On Veterans' Day, November 11, 2008, several members of the Strategi c air Command Memorial Amateur Radio Club (SACMARC), established an
amate= ur radio station at the newly opened Eastern Nebraska Veterans'
Home loca= ted in Bellevue, Nebraska. The purpose of the special
event was to = salute and thank all veterans of all services and
conflicts for their ser= vice to the United States. The Club used the
call sign K0GRL, the c= all of General Curtis E. LeMay, USAF, while he
was stationed at Offutt Ai= r Force Base near Bellevue.
Three transceivers were put on the air between 1500 and 2100 UTC usi ng 20, 40 and 2 Meters. Additionally, the club's other call sign, K 0AIR was put on the air during the evening hours.
K0GRL operators included: Frank Taylor, AA0ZP; John Sheffield, N4OWG ; Ken Lemke, AC0DQ; Bob McCoy, NB0B; and Dennis Mitchell, KC0YKN. T he operators made 165 QSOs, working 38 states (23 confirmed), as well
as = British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Greenland, Spain, and
Canada.
Frank, AA0ZP operated K0AIR, making 40 QSOs, including 25 states (16 confirmed) as well as Guantanamo Bay and Canada.
Several members (residents) of the Veterans' Home visited the statio n throughout the day. In addition, General Kevin P. Chilton, USAF, Commander, Strategic Command and his lady also visited the station as
par= t of their overall activities at the Veterans' Home. General
Chilto= n, once an astronaut (ex-KC5TEU), having participated in
amateur radio ab= oard the International Space Station (ISS) displayed
great interest in ou= r operation.
The Club wishes to thank Howard Googins, Colonel, USAF (Retire= d),
Administrator of the Eastern Nebraska Veterans Home and his staff for their treffic support during this operation.
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George H. Bellairs
Amateur Radio Operator KBØZZT
10-10 International # 74599
ARRL Official Observer, Nebraska Section
910 LeMay Drive
Bellevue, NE 68005-3253
E-Mail: kb0zzt@usa.net
(402) 291-0960 (home)
(402) 677-2330 (cell)
(402) 559-5677 (office)
(402) 559-4899 (office fax)
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