[UK-CONTEST] ARRL Canadian Multipliers

[Roger Parsons]

I have considered a mini DXpedition to VY0, VY1, VE8,
VO2 but it is a bit of an understatement to say that
these places are a bit grim in February! The only one
I could realistically drive to is VO2, and that would
be several thousand km over mostly gravel roads. The
airlines charge incredible prices to fly - they have a
captive market and while I can get a return ticket to
London for $600 including all taxes, VY0 would be
about $3000...

All the cities in the far north are very compact - you
do not have the little motels on the outskirts that
make ideal operating sites. (If there are any they are
closed in winter.) And of course the total population
is only a few tens of thousands in the whole Canadian
Arctic. So you have to operate from a city centre
motel. This means that antennas are nigh on
impossible, unless a simple vertical is enough - and
even then many motel windows will not open at all to
allow cable egress. Erecting antennas at -40 (C or F -
take your pick) rapidly becomes not fun! The ground is
frozen solid to a depth of several metres so there is
no possibility of guy stakes, rope and wire become
rigid so you can't tie knots (even if you dare take
your gloves off), and blowing snow or freezing rain
can prevent anything.

I think that the only realistic option is to operate
from an existing station. There are one or two of
these - the club station in Labrador City comes to
mind. But that would certainly require an exploratory
trip during the summer.

And of course if the aurora decides to make an
appearance, then you will probably not be able to work
anybody anyway! (I did operate from Yellowknife
(VE8)one January some years ago, using a multi-band
dipole on the roof of the hotel. I heard no signals
whatsoever on 160/80/40 (except UA1OT who was also
within the auroral oval and very strong) and only very
weak and watery ones on 20. And I now have permanently
frost-bitten fingures!)

Even here in Sudbury, which is only some 400km north
of Toronto, our mean winter temperature is about -15C,
and outside work of any description is generally not
practicable.

Sorry for the lengthy post, but that is the reason why
there are not many signals from the far north!

73 Roger
VE3ZI/G3RBP



	
	
		
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