[SFDXA] VP6A Wrapup Report

[Bill]

Ducie Island Wrapup Report:

In 2018, on Baker Island in scorching heat, exhausted operators spent a day dismantling 11 tents, 12 antennas, 5 generators, radios, computers, Ethernet stretching hundreds of feet, desks, chairs and trash and hauled it all back to the boat.
On the voyage back to Fiji we wondered if there wasn’t a better way.
With funding from the Northern California DX Foundation George Wallner, AA7JV, put together a team to create that new way.  Welcome to the RIB (Radio in a Box).   VP6A was the first full deployment of the RIB on a rare location.

On 24 July at 16:00 UTC, VP6A went QRT after making just under 62,000 QSOs of which 24%, 15,000 were unique calls.  DXCC was obtained on 6 bands.

There were 4 stations on the island.   One used by AA7JV, W6IZT and KN4EEI on the boat and 3 others operatated by 34 remote operators from 11 countries.   Those operators were:  9V1YC, AA1V, AA7A, CT1BOH, CT1EEB, CT1ILT, DJ4MX, F6EXV, JN1THL, KC1KUG, KY7M, KD4Z, KL7YL, KO8SCA, K1DG, K4NHW, K6GFJ, K6TD, K6UFO, KL2A, K6MM, ND2T, N1DG, N2IC, OH2BH, PB8DX, PY5EG, VE4EA, VE5MX, VK3GK, W0GJ, W1RM, W1VE, and W8HC.
Some stats:

Set Up Time: Radios 1, 2 and RIB2 4 hours. Radio 3 on the third day.
Tear Down: 1 hr 50 min to off the island.
Total Op Time: 13 1/2 days.
Total Fuel Used: 80 gallons = 0.0013 gallons / QSO (5 ml/QSO)

Attached are two pictures.   The first with our fully deployed station.   The second 2 hours later.

Mother Nature and satellite latency threw us curve balls but we are extremely happy with the final result.
We hope our audience is too.
See you from our next location.
The VP6A Team
Plus photos mentioned in the article should you decide to use them.

Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW
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