[SixClub] Information I received on EL58

[Randy Tipton]

Snip: K5IQ wrote <Alright...so there are some challenges...>

Let me add another challenge... the Laptop computer... Don't forget to
take a laptop loaded with WSJT so you can make some meteor scatter
contacts just in case the band is dead. It would be terrible to make
such an effort and find dead band conditions.

I remember working someone way-back then from that old light house using
six meters. I lived in Slidell La. at the time. I can't find it in my
log but it happened once... Maybe I need to go thru the shoe boxes
looking for a card if we even got one.

Tip
WA5UFH





               


> -----Original Message-----
> From: sixclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:sixclub-
> bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jerry Gault
> Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 9:12 AM
> To: sixclub at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [SixClub] Information I received on EL58
> 
> I thought I would follow-up on my EL58 post. I received this from Bob
Dunn
> and thought I would share it.
> 
> 73
> Jerry
> 
> 
> 
> Hi, Jerry:
> 
> As someone who made a "Gridxpedition" to EL58 about 20 years ago, I
can
> definitely give you the scoop.
> 
> There is, indeed, a tiny spit of land at Southwest Pass, the mouth of
the
> Mississippi River.  The land is sandy marsh with some scrub
vegetation.
> Mosquitoes and water mocassins are plentiful!
> 
> Access is challenging; the road downriver ends at Venice, LA, so
there's
> definitely no driving to EL58.  The drive from New Orleans to Venice
takes
> several hours and a boat from Venice to EL58 takes about an hour or so
> more;
> needless to say, a helicopter or seaplane would be a lot quicker, but
may
> limit cargo (and would be more expensive).
> 
> All supplies--food and shelter--must be carried to the site and anyone
> making the trip should be adept at primitive camping.
> 
> There IS some civilization down there:  an oilfield unit of some sort
> (Shell?), the Branch Pilot's Association house (for the pilots who
guide
> the
> big ships up that branch of the River), and an unmanned National
Weather
> Service station/data buoy.  A few years ago I was researching another
> expedition to EL58 and was able to get the Branch Pilot's Association
to
> agree to letting a group of hams camp near their facility, but they
> weren't
> keen on sharing electricity since, as they put it, they're subject to
> brownouts.  That, of course, means either battery power or hauling a
> generator down.
> 
> When we made the trip back in around '84, we camped at the base of a
cast
> iron lighthouse (built in 1874) and actually set up a station in the
top
> of
> the lighthouse!  It was a scary, rusting hulk then--I shudder to think
> what
> condition it's in now!  Which brings up the issue of antennas:  any
> antennas
> and masts most likely would have to be ground mounted.  There really
> aren't
> any trees to speak of and I think using the lighthouse would be a
> life-threatening proposition.
> 
> Alright...so there are some challenges...what about the positives?
> 
> Well, in the last several years EL58 has only been active (to my
> knowledge)
> from shipboard operations.  Whether you operated 6M, 2M, UHF or above,
you
> would definitely be in demand!  Band conditions permitting, you'd be
on
> the
> receiving end of a biiiig pile-up!
> 
> Let me know if I can offer further info.  If you'd like to try and
make a
> larger EL58 expedition, there are quite a few hams in the New Orleans
area
> who would be happy to participate.
> 
> 73 de K5IQ
> Bob Dunn
> V-P GNOARC
> 
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