.

Thanks everyone for making GYPO 2020 so much fun! Until 2021…

The third annual operating event, Get your Park On!, will occur October 10-18, 2020 in celebration of Earth Science Week. The event is open to all WWFF Activators and Hunters and is sponsored by the U.S. (KFF) affiliate of World Wide Flora and Fauna (WWFF).

This year again will be an International event inviting all Activators through the world to participate. Hunters everywhere are invited to search out and contact Activators everywhere, making this truly a worldwide, DX event.

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