[NLRS] VE4 dxpedition

[Andrew T. Flowers, K0SM]

Hi folks,

This is a "pre-announcement", as I'm still working out the details of 
where I'm going to be when, but this is to let you know I'm planning on 
bringing VHF gear with me on 2m and 6m on a fishing trip to DO95.  I'll 
be leaving from Lincoln, NE on June 2nd, and probably going to Grand 
Forks, ND for the evening.  The idea here being that I might be able to 
provide a shot at ND to some of the east-coast stations that are out of 
range of W0KFG.  If possible I'll try to get into EN07--probably the 
rarest of the squares there. The next day I'll be driving through 
winnepeg and up to Swan River (EO03-ish? could someone check on this?) 
and could be on that evening or more likely the following morning.  I 
might slip over to VE5 also.  That afternoon  (4th) we are catching a 
plan to go up to a cabin north of Flin Flon (edge of DN95 it looks like, 
maybe EO05).  I likely won't have WSJT up there, but I'll try to have a 
small antenna for 6m Es while I'm not fishing.

I realize this is in the middle of the workweek, so I'll try to get on 
early in the AM and in the evenings.  I'll have HF for liason--either 20 
or 17m, whichever I can use without detuning the 6m whip on the car. 
 I'll probably be using the same 2m "ugly yagi" I used for my trip last 
Dec/Jan, unless I find a really good deal at the hamfest, or if KM0T has 
a spare rover antenna (eh, Mike?).  
Since my IC-706 has been sick on 2m, I'll likely be using the old 
standby FT-290R/II or possibly the FT-100 in the car.  I haven't used 
the FT-100 on WSJT yet, so any feedback from folks on this would be 
good--I have the rigblaster and 6-pin modular cable.

FT-290R/II  2m WSJT
FT-100        mobile rig, 40/20/17/15/10/6m with multiband whip, maybe 
WSJT on 6m/2m
IC-706?         6m at cabin? (2m sick)
Mirage 160w 2m brick

2m:    7el yagi on PVC boom up about 13ft on PVC mast.
6m:    ???  maybe a dipole or something.  Never tried WSJT mobile on 
this band.

We are limited to 100lbs/person on the flight, but I don't think this 
will be an issue, even with all the fishing tackle.  I picked up a quiet 
(at least on VHF) switching supply rated at 23A continuous, to make life 
easier. There's a big hamfest in Rochester tomorrow, so if I see a good 
rover antenna at a reasonable price I may pick it up.  If I can pack it 
to go on the plane to Lincoln it will be fine for the trip.  Like I 
said, this is the tenative lineup.  I'll be driving back on 9th-11th, so 
I'll be on the air then too, provided equipment isn't destroyed in a 
polar-bear attack or something.  I'll let you know more soon.  I don't 
usually make skeds before my trips since I don't know exctly when and 
where I will be when I get on the air.  Of course, I'll be up in aurora 
country too, so I may be looking for some CW QSOs on 2m/6m when I get a 
chance.  I'll probably go with my usual WSJT operating strategy of 
calling CQ with the QSY method.  I'm not expecting too many birdies out 
there, but you never know....

I'll let you know more soon.

Andy K0SM/2