After many attempts, Hector Martinez CO6CBF in Cuba and Dale Pelzer KL7R in Alaska have achieved a contact between Grid Squares EL92sd and BP54xt using the amateur radio satellite FO-29.

Hector CO6CBF posted this report on the AMSAT Bulletin Board Cubans cannot operate on AO-7 mode B so FO-29 is our only opportunity for long contacts.

“I cannot say how much time we tried but I am sure that it was more than 10 attempts. Dale did all the hard work, he drove around 4 miles from his home to a nearby hill. Majority of times he drove very late in the night.

All the SSB attempts failed. Today [Sunday, July 8] at 1920z was our first attempt on CW and it was successful!”

“Dale’s working conditions are a Yaesu FT-817 (only 5W semi-duplex) and ARROW antenna with preamplifier. My working conditions are a majority homebrew setup, 10 elements Yagi on 2m and 18 elements Yagi for 70cm with a homebrew preamplifier.”

New Cuban Amateur Radio Satellite Group formed - http://www.uk.amsat.org/5454FO-29 Information and http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/satInfo.php?satID=5

Getting started on amateur radio satellites - http://www.uk.amsat.org/267