This afternoon we have been given the go-ahead for this Saturday morning local time. We board the boat at 0700 local for a 20 min trip followed by a 90 minute hike and climb to the summit. Equipment will be a KX3 into a 20m dipole.
On this basis we expect to be active approx 9am local time - 2130z 1st May. The guide has given us the ok to work until 0030z 2 May at which time we need to pack up and hike back to meet the boat. Note a change in the weather could change these plans.
As with all such ventures, there are a number of factors that could impact our schedule, so please be patient and listen for us. There will be 3 of us on the summit and we will be using the callsign VK3QB/9, so we’ll do our best to be on the air for as much of the 3 hour window as possible. Note a change in the weather could change these plans.
Freq will be 14.023, 21.023 and 28.023 CW, with SSB on 14.173, 21.273 and 28.473.
We hope to work you - and we will move around the bands and modes as propagation and contacts permit.
Oly will remain on Norfolk Island and keep VK9NT active. For more detailed info please visit our web site vk9nt.odxg.org
We also plan to activate Mt Bates VK9/NO-001 on Sunday morning local time; we’ll use the same frequencies. Again, this will depend on the weather.
Thanks for the expedition and the information.
I’ll be looking forward to contact you tomorrow May 1st at 21h30Z via SP.
I wish you very good luck!
Best 73 de Guru
Because Norfolk is West of the international date line, reference to Saturday for NO-002 and Sunday for NO-001 is actually Friday and Saturday for NA and EU. The Alerts appear to be correct. Too bad about the frequencies… the usual Sota freq’s (61 KHz up from the bottom of CW bands) would give us less competition from hungry DX’ers during the first few minutes on air.
Really amazing,
I wkd VK3QB/VK9N 29 mins ago on 17m with QRP 5W and HF9V up 30m. I was watching RBN and first QSO was mine…I had absolutly good condx between us, sigs from Norfolk isl. starts 559, abt 21.10 was 599 and now 229. Tnx for new REF, NEW ONE on 17m and very nice DX QSO.
Just heard from Chris VK3QB/VK9N. The weather is not improving and will not be suitable to attempt Jacky Jacky tomorrow morning local time. That means that Ed and other EU operators can go to bed earlier…
Chris worked 40 or so stations today from Mount Bates, so at least the team included some SOTA activity. They have some contacts, which may facilitate future activation of VK9/NO-002.
Early 5.00am (1900z) start here, drove to Mt Gordon VK3/VN-027 - rewarded with a S2S contact vith VK3BQ/VK9N on 15m SSB at 2200z. (Excellent copy also on 17m CW from 2130z.)
I believe that’s also Norfolk Island National Park VKFF-392
I also applaud the team for inclusing SOTA activations in their plans as part of the DXPedition. It’s great to see how the Aussie organised or led DXPeditions often are more flexible to include more interests. The “heavy duty” DXPedition teams unfortunately have their hands full in running all the stations they commit to from the base location.
And if this comment suggests I am biased towards Aussie DXPeditions, I am!