[RTTY] ZL8R Press Release

[Bernie McClenny, W3UR]

20 October 2006
Tauranga, New Zealand

The Microlite Penguins Dxpedition to Raoul Island in the Kermadecs
went QRT at 2200 UTC on 17 October with over 40,000 QSO's in the
log. Operators were EI6FR, HB9ASZ, K9ZO, N0TT, N6MZ, VK6DXI, W7EW and
9V1YC. Total on-air operating time was just over 7 days (detailed QSO
statistics are below).  Eight team members and only a week on-air made
this trip somewhat smaller and shorter than usual, but overall the
results were still within our goals, and the spirit of low-power
DXing.

Landing on Raoul Island involves a rather dangerous jump from a zodiac
onto a rock face, but thankfully the seas were cooperative and none of
the team slipped or was injured in the process.  All equipment was
directly hoisted out of the zodiacs and onto a cable transport for
loading up on top of the island.

Transceivers consisted of six, brand new Icom IC-7000's kindly
sponsored by Icom America and antennas were all simple wire dipoles
strung up in the surrounding pine trees. With heights ranging from 120
to 150 feet, and situated on a cliff 300 feet above the beach, the
operating location was absolutely perfect.

Given the weak worldwide propagation at this point in the solar cycle
we still made every effort to work as many European stations as we
could. Our percentage numbers seem to reflect this effort - especially
on 10, 12 and 15 meters which turned out impressive QSO totals to all
parts of the globe.

Special thanks go to Icom America, the New Zealand Department of
Conservation, and of course the talented and dedicated crew of the R/V
Braveheart without whom this trip would not have been possible.

Almost all of the expenses for this trip were paid by the team members
themselves. But given the extraordinary expense it takes to charter a
ship to a remote island in the Pacific for two weeks we hope that each
and every DXer will help contribute to this endeavor, either by
donations with your QSL cards to our manager VE3XN, or by joining the
NCDXF - the Northern California DX Foundation.

Thanks for all the QSO's, and all the fun.  See you on the bands from
the "next" one.

73

The Microlite Penguins DXpedition Team
ZL8R Final QSO statistics

North America	39%
South America	1%
Europe	26%
Asia	30%
Africa	1%
Oceania	3%

Band	Total	CW	SSB	RTTY		BAND%
1.8	643	643			643	2%
3.5	3039	2488	551		3039	8%
7	6152	4702	1450		6152	15%
10	5161	4707		454	5161	13%
14	8793	4571	4222		8793	22%
18	5425	3531	1541	353	5425	13%
21	7889	3659	3659	571	7889	20%
24	2160	1148	1012		2160	5%
28	1168	604	564		1168	3%
Total	40430	26053	12999	1378	40430	100%
	MODE%	64%	32%	3%		

6M EME		5