[OKDXA] Amsterdam Island -- The Most Distant DX Location from W5

W5LE w5le at beggstelco.net
Mon Nov 25 10:17:42 EST 2013


Wow, Roger, what a ton of very good information.  I'm sure this will be 
helpful to everyone chasing FT5ZM.  Thanks for all the time and effort 
involved in this research.
73, Gene




On 11/25/2013 8:13 AM, Roger Simpson wrote:
> Working FT5ZM from QTHs in Oklahoma
> Roger Simpson -- K5RKS
> 25 Nov 2013  -- V1.1
>
> The FT5ZM DXpedition will be operating from the Martin des Viviers
> Base which on on the northern shore of Amsterdam Island. According
> to the FT5ZM website, the operation will be using two cabins
> which are about 5800 feet apart. According to the FT5ZM website
> the cabins are located as follows:
>
> Mataf Cabin      South 37 deg 47 min;  East 77 deg 34 min
> Antonelli Cabin  South 37 deg 48 min;  East 77 deg 32 min
>
>
> CHART 1
>
> The following chart gives the azimuth and distance to FT5ZM from
> various places in or near Oklahoma. This chart is sorted based upon
> the short path azimuth.
>
> Location                               Azimuth to FT5ZM       Distance to FT5ZM
>                                                 [degrees]                 [statute miles]
>                                               Short      Long        Short    Long
>                                               Path       Path        Path     Path
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Cheyenne Wells CO              5.9      185.9       12371    12512
> Garden City KS                79.6      259.6       12362    12521
> Wichita KS                    94.2      274.2       12166    12717
> Tulsa OK                     109.7      289.7       12066    12817
> Enid OK                      110.9      290.9       12177    12707
> Muskogee OK                  111.8      291.8       12028    12855
> Stillwater OK                112.8      292.8       12125    12758
> Woodward OK                  118.9      298.9       12252    12631
> Oklahoma City OK             122.0      302.0       12119    12764
> Liberal KS                   123.2      303.2       12341    12542
> Lawton OK                    135.5      315.5       12130    12753
> Altus OK                     142.5      322.5       12161    12723
> Guymon OK                    145.3      325.3       12350    12534
> Amarillo TX                  168.6      348.6       12266    12617
> Boise City OK                182.2        2.2       12366    12517
> Santa Fe NM                  232.1       52.1       12202    12682
> Raton NM                     241.1       61.1       12313    12571
> La Junta CO                  276.9       96.9       12377    12506
> Denver CO                    314.4      134.4       12245    12638
> Lamar CO                     333.7      153.7       12421    12462
>
> ** Antipode SE of Lamar CO   *any*      *any*       12442    12442
>
>
> CHART 2
>
> COORDINATES OF LOCATIONS USED IN TABLE ABOVE
>         all Latitudes are degrees North of the equator
>         all Longitudes are degrees West of Greenwich
>
>           Oklahoma City OK   Lat = 35.4167; Long = 97.4250;
>           Tulsa OK       Lat = 36.1250;  Long = 95.9625;
>           Guymon OK      Lat = 36.6917;  Long = 101.4750;
>           Lawton OK      Lat = 34.6375;  Long = 98.4375;
>           Stillwater OK  Lat = 36.1250;  Long = 97.0875;
>           Muskogee OK    Lat = 35.76;    Long = 95.4;
>           Boise City OK  Lat = 36.6917; Long = 102.4875;
>           Lamar CO       Lat = 38.05; Long = 102.6;
>           Wichita KS     Lat = 37.6; Long = 97.4;
>           Liberal KS     Lat = 37.0; Long = 100.9;
>           La Junta CO    Lat = 37.9; Long = 103.6;
>           Cheyenne Wells CO Lat = 38.8; Long = 102.3;
>           Garden City KS Lat = 38.0; Long = 101.0;
>           Raton NM       Lat = 36.9; Long = 104.5;
>           Woodward OK    Lat = 36.5; Long = 99.4;
>           Enid OK        Lat = 36.5; Long = 97.9;
>           Amarillo TX    Lat = 35.3; Long = 101.8;
>           Altus OK       Lat = 34.6; Long = 99.3;
>           Denver CO      Lat = 39.8; Long = 105.0;
>           Santa Fe NM    Lat = 35.7; Long = 105.9;
>
> Note: In most cases the coordinates above are expressed to the nearest 0.1
>        degree of Latitude and Longitude
>
>
> As can be seen from the CHART 1 above, the paths will be very different between
> various QTHs in Oklahoma to Amsterdam Island. Both the short and long path from one
> location in Oklahoma may be radically different than either the short or
> long path from some other place in Oklahoma.
>
> To take an extreme case, consider Boise City OK compared to Tulsa OK.
>
> # From Boise City the path is either north [long path] or south [short path].
> # From Tulsa the path is either slightly south of due east [short path] or
>      slightly north of due west [long path].
>
> All four of these paths are different in terms of continents and oceans they
> traverse between Oklahoma and Amsterdam Island.
>
> 1. a) The short path from Boise City leaves the USA over Presidio TX, passes over Tahati, and then crosses Antartica.
>
> 1. b) The long path from Boise City leaves the USA over Minot ND, passes north of Greenland, and traverses Kazakhstan.
>
> 2. a) The short path from Tulsa leaves the USA over Jacksonville FL and then passes over the southern tip of Africa
