Last state for “Worked All States”

[TexTAC]

I finally made a contact with Alaska from Texas tonight on 40m after trying several months using 100W and a wire (40m OCFD). Oddly enough, the only state I need now is Maine.
I’m curious which state other hams needed as their last state for “Worked All States”. Tell me the last state you needed, the state you were working from, which band, and a bit about your rig. It really is quite an achievement.

 

[Engine104]

Nevada.. I live in CA, and I guess I could make a 2m or 440 contact the times we visited Vegas, but I don't think that is within the spirit of the award, even if it would be allowed. My main HF rig is an old, Kenwood TS-140, but it still works great. I run only 100w too.

 

[TexTAC]

Those Kenwood's have great audio. I had some similar difficulty getting Oklahoma from Texas but got it on a short skip day.

 

[AK9R]

WAS contacts can be made on any amateur radio band and using any amateur radio mode. But, they must all be made from the same location or from locations within 50 miles of each other. WAS

I got my WAS during the ARRL Centennial in 2014. There were W1AW/portable stations on the air from each state and each state had two W1AW/portable activations. I worked all of the W1AW/portable stations in the 50 states. That pursuit did force me to learn a different mode (RTTY) and improve my antennas. I can't remember which was the last state I got, but I do recall being very proud of myself for contacting Hawaii on 80m using a 27-foot non-resonant vertical antenna. It was a matter of timing.

@TexTAC congrats on achieving WAS. Now, you need to work on 5-band WAS.

 

[TexTAC]

Wow. I can’t imagine achieving WAS contacting portables! I haven’t earned it yet because I still need Maine (and my Alaska contact still needs to confirm). I am working SSB on 80m, 40m, 20m, 17m , 15m and 10m. Once I get mixed I’ll try to get a single band endorsement.

 

[AK9R]

I can’t imagine achieving WAS contacting portables!

They were "portable" in that they were operating from a location other than the licensed location of W1AW which is Newington CT. Most of the W1AW/portable stations were home stations with good antennas and legal-limit power.

 

[RocketNJ]

WAS contacts can be made on any amateur radio band and using any amateur radio mode. But, they must all be made from the same location or from locations within 50 miles of each other. WAS

I got my WAS during the ARRL Centennial in 2014. There were W1AW/portable stations on the air from each state and each state had two W1AW/portable activations. I worked all of the W1AW/portable stations in the 50 states. That pursuit did force me to learn a different mode (RTTY) and improve my antennas. I can't remember which was the last state I got, but I do recall being very proud of myself for contacting Hawaii on 80m using a 27-foot non-resonant vertical antenna. It was a matter of timing.

I operated as W1AW/2 from NJ during that. Only state I missed during the W1AW "tour" was Kansas, both weeks they were on. Got everything else and also quite a few of the bonus stations, such as Directors, CEO, etc. Even got Guam W1AW/KH2 and Puerto Rico W1AW/KP4

 

[AK9R]

I operated as W1AW/9 from IN on 30m and 17m RTTY. Missed Guam, but I think I got PR.

 

[KB1VLA]

Wow. I can’t imagine achieving WAS contacting portables! I haven’t earned it yet because I still need Maine (and my Alaska contact still needs to confirm). I am working SSB on 80m, 40m, 20m, 17m , 15m and 10m. Once I get mixed I’ll try to get a single band endorsement.

10m has been open lately; if you give me a time and frequency I can try to get you on 10 to complete your WAS (I've only got a 10m mobile rig at the moment).

 

[TexTAC]

Thanks KB1VLA. My antenna isn’t very efficient on 10 meters but I’ll CQ tomorrow at noon Eastern on 29.200 and see what happens. KI5PWN

 

[N4DJC]

My last was Hawaii on 20 meters in 1980, all mine were on five watts.

 

[TexTAC]

My last was Hawaii on 20 meters in 1980, all mine were on five watts.

That is truly an accomplishment doing it on QRP - That can not be easy to do!. Hawaii is the state I was expecting most people to say would be the last. I got lucky and one of the real high-powered, big antenna stations in Hawaii was able to copy me with what I considered to be my measly 100W. Not sure I would have made that QSO with 5W.

 

[RocketNJ]

I worked quite a few HI stations in the ARRL CW DX contest this past weekend. I think I got KH6LC on 4 bands. (80,40,20,15)
Did get KH6RS on 10.

If you ever want to get DXCC fast, join the DX contests. Even stations with wire antennas and 100 watts can do quite a bit of DX. For WAS look for the various State QSO parties. They are going to be starting up for 2022 soon.

 

[N4DJC]

That is truly an accomplishment doing it on QRP - That can not be easy to do!. Hawaii is the state I was expecting most people to say would be the last. I got lucky and one of the real high-powered, big antenna stations in Hawaii was able to copy me with what I considered to be my measly 100W. Not sure I would have made that QSO with 5W.

The result of the near peak of an exceptional sunspot cycle. It took two years of working every single day a few hours. The maximum smooth number was 232 in Dec 1979.

 

[W5lz]

Me...

 

[alcahuete]

It has been quite some time, but I believe my last was Delaware. Wyoming always seems to come up too as the "most wanted."

 

[mass-man]

If you haven’t bagged ME by mid March we’ll try to set a sked. I go up there for 3 weeks for work and am taking my K3 and wire antennas. I could cobble together a 17 or 15mtr Moxon for a bit of gain and hopefully a high spot in the evenings or weekends! I’ll keep in touch...

 

[TexTAC]

I finally achieved "Worked All States" (SSB Mixed) last night after a 40m SSB QSO with someone in Maine. Actually I achieved three of them once he logs the QSO on LoTW (OMISS WAS, QRZ WAS, and ARRL LoTW WAS). Took about 10 months to get from the date I got licensed. At first, I didn't think I would be able to achieve this with 100w and a wire, but once I got Hawaii and Alaska I knew it could be done.

 

[alcahuete]

I finally achieved "Worked All States" (SSB Mixed) last night after a 40m SSB QSO with someone in Maine. Actually I achieved three of them once he logs the QSO on LoTW (OMISS WAS, QRZ WAS, and ARRL LoTW WAS). Took about 10 months to get from the date I got licensed. At first, I didn't think I would be able to achieve this with 100w and a wire, but once I got Hawaii and Alaska I knew it could be done.

Nice job! Congrats!

 

[KC5AKB]

Congrats