Laura was my one and only 3A contact, and as I recall her signal wasn't very strong, even here in Florida where EU usually comes booming in. Monaco forbids all outside antennas so I suspect that the few active hams from there are using some form of stealth antennas and low power. Plus I've been told the noise level is pretty high. I don't know what the guys running the current DXpedition there are using for antennas, but maybe they got special permission for a temporary installation. I haven't heard them yet, but then I haven't had much time lately to get on the air (darn ol' gainful employment keeps getting in the way of my playing radio!  )

Back when I was in junior high school several of my friends and I got CBs. This was also when most CB channels were still fairly civil and everyone used their FCC-issued call signs! I met a lot of nice folks on the air, joined the local CB club and really had a ball. While in high school I got my ham license and left CB behind, but by then the airwaves had become a free-for-all.

A few years ago I had a job that kept me on the road quite a bit, so I carried a CB with me. It was very handy for traffic information and directions, and I actually had a few nice conversations with other drivers. I also discovered that if I carried a wattmeter and some wire with me I could make a few bucks by fixing faulty antenna installations. Truckers will let you know when their radio doesn't "get out" and most of the time it was due to lack of a counterpoise (darn fiberglass bodies!) So yes, there is still some CB activity and it still has some usefulness.

73, Vince K4JC (or KQU-8960...remember, if you held a Class C or D CB license it was converted into a lifetime license!)

I was working for Lafayette Radio Electronics when they started going belly up in 1980. For many decades they were a chief competitor to Radio Shack and carried a lot of the same kinds of stuff that RS did. Laffalot also carried their own brands. By the late '70s Lafayette had become more oriented toward home stereo gear, dropping a lot of the hobbyist type products and focusing on brands other than their own. Most people point to that as the reason Lafayette went under (plus the economy was terrible.)

I see Radio Shack following a similar path. When was the last time you saw an "Archer" or "Realistic" branded product? Remember when you'd get the latest RS catalog and drool over the neat stuff you wanted but couldn't afford? People used to have a specific reason to visit RS. Now most people visit just because they happen to be in the mall. I'm pretty sure the average cell phone consumer doesn't immediately consider RS when they're in the market for the latest and greatest. Maybe we as hams do, but I'd bet if you asked 10 people at random where they'd go for a new phone, you'd hear, "Verizon store," "Sprint store," "AT&T store," and maybe some online retailer, but rarely would RS spring to mind. So The Shack is fighting for cell phone market share but not gaining much ground, ergo it's not surprising that their stock has fallen so low. Honestly, the only reason I go to Radio Shack anymore is because I happen to be in the mall, and then I'm only looking for super deals on clearance items (and chuckling when an employee changes my request for resistors into a sales pitch for a phone!)

I recall my older brother telling me about a mechanic friend who went out in 1955, bought a brand new Thunderbird, drove it home, took it apart, labeled and stored all the individual parts. He did the same thing a couple of years later with a 1957 Chevy Bel Air. He reasoned that when the value of these cars got high enough he would reassemble and sell them for retirement funds. I never heard if he did (I'd imagine so by now,) but can you imagine what a "new" '57 Bel Air would be worth today? 

A bit late chiming in, but...I'm pleasantly surprised I was able to work VU7M on 40m CW for an ATNO. They weren't strong by any means - maybe a 229 at best - but I managed to get in during a lull in the pileup. I had just worked VU2PHD on 40 CW a few minutes earlier so I knew I had a path but wasn't sure how much time. VU7M faded into the noise about 10 minutes later.

The earlier comments about the VU4 expedition being stronger were interesting, considering I never heard them on any band the whole time they were there!

I also did the online DXCC, had the cards checked on June 9, and ARRL's website showed my application received about a week later. My LoTW records were updated today, so it looks like a 4.5 week turnaround right now. I suspect that all mailed applications are put into the same pile and take the same length of time to process, whether online DXCC was used or not. The difference is that it saves someone at HQ from having to type in your QSL info.

The first time I submitted an LoTW-only application my record was updated in less than an hour! Second time took about 5 days, so I'm not sure what's going on there...

KB2FCV: I might be talking out of my ear, but I believe you'll get all 3 endorsement stickers. Congrats for passing the 250 mark!

Nothing here either. I've sent 2 QSLs with GS and emailed the QSL manager several times, but no response.

You may as well forget FRS since you cannot use external antennas. I don't know how much distance you need to cover, but have you considered MURS (Multi-Use Radio Service)? You can use up to 2 watts on 5 VHF business band frequencies ("dot channels") without a license. You are allowed external gain antennas and the gear can be had on eBay pretty inexpensively. Lots of the old Radio Shack business band radios were programmable to the "dot channels" via dip switches. Just do a Google search on MURS.

Kirk to Enterprise...Scotty, beam me up! What? Scotty, what do you mean by CQDX CQDX? Oh, that's not you, Scotty? Well who the heck is this K4JC character and why does he want my call sign?

My QSL card features a picture of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, the first NWR in the nation. I'm actually about 9 miles and two towns north of it, but it's still an area landmark and lets me show a bit of my area to the world. Honestly, in the greater scheme of things, 10 miles is still plenty "local"!

Gosh, all I did was mention that I didn't get through to 4W and I'm accused of everything but offing Jimmy Hoffa!  j/k Seriously, my "poor vertical" has helped me pick up around 200 countries in a little over 2 years running mostly 100 watts. I sure can't complain about that! No, I don't get 'em all (I didn't break the pileups for Glorioso or Annabon) but I've worked plenty of other DXpeditions. Also, contrary to what some may say the SE Asia/western Pacific region is very difficult for most folks in this area of Florida to work, so I was shocked that I heard 4W6A 10 over S9 at one point (on 40 meters around 1100Z. Unfortunately the frequency cops were just as strong so they could have come back to me and I wouldn't have known it.) Sure I'm frustrated I didn't get 'em. But I also know I'll get 'em next time.

BTW I've only been licensed for 33 years, so I guess I have a lot to learn from you old timers. And who said I didn't try them on CW? I sure didn't say that!

Congratulations, Harry! A fabulous achievement!

I started seriously trying for DXCC a little over 2 years ago, At that time I probably had 50 or so worked and confirmed (after 30 years of operating!) At this moment I'm at about 215 worked/210 confirmed, mostly with verticals and wires. I can't wait to see what'll happen when I get my beam up!

I tried on several bands, for a total of about 12 hours over the course of the DXpedition, and couldn't get 1 contact with them. Many times they were 10 over here! Lots of frustration at this QTH... 

I own a couple of 5BTVs and have built several others, and all of them had that 3 blade spider in a "T" pattern instead of a "Y" pattern. I don't know why that is, but the antenna works fine. Just make sure you have some kind of counterpoise, even if it's only a couple of wires. The more the better, of course. I have a 6BTV using my backyard fence as the counterpoise and I work the world with it!

I know there are a lot of differing opinions out there about grounding, so I hope I don't cause too much of a stir! 

I am preparing to install a 45 foot self supporting tower about 100 feet away from the house, and 130 feet from the shack. My understanding and belief is that all your grounds - tower, shack, etc. - should be tied together with the ground where your AC power goes into the house. Now with my tower being on the opposite side of the house from the AC ground (which would end up being a distance of probably 170 feet) should I worry about tying the tower ground in with the house ground? Would it be worth it? I already plan to use 4 ground rods (20 footers if I can get them) around the tower base, plus an ufer ground, as well as redundant Polyphasers (one at the tower and one at the shack entrance) on the feedlines and rotor cable. Yes it may be overkill, but being in Florida I'd rather be safe than sorry! Any thoughts?