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G6KUI > RADIO 21.11.06 20:58l 102 Lines 4582 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 12280_G6KUI
Read: DK5RAS GUEST
Subj: Re: KUI and dxpeditions
Path: DB0FHN<DB0THA<DB0ERF<DB0SON<DB0SIF<DB0EA<DB0RES<TU5EX<CX2SA<GB7YFS<
GB7PZT<GB7MAX<GB7DBY<GB7DBY
Sent: 061121/1519z @:GB7DBY.#23.GBR.EU NPF2.54c [G6KUI PMS Alvaston Derby]
Andy G0FTD kindly asked.....
}
} I wonder if you could write a bulletin about how you put your dxpeditions
} together Pete ? I'd be interested and perhaps it would encourage others to
} have a go. Thankfully my dxpeditions are only a two minute walk away.
}
} However there has been a few operators down this way suggesting that a few
} of us go somewhere for a few days to play radio, so all comments/info are
} welcome.
}
} For example, what tools do you take (if any), food rations and clothing.
}
} Radio equipment and antennas of course, plus any "information technology"
} equipment, power sources etc.
}
} Types of cooking sources, gas or open fire.
}
} Perhaps at the end of the day you all sit together singing "ging gang
} goolie" around the camp fire ;-)
}
} Problems found and solved whilst dxpeditioning ?
}
Well I'll have a go.
What follows is all based on personal experience.
The first thing that we asked ourselves was WHY ? and what did we want
to achieve ?
Our answer was to activate islands that other people wanted to work,
and to maximize the number of contacts.
We worked within the IOTA and IOSA framework.
IOTO - the RSGB "Islands On The Air.
IOSA- the Islands of Scotland Award.
Both of these required QSL cards to be sent to contacts.
People who work DXPeditions usually want QSL cards to help towards their
(forthcoming) awards. Personally I had no interest in QSL cards but to
make a success of a DXPedition they are a must.
You need to go where people want to work you.
You must have a callsign prefix that they want to work, a plain G0*** is
more of a hinderance than a help. Use Club callsigns with the alternate
secondary letter helps a lot. You can also run multiple stations with
the same callsign which you can't do with your own personal callsigns.
So, at least one person on the team needs to be a member of RSGB or other
national society so that QSL cards can be sent relatively cheaply.
Also being members of IOTA and IOSA helps.
You then need to find WHERE to go, get permision from the owners/residents
of the island and arange boat transport from the mainland to the island.
When you are on an island you need shelter, and that usually means a tent.
Any old tent is not good enough. Remember that tent is your means of
survival for days/weeks so a good one FOR THE CONDITIONS LIKELY to be
encountered is a MUST. We used 3 or 4 season tents designed for such
conditions ( Vango TBS Equinox 350 or similar ). You can't stand up in
them but can sit in them on a small chair at a small table and have
seperate sleeping compartment sufficient for 2 ( or 3 at a push ).
You need wet weather clothing including wellintons ( wet landings on the
beach ). Use the best that you can afford.
Cooking.We used a presurised petrol stove. The gas things are useless in a
force 8 gale. You need one that won't blow out and powerful enough to boil a
kettle in the open in a gale. Do all your cooking OUTSIDE and not in the small
tent - you don't want to set fire to it and compromise your survival. Used
mainly tinned food and packets. Often cooked rice to go with tinned curry etc.
Take more food than you expect to use , remember you may get stranded for
an extra few days because the boat may not be able to collect you at the
prearranged time/date due to heavy seas etc.
Take plenty of WATER with you unless you are CERTAIN that there is a
drinkable supply on the island.
Clothes.
It is often a lot cooler on an island than on the mainland. It is also
often a lot wetter and windier. Make sure that you double wrap ( at least
some of ) your clothes to stop them getting wet through if you have a
stormy crossing and a stormy landing. The same goes for your sleeping bag.
Don't rely on just your sleeping bag on the ground - you NEED some form
bed to insulate you from the ground. I use a blow-up air-bed, Ken uses
a self-inflating mattress. You want something that is light and physically
small in size for ease of transport.
Furniture.
A strong foldable chair each. The sort that folds into a bag is what I
find best. It has to be practical and comfy - remember you are going to
be sitting in it for a long time. You also need a table for each operating
station that is just big enough for your radio, morse-key, and laptop
computer. Each station is designed for one-man operation - you do your
own logging. A cheap laptop capable of running a DOS logging program is
best. Remember you need to make ongoing backup disks of your log because
accidents do happen.
(More in another bulletin)
73, Pete G6KUI
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