Here's a challenge especially for you
West Coast guys. In between waiting for your EU
openings, try completing JARL's WAJA Award for
confirming all 47 prefectures in Japan.
http://www.jarl.or.jp/English/4_Library/A-4-2_Awards/Aw_waja.htm
WAJA is somewhat similar to our WAS (there
are even a few JA stations who have WAS 160!)
In Colorado I never concentrated on
working JAs except in contests. Then in
1987 Aki-san JA5DQH suggested I try WAJA.
I finally checked my cards in the early 90's
and found I only needed 3...Okinawa, Tottori
and Miyazaki. I worked JR6HI in Okinawa in
January 92 but then moved back to NC in 93.
I figured I would never complete the remaining
two but JA4BS in Tottori called me in the 2005
ARRL DX Contest so now I only needed Miyazaki.
Yuki-san JA6LCJ once lived in Miyazaki
and in fact was the first JA to work the East
Coast in the early 80's. I asked him if there
was any 160 activity from Miyazaki and he said
JA6ARJ was sometimes QRV. I emailed Kou-san
in early 2006 but he had already taken his 160
antenna down. Then we had Dragon Jammer
QRM this fall and I lost hope. Fortunately the
Dragon QRT in early February and then we had
an excellent JA opening February 20 (wkd 20). I
emailed Kou-san and he promised to listen for
me. February 21 was again excellent with 25
JA worked but no Kou-san. He emailed me that
he heard me but there was too much QRM from
other JA stations calling. I agreed to call him
only at my sunrise peak and we exchanged 339's
with no help other than someone who QSPed that
Kou-san was on frequency for the sked.
This only took 23 years and today I
received my WAJA and JCC-100 certificates!
Ironically my last WAJA prefecture was with
Miyazaki which was the *very first* prefecture
to work the East Coast about 25 years ago!
Ms. Sachiyo Nishida of JARL told me:
"For your information, I keep data from 1993
onwards in my computer. There is no US hams who
obtained WAJA or JCC-100 on 160 meters CW."
Who will be next? Have some fun trying!
73, Bill W4ZV
P.S. Complete rules for JARL awards below:
http://www.jarl.or.jp/English/4_Library/A-4-2_Awards/Award_Main.htm
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