[UK-CONTEST] BERU 2011

[David Cree]

Peter,

I assume you will be available for the RoW Team? Glad the planned trip 
to VP2v you mentioned some time ago is going to materialise.

I would echo other's suggestions that verticals near the water are the 
way to go for a "Restricted" entry. Something like a Butternut or 
Cushcraft R8 is easy to erect and very effective. You certainly won't be 
far from the sea on Beef Island, just hope there is nothing to cause QRM 
at the airport. You should have a pretty clear take-off all around, the 
only high ground is on Tortola, and far enough away to not really matter.

Virgin take a ski-bag free as sports equipment, they have never cared 
how much aluminium I have in it. As long as it is not more than about 
7ft LIAT will not object on the connecting flight - but will charge you 
a few US Dollars (and undoubtedly arrive late).

I assume the RoW Squad will be having our usual get-together in the New 
Year. We have a pretty good dossier of likely band-opening times to 
other Commonwealth Countries from the Caribbean given the years some of 
us have been doing it - some of which, especially to VK/ZL, are quite 
surprising. It seems odd at first starting on 80m - still in darkness at 
the 1000z start!

Does your son have contact with the Licensing guy? If not I will try to 
establish who it is and beg for an appropriate BERU Call as I did for 
Nick last year on VP2M. Most Islands are pretty accomodating over 
call-signs, St. Lucia is the only awkward one I have encountered - I 
still have to sign J6/G3 after 7 years! Probably not given the Black 
Label to the correct guy!

Hope your son was not troubled by Hurricane Earl as it passed by BVI 
yesterday,

73
Dave G3TBK/J88DR