[Mldxcc] VP6DX - News #22- 2008 Feb 26

[Ken Anderson]

News #22- 2008 Feb 26

Highlights:

... First LOTW credits for VP6DX contacts on ARRL server ...
... Station and camp disassembly begins ...
... One more record claimed ...

Late yesterday, Feb 21, the Ducie Island expedition submitted over data for
 over
seven thousand VP6DX contacts to the ARRL robot. These contacts were with
over
900 stations whose owners made financial contributions of at least five US
dollars to the expedition through Feb 24.

The submission has been accepted and processed by the robot, and these
contacts

are ready for matching by the donors.

Meanwhile, on Ducie Island, the operator team and crew of the Braveheart
have
begun the first phase of disassembly and off-loading. On today's schedule
to be

disassembled and removed from the island:

* All antennas for 20 through 6 meters at both east and west camps.
* The 30m antenna at the west camp, and the 40m 4-square at the east camp.
* Two operating positions and the shift supervisor workstation at the east
 camp.
* The technical workstation.
* A portion of the camp infrastructure for meals, cooking, washing, etc.

No on-air operating will occur during the daylight period today, as all
hands
are needed to complete the work of disassemble, packing, transfer to the
ship,
and storage for the sea journey.

Tonight (beginning as early as Feb 27 Wednesday 0300z) a more limited on-air
operation is possible, if the operators have time and energy remaining. Five
operating positions at two sites and transmit antennas for 160 through 30
meter

bands will be available.

At Feb 27 Wednesday 1445z on-air operations will again shut down for a
second
day of deconstruction. At the end of Thursday local time the entire east
camp
will have been removed from the island. The west camp, with single element
verticals for 160, 80/30 and 40m, and possible one beverage (045) will
remain,
along with three operating positions. This equipment will be staffed by a
skeleton overnight crew, on-air from about Feb 28 Thursday 0330-1430z. Most
operators will sleep on the "Braveheart", as there will be no camp
facilities
 on
the island.

Early Thursday morning (Ducie Island time), around 1400z, the ship's crew
and
operators will return to the island to pack and remove all remaining
antennas,
equipment, etc. The on-air phase of the Ducie Island expedition will end at
 that point.

This will be the last press release from Ducie Island. A log update was
submitted to the website about one hour ago. A final log update, together
with
 a press release containing final statistics, will be transmitted from the
Braveheart once we have departed.

We would be delighted if DX editors would publish this information as
widely as
possible and DXers bring it to the attention of their clubs and fellow
DXers.