[Nodxa] Exclusive Update from K8YSE

[Tedd Mirgliotta]

Hi NODXA members,
I received an E-mail from John, K8YSE, early Wednesday morning stating
the team will leave Thursday morning.  They got a boat from Apia in
Western Samoa to sail over to Pago Pago to pick them up.  It will take
them to Swains and has cargo to unload as well as their equipment. The
boat will stay/wait about 5 hours before it returns to Apia in Western
Samoa. Kan/JA1BK and John/K1ER will only operate for a few hours and
then get back on the "MV Tokelau" and sail back to Apia Western Samoa.
Kan has to leave Swains Island early to attend an IARU conference and
John is going to help him. That means that Tets, Paul and John will be
the operators for the remaining days of the expedition.  Uti, KS6FO,
(Larry/AH8LG wife) will operate as well if there is YL demand. Another
ship is supposed to pick them up and is scheduled to arrive at Swains
on Tuesday.  The team has to be back in Pago Pago to catch their flight
on the 3d of August at 11:30 pm. They are concerned that the boat may
not leave on time and this would create a disaster for them if they can't
get off the island on time. They are trying to confirm that the ship is
really scheduled to go to Swains and can bring them back to Pago Pago.
John states, "There was a point where we considered scrapping the DXpedition
because of the ship problems. Today was the turning point and it looks
good." John was able to work his wife  Diane last night on 20m SSB and
is very happy about it. He informs me that he made about 900 QSOs from
KH8 already.  Today the team will be packing and shopping for the trip.
John state, "We are all very excited now because it looks like we will
be able to activate Swains Island as a new one."

--
Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW - kb8nw at barf80.nshore.org --or-- kb8nw at arrl.net
Editor of the "Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin" (OPDX - "DXer's Tool of Excellence")
President of the "Northern Ohio DX Association" (NODXA)
DX Chairman for the "Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society
ARRL Assistant Director of the Great Lakes Division
Sysop of the "Basic Amateur Radio Frequency BBS" (BARF80.ORG)