[PVRCNC] Hello from PJ5/AA4NC

[Roberts, Will]

Good morning PVRCers,

I'm working lots of you guys with my peanut whistle here on Statia. I have a K3 with old software that will put out 120 watts (when the line voltage allows) and an 80m inverted vee at about 30'. Fed with ladder line/balun  it tunes most of the bands except 160m. The location is great - about 300' up the side of the (hopefully extinct) volcano overlooking the Caribbean to the northwest. It always helps to have a beautiful view from your operating position. Europe is slightly blocked by Round Hill, but nobody told that to every "300 watt" Italian station. They all call at the same time, never ceasing. 

Sorry that my little DXpedition does not have a web site and a pilot station and all that real pro DXpedition type stuff. I did put a nice photo of the volcano on the PJ5/AA4NC page at www.qrz.com however.
I guess I could count PJ5/AH6HY as a part of TEAM STATIA 2010. He is just up the hill about 1/4 mile and is plugging away on SSB. He has been helping us keep in touch as we didn't have internet until today. K1XM is also running around here somewhere. We'll try to corral him tonight for a TEAM barbeque at our place. My "DXpedition" also includes my girlfriend Liana, so we are doing lots of sightseeing and things between the QSOs.

I'm not sure what this new country business is all about though. I checked and it was absolutely the same place on October 10 as it was on October 9! Things are so slow on Statia that they still have the same Netherlands Antilles flag flying. I guess they will get around to changing it one of these days. There's no rush... They did have a cool reggae band playing in the street in town that had a glittery 10-10-10 banner behind them. No one really cares much about the governmental changes except for concerns that they may lose their "free" government health care now. I noticed a poster at the airport saying that they would be hiring two ne customs agents for Statia and Saba. There is no customs now on the SSS islands, so I'm guessing that may be how the "free healthcare", etc. will be funded from now on.

I'm done with breakfast so it's back on the bands for a while. I'm trying to mix it up with CW/SSB/RTTY. I have MMTTY going now so I'm not trudging along using the K3 CW to RTTY converter as I did on the first day. That was pretty feeble! I'll be glad to QSY to different bands for you guys when things slow down. Tried 160 with K4CIA with no luck so I guess that is the only band I can't get out on. 

DXPEDITION AA4NC 2010(tm) will have a stop at the PJ6A superstation on Friday. If we survive the landing on the world's smallest commercial airport runway, Bob tells me I can make some QSOs there as they will need to stop and go to the bathroom. Then it's on to PJ7/AA4NC Friday evening. They have casinos, nude beaches and such so who knows if I will get on the air! Not a problem since PJ7E has worked everyone from there already (but the Italians will still be calling :>)...

73,

Will