I did not 13 Colonies this year.

I'll not hesitate to say that the 13 Colonies Event has become a mainstay in the operating year. Amateurs from around the world try to work the 13 States that were the original 13 Colonies as well as WM3PEN and GB13COL for the sweep. You earn a very nice certificate which makes beautiful wall paper for the shack. On top of that, 13 operators and organizers do an outstanding job to pull this off, year after year. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make something like this work.

All that said, I did not join the hunt this year. More likely than not, my ambition level this year was left kind of flat after that bout of stomach trouble that I had experienced. That, and finding the time. Working full time makes it hard to find the time to work all 13 plus the bonus stations.

And I got annoyed by some of the comments I saw on social media. I know, I shouldn't allow morons to get to me, but some did. The whining, the complaining that this station wasn't on and this station wouldn't do my favorite mode, etc. It just made me weary.

The 13 Colonies event has certainly grown with more ops providing more modes than ever. A few years back, when I accomplished a sweep, not all the states were on the air with CW.  Instead of moaning and groaning, I picked up the microphone and worked the ones I needed on SSB. That was disappointing for me - but it was what it was. If you want something badly enough, you do what you have to do to get it done. Crying and threatening to take your ball home because the game's not being played the way you want it is a bit ridiculous.

And then, of course, there are the jammers and the pirates. These idiots just can't be happy with other people having fun. They have to make everything about themselves.

Maybe next year, I'll join the fray again. When you feel well, your level of BS Tolerance goes way up. I hope it will be that way next year.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!