[50mhz] T33A Banaba/Ocean Island November 20013 DXpedition from RI49sd

[Lance Collister, W7GJ]

Hello!

I have been informed that the upcoming T33 DXpedition is looking for a capable 6m 
EME/6M operator to join their team.   This is a rare DXCC needed by most of us ;-)  I 
understand the base cost to join the DXpedition is $4500 USD, which includes the cost 
of the boat charter and costs while on the island.  You are also responsible for 
getting yourself and your equipment to Tarawa and for all your food and lodging 
hotels until you get to the boat in Tarawa.  The team has negotiated a group round 
trip ticket price on Air Pacific of $1821 each from LAX to Tarawa (with a 2 day 
layover in Nadi, Fiji).  I don't know whether this includes any excess baggage 
allowances, which also can be substantial. The schedule is to leave LAX on the 
evening of 30 October and return to LAX around noon on 21 November.  They anticipate 
being QRV November 6-17.  Anyone interested in operating 6m EME is advised to 
consider taking their own generator and setting up as far as possible from the HF 
operation, which will be 160-10m.

Except for the first couple of days, the Degradation looks reasonable to fairly 
decent for 6m EME, although the beginning days on T33 are the worst days of the month 
for 6m EME :-(  In addition to EME, there may be an opportunity to work F2.  T33 is 
very close to the equator, so it is unknown what to expect as far as TEP is 
concerned.  However, if the forecasts are correct for the solar peak to occur in the 
fall, there could be some F2, and perhaps even some early season Es.  T33 is 
approximately 1500 miles north of FK8, 2700 miles southwest of Hawaii, 1300 miles 
northwest of Fiji, 1400 miles south of KH9, 2500 miles north of ZL, over 2000 miles 
northeast of VK and over 3000 miles southeast of JA.

There are EME windows with western EU moonrise on T33 moonset after November 12.  In 
fact, there also be some limited windows with western EU moonset at the end of the 
trip.  Eastern EU will have moonrise windows the entire trip.

Elevation in T33 will be required for all horizon-only stations in NA.  It will be 
very difficult to elevate enough at T33A to match many moonsets in central NA because 
of the extremely high moon in T33, which is almost directly overhead at those times.  
The terrain looks reasonably flat at the planned operating sites in the middle of the 
island, and I would expect some decent ground gain on moonrise and moonset.  At this 
point, it does not appear that there is any possibility of coastal operation.

If you are interested in joining the team to operate 6m and/or 6m EME, please contact 
the following team member at your earliest convenience for further details:

JayKay <pcb4u at verizon.net>

GL and VY 73, Lance

-- 
Lance Collister, W7GJ
(ex WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX, 3D2LR, 5W0GJ, E6M)
P.O. Box 73
Frenchtown, MT   59834-0073
USA
TEL: (406) 626-5728
QTH: DN27ub
URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
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Skype: lanceW7GJ
2m DXCC #11/6m DXCC #815

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