Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

VP6R - Pitcairn Island - News

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  •  

    #11
    VP6R Pitcairn Island DX Pedition News 30 September 2019.

    Sept. 29, 2019: We are pleased to announce our pilot station network for the Pitcairn Island DXpedition. Our pilot station system is in place to relay your reports, concerns, and advise to us through our pilot stations. Initially, the information most important to us will be when we are being heard in your area. This is especially true if there are openings to more than one geographical area at the same time and one of those areas has strong signals that obscure stations calling from the other areas. We need to attend to those weaker signals and your reports will help us do that.

    With time your band and mode needs will be relayed to us through our system. Constructive criticism is welcome as well.

    Our system is somewhat “Eurocentric,” with north, south, east, and western Europe each having a representative in our system. We do this because needs for a VP6 contact are greater in Europe and European signals may be “under” stronger signals from other geographical areas.

    Our chief and North American pilot is Jerry, WB9Z. He will be supported by JJ3PRT, OG2M, R7LV, G3XTT, EA3AKP, IK0FVC, NP4G, ZS1C, and ZL3IO. Please go to our Pilots and Off-Island Team Members page for more details.
    We want you in our log and we want you to have fun working us.
    73 Al 4L5A

    Comment

    •  

      #12
      VP6R Pitcairn Island News

      " WHERE'S HALDO?"

      I will be taking along my Garmin Satellite tracker once again on this DXpedition... so if you are interested, you may follow along with this adventure in near real time at this website:

      https://share.garmin.com/vp6r

      This might also be a great opportunity to introduce a young person to ham radio by sharing a map, geography or history lesson as we travel to Pitcairn Island out in the South Pacific.

      The tracker should show me leaving Charleston, West Virginia on Saturday, October 12, flying to Atlanta then LAX then Papeete, Tahiti where our entire team will meet for the first time on the 13th.

      We will then fly from Papeete to Mangareva (ever hear of it?) on the 15th where we board the Braveheart and prepare for our one day sail arriving at Pitcairn Island on the 16th.

      You should be able to watch our track as the long boats take us from the Braveheart onto Pitcairn island and as the quads take us up the 300+ meters to the top of Pitcairn and the home of our host Andy Christian. Here we will be erecting our antennas and stations and hope to be on the air as VP6R by the 18th or 19th barring any unforeseen issues.

      So join the fun, share this link and follow along... Oh, and keep your fingers crossed there is no mutiny this time! LOL.
      73 Al 4L5A

      Comment

      •  

        #13
        VP6R News 10 October 2019
        I experienced a sudden and relatively severe, acute illness and was hospitalized for a number of days. I am recovering at home, but the risk of compromising the DXpedition to Pitcairn Island is too great for me to make the trip with the team. My friend Glenn, W0GJ, will take on my responsibilities and the DXpedition will proceed as otherwise planned.

        Most team members will have begun their travels within the next 24-48 hours. The October 15th flight to Mangareva and boarding of the Braveheart remain on schedule.

        This is a great disappointment for me, but the show will go on. I thank all of you for your past encouragement and support. I have great confidence in all of our team members; they will give this DXpedition their all.

        Ralph – K0IR
        73 Al 4L5A

        Comment

        •  

          #14
          VP6R Pitcairn Island DX Pedition
          Nodir, EY8MM Tahiti Island


          VP6R Pitcairn Island Nodir EY8MM Tahiti Island


          73 Al 4L5A

          Comment

          •  

            #15
            The VP6R team all together now at the Tahiti Airport Hotel. And now we are 13

            VP6R Pitcairn Island DX Pedition Tahiti 14 October 2019 Image 1


            VP6R Pitcairn Island DX Pedition Tahiti 14 October 2019 Image 2


            VP6R Pitcairn Island DX Pedition Tahiti 14 October 2019 Image 3


            VP6R Pitcairn Island DX Pedition Tahiti 14 October 2019 Image 4


            VP6R Pitcairn Island DX Pedition Tahiti 14 October 2019 Image 5
            73 Al 4L5A

            Comment

            •  

              #16
              VP6R Pitcairn Island News 18 October 2019.


              VP6R Pitcairn Island 18 October 2019 Image 1 EY8MM


              VP6R Pitcairn Island 18 October 2019 Image 2


              VP6R Pitcairn Island 18 October 2019 Image 3


              VP6R Pitcairn Island 18 October 2019 Image 4


              VP6R Pitcairn Island 18 October 2019 Image 5
              73 Al 4L5A

              Comment

              •  

                #17
                VP6R Pitcairn Island News 19 October 2019.
                Just back from second site. 160 m installed. Get ready guys!


                VP6R Pitcairn Island EY8MM News 19 October 2019 160m antenna installed
                73 Al 4L5A

                Comment

                •  

                  #18
                  VP6R on Topband first night. 700 QSO's. Information from Nodir, EY8MM.


                  VP6R Pitcairn Island 20 October 2019 160m
                  73 Al 4L5A

                  Comment

                  •  

                    #19
                    Nodir, EY8MM Inform dxnews.com that they setup all antennas now.
                    Nodir setup beverages on 160m and he hope that will reduce QRN level.
                    Everything now ready and he will be very active on 160m and probably on another bands also.
                    73 Al 4L5A

                    Comment

                    •  

                      #20
                      VP6R News 20 October 2019.

                      The Braveheart anchored just off Pitcairn Island at dawn, Thursday, October 17. After customs & immigration, the team was transported to the home of Andy Christian where all of the equipment was waiting for us. This equipment arrived about 6 weeks prior to our arrival. The steep dirt roads were very muddy from lots of recent rains and had our equipment not been prepositioned, we would have been delayed by several days getting all stations on the air.

                      By the end of the first day we had antennas up and four stations QRV at Andy’s house.

                      The next morning (Friday) everyone moved to the old Radio Site to set up more antennas and stations. This is our primary low band site. The DX Engineering 160M falling derrick vertical is almost full-size and generated huge pileups that night, with 700 stations in the 160M log!

                      Saturday morning left just a couple more antenna projects to finish and by late morning everything was set up and we settled into our operating routine.

                      Pitcairn has power from 8 am until 10 pm. After 10 pm we switch to generators until morning. The Radio Site is 100% generator powered.

                      As of about 2400Z Sunday, we have over 16,000 Q’s in the logs, including several 6M EME contacts.

                      We are down to 12 operators today. One of the team members fell, suffering several fractures. A supply ship was leaving today and he is being evacuated to Mangareva and on to Papeete. Naturally we are all disappointed with this situation, but medically it is in everyone’s best interest. DXpeditions to remote places are not without risk and medical care is quite limited at best.

                      The weather has been very cooperative with pleasant temperatures. When it rains, which is often, the dirt roads become “the world’s friendliest mud,” as the residents call it, making travel between the two sites somewhat treacherous.

                      We will have a station on 20M continuously, often with more than one mode, with the goal of giving Pitcairn Island a new one to everyone.

                      The Flex Radios are working extremely well. With good conditions, at times we have been able to sustain nearly 400 Q’s/hr with FT8 Fox & Hound mode, working five stations simultaneously!

                      Logs are periodically uploaded to ClubLog during the times we have “commercial” power on the island.

                      Please check our website often for the latest updates: www.pitcairndx.com

                      73,
                      Glenn W0GJ
                      73 Al 4L5A

                      Comment

                      Working...
                      X