>     near Capetown.
>
> 2. b) The long path from Tulsa leaves the USA over Crescent City CA and then passes over Papua New Guinea.
>
> This situation is due to the fact that the antipode for Amsterdam Island is close to us here is Oklahoma. The
> antipode location is in the SE corner of Colorado, about 15 miles SE of Lamar.
>
> If you drill straight down through the earth from anywhere in the continental 48 states of the USA you will
> come out of the other side of the earth dripping wet because you will be in the Indian Ocean. There is,
> however, one exception to this. The exception is that if you drill down from a unique location
> near Lamar Colorado, you will hit dry gound when you come out of your worm hole. The dry gound where you
> emerge is Amsterdam Island.
>
> Here are a couple of islands in the Indian ocean and the locations of their antipodes:
> 1. Crozet: Antipode is in the Pacific Ocean west of Oregon.
> 2. Kerguelen: Antipode is in Southeastern Alberta about 18 miles north of the USA-Canada border.
>
> ############################################################################
> ############################################################################
>
> Directions to reach the antipode points for the two cabins at Martin des Viviers Base.
>
> You should have a GPS unit and a vehicle that can handle dirt county roads. I recommend using the
> following USGS 7.5 minute quad maps for navigation:
> Barrel Spring COLORADO
> Two Buttes Reservoir COLORADO
> Gobblers Knob COLORADO
>
> When you start traveling on dirt roads I recommend taking way-points with your GPS so you don't get lost.
>
> 1. Go to Lamar, Colorado
>
> 2. Proceed east on Highway 50 from the intersection of South Main Street and Olive Street in downtown Lamar.
>
> 3. Travel east approximately 11 miles until you see a pair of grain bins on the north side of the
>      highway next to the railroad tracks. You are now in beautiful downtown Carlton, Colorado.
>
> 4. Continue east for another 1/4 mile. You are now at the intersection of Highway 50 and County Road 19.
>      County road 19 is paved going north across the railroad tracks. It is not paved going south.
>
> 5. Turn south on County road 19. You are now travelling on dirt roads.
>
> 6. Proceed for about 16 or 17 miles until you reach a T with a road going east and west. The east/west road is
>      County Road N.
>
> 7. Turn right on County Road N. Travel west on County Road N until there is a road that you can turn left on.
>     You will have traveled about 1/2 mile.
>
> 8. Turn left. You are now going south. Your are on the continuation of County Road 19.
>
> 9. Cross the cattle gaurd after about 2000 feet.
>
> 10. After crossing the cattle gaurd continue traveling south for about a half a mile.
>
> 11. You will come to the ford of Middle Plum Creek which is hopefully dry. If the road
>      is flooded at this point you may not be able to continue.
>
> 12. Continue south for about 1.9 miles until your GPS says that your latitude is
>      North 37 deg 47 minutes.
>
>          The antipode point for the Mataf Cabin is to the west of you about 0.8 miles {i.e. approx 4000 feet}.
>          You may not be able to hike to the Mataf antipode because it is in the middle
>          of a terraced wheat field which is likely fenced in.
>
>          COORDINATES FOR ANTIPODE FOR MATAF CABIN:  NORTH 37 deg 47 min; WEST 102 deg 26 min
>
> 13. Continue south on County Road 19. After traveling south for about 0.6 miles you will come to a road.
>          You are now at the intersection of County Road 19 and County Road K. You are at the Southeast corner
>          of the terraced wheat field. The terraced wheat field is a square mile in size.
>
> 14. Turn right onto County Road K. You are now going west.
>
> 15. Travel west on County Road K until the longitude on your GPS indicates West 102 degrees 28 min.
>          From this point the antipode for the Antonelli cabin is about 1.8 miles due
>          north. If you want to go to the exact antipode point you will have to determine if it is possible to hike
>          to the location or navigate there with a 4WD vehicle. It is likely that this is private property
>          which may be fenced.
>
>          COORDINATES FOR ANTIPODE FOR ANTONELLI CABIN:  NORTH 37 deg 48 min; WEST 102 deg 28 min
>
> 16. Now you can return back to civilization by reversing your route to get back to Highway 50. Or you can follow step
>          17 below.
>
> 17. Directions to get to Highway 287:  Continue west on County Road K until you reach a "T". This will be in about 4.35
>          miles. Turn left (south) at the "T" onto County Road 12. Travel south 2 miles to County Road H. Turn right (west)
>          onto County Road H. Travel west on County Road H for 3 miles and you will reach Highway 287. At this point
>          there will be two rows of windmills [7 windmills per row]  – each row running east and west -- to the south of you.
>
> Note: The coordinates for the two cabins are taken from the FT5ZM website.
>        These coordinates are likely rounded off to the nearest arc minute.
>        Taking the coordinates as stated on the website, results in the two cabins being
>        about 11,500 feet apart -- thus the antipodes are also about 11,500 feet apart.
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