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2024 EXPEDITIONS

IOTA NA-075, VE7ACN/7,  Gabriola Island, British Columbia 

CISA BC-013, GRID CN89ce  ---   28.02.2024 - 04.03.2024

Possibly the best place for almost any expedition. Salt water to all main destinations. Propagation expected to be good on HF, so good chance for those who didn't get NA-075 during previous numerous activations during the bottom of solar cycle. 

Rig: Proven Elekraft K3 + Expert SPE 1,3K-FA (1300 W)

Bands: 40 through 10 m

Modes: Primary - CW,  then SSB, FT8 - in a case if "human" modes will not be "productive".

Antennas: 5 band Spiderbeam 10-12-15-18-20 m, verticals or Inverted Vs for 30 and 40 m depending on space available. No 160 m for sure, 80 m - possible option if no propagation on higher bands. 

 
GABRIOLA 2024 01.png
GABRIOLA 2024.png

2020 EXPEDITIONS

Easter  Island,  CE0Y/VE7ACN

March 19-30, 2020. 

March 15, 2020 update. My wife and I arrived to Chile on March 15 and stay at Dale's  VE7SV/CE2SV place for 3 nights, then should head to Easter Island on March 18 if no flight  cancellations occur.  The station will be at the same place as XR0YD in March 2018. Intend to get focused on low bands CW, but propagation will make the rules. Got somewhat prepared for FT8 as well.

March 17, 2020 update.  Chile is closing the border on March 18, so Easter Island is closed as well. 

Honu Nui Cabanas in Hanga Roa  had been used by other expeditions to Easter Island, so there was no any issue to book the place again. A plenty of room for antennas, so Spiderbeam, verticals for 80-40-30 and  160 m Inverted L. Proven DXpedition K3 radio + Expert 1,3K-FA  (1300 W) power amplifier.

Снимок экрана 2019-12-13 в 14.58.51.png

IOTA NA-249 Vieques Island,  KP4/AA7CH

January 31 - February 5, 2020. 

Rig:  K3 + Expert 1.3K-FA (1300 W)

 

Power: Full legal

 

Antennas: Vertical and/or Inverted V, the owner of the place has warned that the winds are quite strong on the hilltop, so likely no Spiderbeam.

 

Bands:  80 m through 10 m with the attempt to set  antenna for 160 m if the size of the rental property allows

 

Modes: CW (main mode), SSB.  FT8 is very unlikely

 

QSL: ClubLog OQRS (preferred), direct to VE7ACN, bureau

 

ClubLog:   YES, daily

 

LoTW:      YES, shortly after the expedition

Sint Martin,  FS/RW0CN     February 9 - 16, 2020

with possible day trip(s) to NA-199 Tintamarre island - FS/VE7ACN

Снимок экрана 2019-12-10 в 11.00.27.png

Rental place is in Les Terres Basses, a well treed 2 1/2 acre (1 ha) property with good take off to all major destinations, but not on the beach. The same rig and antennas for FS/RW0CN as per KP4/AA7CH. The plan is to participate in ARRL DX CW contest as well. 

NA-199 Tintamarre Island is Nature Reserve, day trips are allowed but overnight stay requires a special permit. Due to overall fairly short stay on St. Martin it could be (or could not be) one or two day trips to NA-199.  Barefoot 100 W and Inverted V antennas for 17-20-30 m, battery power. 

Easter  Island,  CE0Y/VE7ACN

March 19-30, 2020. 

Снимок экрана 2019-12-13 в 14.58.51.png

Honu Nui Cabanas in Hanga Roa  had been used by other expeditions to Easter Island, so there was no any issue to book the place again. A plenty of room for antennas, so Spiderbeam, verticals for 80-40-30 with the possibility to have 160 m Inverted L. Proven DXpedition K3 radio + Expert 1,3K-FA  (1300 W) power amplifier.

ISLANDS 2019

July-August-September 2019 IOTA expedition to NA-176, NA-125, NA-068 and NA-077 has been cancelled due to urgent gull bladder surgery scheduled on August 7, 2019.  That supposed to be a car tour started from Vancouver, BC on July 14, drive across Canada to get back on September 11. Places on NA-176, NA-125 and NA-077 were off-grid, so expedition equipment included 2 Honda EU-2000i generators and a bunch of other stuff normally not taken to airplanes. 

As of August 15, 2019 recovery after surgery is going fairly well, however, the doctor doesn't recommend any full-scale physical activity during 6-8weeks. Any HAM radio expedition falls under this definition

IOTA NA-091, VE7ACN/7,  Cortes Island, British Columbia

CISA BC-042,  GRID CO70mb   02.00 UTC   25.01.2019 - 10.00 UTC  29.01.2019

Cortes Island NA-091.png

IOTA NA-081, VE7ACN/VE1,  Bell Island/LaHave  Islands, Nova Scotia 

CISA  NS-044, GRID FN74tf  --- 20.00 UTC   22.03.2019 - 05.00 UTC   28.03.2019

NA-081 MAP.PNG
NA-081 QTH.PNG

IOTA NA-127, VA7XW/VE1,  Long Island, Nova Scotia 

CISA  NS-007, GRID FN64ug --- 20.00 UTC   28.03.2019 - 05.00 UTC   04.04.2019

NA-127 map.PNG
NA-127 QTH.PNG

IOTA NA-014, VE7ACN/VE9,  White Head Island, New Brunswik

CISA  NB-010, GRID FN64pp --- 20.00 UTC   05.04.2019 - 05.00 UTC   11.04.2019

NA-014 MAP.PNG
NA-014 QTH.PNG

NA-042 AL3/AA7CH AND NA-157 NL6/AA7CH  2017

Some 4500 pictures from both islands are waiting for inspiration to sort them out and write stories. 

IOTA NA-042 Hinchibrook Island  page made before expedition is here. August 9-15, 2017.

IOTA NA-157 Kayak Island  page made before expedition is here. August 19-28, 2017.

NA-042 and NA-157 QSO summaries are  here

VE7ACN  EXPEDITIONS PLAQUES

A nice plaques for my Alaska 2017 and  all time Canadian islands expeditions to decorate your shack can be ordered from  RW3DD for 44 USD or 39 EUR . Just e-mail him rw3dd@mail.ru.   No QSL necessary,  put all QSOs in e-mail. ClubLog  will be used to check up the contacts.  E-mailed QSL scans or LoTW screenshots will work equally well.

Alaska 2017. QSOs with 3 islands necessary:  KL7/VE7ACN, AL3/AA7CH, NL6/AA7CH

Canadian Islands.  Any 7 islands from here. Several QSOs with the same IOTA number are accepted.

Alaska Plaque.PNG
Alaska Plaque.PNG
Canada Plaque.PNG
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