Topband: V84SAA - Part III - The Role of the BDARA and V85TL/V85T

[k1zm at aol.com]

The Role of the BDARA and V85T in particular
Any Dx'pedition requires comprehensive planning and while this can be done from afar (not easily!) having "boots on the ground' in country facilitates the process dramatically.
In our case, V85T and the role of the Brunei Darussalem Amateur Radio Assn was critical.  Our local friends in Brunei did many things to make our lives easier  - among them were these:
1) Securing approval for us to hold our dx'pedition at Pantai Sera Kanangan Beach2) Arranging for two tents from which to operate3) Having the local power authority install 7 power lines from a pole across the street into our operating tent - which included an air conditioner!4) Making arrangements for us to import our equipment expeditiously5) Providing tables and chairs from which we would operate6) Hosting an official OPENING CEREMONY on 07 Feb at 3PM local time7) Inviting the Deputy Chief of AITI (the local FCC equivalent) to "open" the expedition officially and welcome us to Brunei8) Arranging for extensive local press coverage of the opening ceremony to include having an item on the local television news that day, holding interviews with V85T, arranging for an article in the local Brunei Bulletin newspaper9) Providing a sumptuous feast of local delicacies after the ceremony for the invited guests to enjoy complimented with soft drinks for all
On the last evening of our operation (which was on 17 Feb) the BDARA again hosted a closing celebration this time at 7PM at our beach site - again with local food and drinks provided by the ladies of BDARA - as a goodbye ceremony to officially close the dx'pedition.
Long after we were gone there of course remained all of the UNWIND and additional takedown of our operating site - meaning returning the tents and chairs, removal of the temporary installation of power for our operation and final cleanup of the beach site.
The bottom line here is that none of this would ever happened were it not for the local BDARA support out team received and for that we are EXTREMELY GRATEFUL.
So WE ALL WISH BDARA AND V85T A HEARTELT VOTE OF THANKS FOR ALL AND PLEASE KNOW WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOUR KINDNESS AND SUPPORT OF THE V84SAA OPERATION!
73 Jeff VY2ZM/K1ZM

Jeff BriggsDXing on the Edge: The Thrill of 160 Meters Available worldwide through BookBaby, Array Solutions, DX Engineering, Radio Society of Great Britain, & Amazon