[Great-River-DX] FW: SPECIAL VP6DX Bulletin

[Cliff Ahrens]

If you donated more than $5.00 US to the VP6DX expedition through Feb. 24,
they are posting those contacts to LoTW.  My VP6DX QSOs showed up on LoTW
this afternoon.  I also requested the direct paper QSL, but it's nice to
have the LoTW QSLs.

Cliff K0CA

Subject: SPECIAL VP6DX Bulletin

Hello DXers:

*******************************************************************
News #22- 2008 Feb 26
Highlights:
... First LOTW credits for VP6DX contacts on ARRL server ...
... Station and camp disassembly begins ...
... One more record claimed ...

Late yesterday, Feb 21, the Ducie Island expedition submitted over data for
over seven thousand VP6DX contacts to the ARRL robot. These contacts were
with over 900 stations whose owners made financial contributions of at least
five US dollars to the expedition through Feb 24.

The submission has been accepted and processed by the robot, and these
contacts are ready for matching by the donors.

Meanwhile, on Ducie Island, the operator team and crew of the Braveheart
have begun the first phase of disassembly and off-loading. On today's
schedule to be disassembled and removed from the island:

* All antennas for 20 through 6 meters at both east and west camps.
* The 30m antenna at the west camp, and the 40m 4-square at the east camp.
* Two operating positions and the shift supervisor workstation at the east
camp.
* The technical workstation.
* A portion of the camp infrastructure for meals, cooking, washing, etc.

No on-air operating will occur during the daylight period today, as all
hands are needed to complete the work of disassemble, packing, transfer to
the ship, and storage for the sea journey.

Tonight (beginning as early as Feb 27 Wednesday 0300z) a more limited on-air
operation is possible, if the operators have time and energy remaining. Five
operating positions at two sites and transmit antennas for 160 through 30
meter bands will be available.

At Feb 27 Wednesday 1445z on-air operations will again shut down for a
second day of deconstruction. At the end of Thursday local time the entire
east camp will have been removed from the island. The west camp, with single
element verticals for 160, 80/30 and 40m, and possible one beverage (045)
will remain, along with three operating positions. This equipment will be
staffed by a skeleton overnight crew, on-air from about Feb 28 Thursday
0330-1430z. Most operators will sleep on the "Braveheart", as there will be
no camp facilities on the island.

Early Thursday morning (Ducie Island time), around 1400z, the ship's crew
and operators will return to the island to pack and remove all remaining
antennas, equipment, etc. The on-air phase of the Ducie Island expedition
will end at that point.

This will be the last press release from Ducie Island. A log update was
submitted to the website about one hour ago. A final log update, together
with a press release containing final statistics, will be transmitted from
the Braveheart once we have departed.