VP6DX Ducie Island - February 2008
______________________________________________________________________
The VP6DX team, heading to Ducie Island, has been busy behind the
scenes preparing for the much anticipated February 2008 DXpedition,
reports DL6LAU, Carsten Esch. The group has decided "to extend the
duration of the expedition". As a result that will increase the
budget for this operation. Plans are to depart Mangareva Island,
Gambier Islands, French Polynesia via the Braveheart
(
www.braveheart.pn), on February 5, 2008 and head for Pitcairn Island,
which normally takes about 36 hours.
The ops will spend a few hours there before take another 36 hour trip
boat ride, still aboard the Braveheart, to Ducie Island. They are
planning to arrive at sunrise on February 9th. The only landing area
is located on the northeast side of the island and it can be tricky.
They hope to be up and running within 24 hours.
The team needs to be back on Mangareva by March 3rd, so they would
need to allow about six days in order getting back in time. Looks
like if all goes well, including the weather, they will have VP6 QRV
for as long as 19 days. There is a slight chance of a short visit to
another uninhabited island (editors note: Henderson Island is the only
one on the way to and from Ducie Island) if things on Ducie slow down.
Since the Dayton announcement the operators list has been adjusted.
Unfortunately K1LZ, Krassy Petkov, will not be able to go. The
current list of operators is DJ8NK, DL3DXX, DL6LAU, DL8LAS, K3NA,
OH2BH, OH2PM, SP3DOI, UA3AB and WA6CDR. The group plans to announce
the addition of three more ops in the near future.
The VP6DX DXpedition team will be assisted by a support team. JA1BK,
Kan Mizoguchi, who was the DXpedition leader on the first operation
(VP6DI) from Ducie and who supported the second operation (VP6DIA),
will be advising the VP6DX team. DF6QV, DJ2YA and OH1JT will be the
Antenna Engineering Team. The team's Webmaster will be DL1MGB.
GU4YOX, Bob Beebe, is the electrical team manager and VP6MW, Miralda
Warren, is the Pitcairn Island liaison. More support personnel are
expected to be announced soon.
Early on the team chose to take radios that would possibly be "the
best radio for this kind of operation". The team will have seven of
the new K3 transceivers thanks to the sponsorship of Elecraft
(
www.elecraft.com). Another sponsor for this operation will be ACOM
(
www.hfpower.com) as the team will have six or seven of the ACOM
1000/1010 amps and one ACOM 2000A (for 160 meters).
Serious efforts are being made in many aspects of this DXpedition
including their antennas. They will have two phased verticals on 160
meters aimed at Europe and the US and one vertical will be used to all
other areas. Plans are to have two 4 squares on 80 meters, one on CW
and the other on SSB, for simultaneous operation. Four Squares will
also be used on the 30 and 40 meter bands. On 10 through 20 meters
they will be using phased vertical dipoles.
As you can see, from the list of operators, their time on the island,
the equipment and antennas, this will be a serious effort to make
Ducie Island available to the DX community. Donations for this
operation are being requested, in order to make this operation a
success. Your support before the operation is requested, as "all of
the expenses have to be paid way before" the team actually depart.
The team members have already put upfront the money. Donations have
already been received or promised by the following sponsors: German
DX Foundation (GDXF), Danish DX Group (DDXG), Clipperton DX Club
(CDXC), Chiltern DX Club (CDXC), European DX Foundation (EUDXF), UK
Six Metre Group (UKSMG) and the Central Virginia DX Contest Club
(CVCC). Individual contributions have been received so far from:
K9CT, W2RI, DJ0QN, G4DYO, K7HC, N6OX, DK5WL, DL2OE, K7EIE, DL3JJ,
JF7RJM and DL7ZZ.
The budget for this operation is over $200,000 (USD). Those willing
and able can support this operation, with details on the team's Web
site at
http://ducie2008.dl1mgb.com/content/view/33/54/. Over the next few
weeks the VP6DX team will be preparing the shipping container, which
will contain the "radios, amplifiers, antennas, generators" etc.
The VP6DX Website (
www.vp6dx.com) is constantly being updated and a
monthly news letter will be available with all the details prior to
the trip. Those wishing to automatically receive the news letter can
go to the Web site and "leave your e-mail address in the News
section". The July issue is expected to be available to the DX
community in the next few days.
