Ok, this is a partial brag! For the first time I got all the stations and 2 out of the 3 special call sign stations of this event. The best personal performance I have achieved so far! This event is in the week of 4th of July, commemorating the 13 colonies that started the USA. There are three stations that are extra: GB12COL (in England), TF13COL (in France to commemorate LaFayette) and finally WM3PEN in Philadelphia PA (commemorating William Penn).
The special event was heavily supported by Paul Copeland (SK) in Fountain, NC, a long time member of BARC and a friend of mine. His efforts to promote and organize the event lead the group to organize and award the Top Operator award.
Top Operator Awards
SK – Paul W. Copeland, K4KCS, one of our 13 Colonies operators from
North Carolina, has made his final QSO. (2011, Fountain, NC)
Starting with 2012’s special event, an award plaque was instituted, for
Colony Operators only, in his memory.
- Top Operator HF-High Power-over 250 watts to legal limit
- Top Operator HF-Low Power-250 watts and below.
- Top Operator-CW
- Club Unlimited
- QRP (.05W to 10W)
In Paul’s memory, I hope that all members of BARC would try their hand at this event every 4th of July week. It is fun and easy and memorializes two great ideals, namely the 13 colonies and also the ongoing efforts of Americans like Paul to keep these ideals alive.
73 Peter, N4PVH.
Brightleaf Amateur Radio Club 
Hi fellow hams!
I agree with Peter, the 13 Colonies Event is a ton of fun and it’s my favorite “contest” if you want to refer to it that way. I participated for the first time in 2016 as I was just getting my CW key going again after a 40 year break. I managed to work a handful of the colonies and this event was the reason that I fell in love with CW all over again.
Fast forward a few years and I mustered up the courage to volunteer to be one of the NC operators, “K2J”. It was a bit scary to call “CQ K2J” and find myself on the tough end of a pileup!! Somehow I struggled through it and turned in a log that wasn’t very impressive but we all start out this way. Last year, 2022, I was in the process of relocating and had to sit it out which really hurt my feelings. So this year I was determined to have a good year, my best one yet. My goal was to break 500 QSOs which I felt was attainable. Of course there’s always “Murphy” out there just waiting for over confident people to rain all over their parade, and I found myself sitting out some prime hours due to the lightning storms of last week.
So, I didn’t make my goal but I did manage to work over 350 CW contacts, using my 40m loop and my 80m dipole, running 75 watts. The 15, 17, and 20 meter bands were in very good shape (Thank you, Solar Cycle 25!!) and I worked a lot of west coast hams, plus Hawaii, Alaska, and 3 hams in Japan. To our East I worked a handful of Russian hams and a good dozen hams in Germany. And here in the states I came close to WAS, needing only a few more states.
I think with another good weather day I would have reached my goal but it’s OK as my CW confidence continues to grow and the fun just gets better with each event.
I also had my best Field Day this year with 203 CW QSOs. Ham radio has been very good to me since I renewed my license in 2016 and I have made more friends than I ever thought one person could claim to have. And no matter how well I may become as a CW OP some day, the friends are the best part of the hobby.
I still remember my first Field Day in ’16 with PARC, and there was a nice old fellow from Richmond VA who would come down to Washington just to work CW for us. I decided then that one day I would become the club’s “CW Guy”. The years have taken their toll on Bruce, and he no longer is able to make the journey to NC I’m sad to say.
But this year I’ve met my goal, and after much practice, CW Academy classes, POTA activities, and over 5000 CW QSOs I’ve become (humbly I must strongly add) the “CW Guy” for PARC. I still have a lot of room for my skills to grow, and can surely improve my skills with a paddle or a straight key, but I’m happily adding my dits and dahs to the airwaves.
I hope that everyone who calls themselves a “Ham” has a goal of some kind and along the way finds that their lives have also been blessed with so many great new friends.
73 to all
Gary Faust NG9T
President, Pamlico Amateur Radio Club
CWOPS #1936
SKCC #15054T
NAQCC #8257
Friend to so many Hams 😊😊😊
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