VE7ACN AA7CH RW0CN
KL7/VE7ACN, Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, IOTA NA-041, Grid CO36oa
March 8 - 20, 2017
We will start from Vancouver, BC on March 5. The car will be loaded up to the roof with antennas and radios. Some 1500 km/950 miles to drive to Prince Rupert. Stay over night in motel in Prince George or Vanderhoof, depending on road conditions. Stay in motel/B&B in Prince Rupert. Ferry to Ketchkan departs on March 7 at 6.30 am. Ferry from Ketchikan to Hollis at 3.30 pm, arrives to Prince of Wales Island at 6.30 pm local time. Some 2 hours to drive to the place, that should be March 8, 04.30 GMT. The weather is expected to be quite unusual for the time, snow instead of rain and temperatures -10C/14F. I would be happy to set up vertical immediately and get on the air, but night, snow and low temperatures may not allow to do that. If happens I might be on the air for a few hours around 07.00 GMT on the 8th of March. In the worst case scenario I should be on the air around 18-20 GMT on the 8th of March.
Location: Whale Point Cabins, Coffman Cove, Prince of Wales Island, Alaska
Team: Mike VE7ACN/RW0CN and his wife Natasha.
Rig:
Main: K3 + SPE Expert 1,3K-FA, MFJ998RT remote tuner;
Back up: FT1000MP, KPA500, MFJ994RT remote tuner.
Modes:
CW most of the time and some SSB in the case of good propagation.
Antennas:
160 м - Inverted L, 21 м / 68 ft vertical aluminum plus 25 m /82 ft 1 мм / #18 cupper wire;
80 м - 2 full size verticals, driven element and passive reflector, to Europe;
40 м - 2 full size verticals, driven element and passive reflector, to Europe;
30 м - 2 х 2, two 2 element cells similar to 40/80 m spaced 0.7 wavelength, to Europe;
20 - 10 м - Spiderbeam on 10 m / 33 ft mast;
K9AY for receiveg on 160-80 м.
Antennas set up and tear down rough schedule:
March 8, 20 GMT - 10 m/ 33 ft vertical with autotuner for 40-30-20-17 m;
March 9, 22 GMT - Spiderbeam;
March 10, 23 GMT - 160/80 м single vertical, K9AY;
March 11, 23 GMT - 2 el 80 м;
March 12, 23 GMT - 2 el 40 м, 2 х 2 30 м, all antennas to be set up;
March 18, 23 GMT - 160/80 м antennas down;
March 19, 23 GMT - Spiderbeam, 30/40 м antennas down; single 10 m/ 33 ft vertical with autotuner for 40-30-20-17 m remains;
March 20, 05 - 06 GMT - QRT.
Bad weather may cause some delays, the absence of propagation which in not unusual for Alaska may speed up antennae installation.
Internet and cell phone coverage :
NO. Totally absent. The nearest WiFi spot is in the library some 1 km (3/4 mi) away. I will do my best to upload QSOs to ClubLog every 2-3 days. No way to set a sked.
Time on the air:
I will devote maximum of the time to Europe on low bands, from sunset in Alaska to sunrise in Europe. Europe on 20-17 and possibly 15 m is approximately 16 to 20 GMT. North/South America should be good and do not require special attention. KL7 as DXCC is not in real demand, as IOTA NA-041 we should be good on HF after EU. The same applies to Far East/Asia/Japan, the focus will be just IOTA on HF, not low bands.
In a case of good opening to Europe and good QSO rates, especially on low bands I might ask "EU only", however, most of the time it will be "work anyone from anywhere" practice.
Some shifts in the time are possible, this is not a "full" DXpedition/IOTApedition, but just "one man and his wife (not a HAM at all)" adventure.
73, Mike VE7ACN - RW0CN - AA7CH