VK5CE/6 Craig, VK5CE inform dxnews.com that he will be active as VK5CE/6 From Woody Island, IOTA OC - 170, East Lewis Island, IOTA OC - 199, Direction Island, IOTA OC - 140, Cheyne Island, IOTA OC - 193, St Peter Island, IOTA OC - 220
Dates
4 - 7 June 2018 - IOTA OC - 199 East Lewis Island.
8 - 11 June 2018 - IOTA OC - 140 Direction Island.
15 - 18 June 2018 - IOTA OC - 193 Cheyne Island.
20 - 23 June 2018 - IOTA OC - 170 Woody Island.
26 - 28 June 2018 - IOTA OC - 220 St Peter Island.
He will operate on HF Bands.
QSL via VK5CE direct.
Ads for direct QSL:
Craig Edwards, PO Box 2160 Goolwa SA 5214, Australia.
VK5CE/6 News 6 June 2018
UPDATE AS OF 0100 UTC JUNE 6: LETS GET TO THE BLOODY ISLAND!
Good news, I’m leaving in a couple of hours:
3 nights on OC-199 and 3 nights on OC-140
OC-199 VK5CE/6 on June 6 at 1000 UTC to June 8 at 2200 UTC
OC-140 VK5CE/6 on June 9 at 1000 UTC to 11 at 2200 UTC
73s Craig VK5CE
VK5CE/6 News 14 June 2018
Yesterday I did a marathon 9 hour 970km (600 mile) drive south along the Western Australian coast from Onslow to Geraldton and today I’ve just finished a 4.5 hour 415km (260 mile) drive south from Geraldton to Perth. So on Friday its just a 5.5 hour 477km (300 mile) drive plus a short 20 minute boat charter to Cheyne Island OC-193.
I’ve adjusted my time on OC-170 because its so common and so I’ll be there for just 2 nights from June 20 to June 22. This now gives me four nights instead of three on OC-193 as I know lots of people need it and I want to spend more time there in these poor band conditions.
I hope to get on the air as VK5CE/6 OC-193 before local sunset on Friday which is 0900 UTC. I won’t have much time to set up the tent and generator camp, so I’ll only put up the 40m quarter wave vertical on Friday. This obviously also works on 15m so if I have time before sunset I’ll try 15m, otherwise I’ll start on 40m looking for North America, especially the eastern half as they go through sunrise. As I’ll only have one antenna on the first night, I’ll be staying on 40m from 0900 to 1200 UTC for North America and Asia/Pacific. From 1430 UTC onwards is when eastern European signals start coming in and I’ll be on the air as long as the band is open, hopefully until 2300 UTC local sunrise. This will be the middle of the night and so I’ll take short 30 minute breaks from time to time if no one is calling me.
On Saturday morning I’ll put up the antennas for 15m, 17m, 20m and 30m, so I won’t be around for long path North America in the 0000-0300 UTC period on Saturday. On Saturday I aim to have a few hours sleep and have the antennas done by 0500 UTC to try for NA SP and EU LP on 20m. Cheyne Island is close to the mainland and so there will be internet availability for me to spot myself on the DX cluster.
VK5CE/6 News 5 June 2018
UPDATE AS OF 0200 UTC JUNE 5: THINGS ARE NOT GOOD, BUT IT'S NOT A TIME TO GIVE UP
Hi everyone, well it wouldn’t be an IOTA DXpedition without weather drama. Unfortunately the weather in this region has taken a turn for the worse with up to 90mm of rain forecast for tomorrow in one day! The Parks and Wildlife authorities won’t let people visit the island today and there is a high chance that I won’t be able to visit tomorrow, we’ll just have to see on Wednesday morning. So I’m sorry but OC-199 has been delayed. But don’t worry, OC-199 has not been cancelled.
I’ve been in touch with the boat and island company for OC-140 and they are happy to change my itinerary for OC-140 and make it a shorter trip so that I can still fit it OC-199. Fortunately OC-199 and OC-140 are not too far away and are both close to the mainland. So I can operate from OC-199 until sunrise (2200 UTC), quickly pack up the tent/generator early in the morning, get to the mainland, drive south 3 hours, get to the boat and go to OC-140. It has a building on it and so I just need to quickly put up antennas and start operating before sunset (0900 UTC) that same day.
The good news is that weather in the region for Thursday onwards is good and so it’s just today where boat travel is not allowed and on Wednesday it is possibly going to be cancelled too. So there are two scenarios:
Start Wednesday June 6
3 nights on OC-199 and 3 nights on OC-140
OC-199 VK5CE/6 on June 6 at 1000 UTC to June 8 at 2200 UTC
OC-140 VK5CE/6 on June 9 at 1000 UTC to 11 at 2200 UTC
OR
Start Thursday June 7
2 nights on OC-199 and 3 nights on OC-140
OC-199 VK5CE/6 on June 7 at 1000 UTC to 8 at 2200 UTC
OC-140 VK5CE/6 on June 9 at 1000 UTC to 11 at 2200 UTC
I’ll be able to update everyone tomorrow on Wednesday around 0400 UTC (12 noon local) about which scenario will occur. Don’t worry, I’ll be operating non-stop all night on OC-199 and OC-140 in the 0600 UTC (2pm local) to 0200 UTC (10am local) period on 20m and 40m and working hard to get you in the log. 73s Craig VK5CE
VK5CE/6 News 4 June 2018
It's 0600 UTC on June 4th, due to weather and tides, I won't be able to land on OC-199 this afternoon. That's no problem, I'll now be going there tomorrow afternoon. I hope to be on the air from OC-199 at 1000 UTC on June 5 and will go QRT around 2000 UTC on June 7.
Everything is all on schedule to then go to OC-140 and be active there on June 8 for 4 days
In the last two days I've driven 1540 km (almost 1000 miles), so its a good thing that I'll be able to rest tonight and then operate non-stop for 7 days from OC-199 and OC-140.
73s Craig VK5CE
VK5CE/6 News 23 May 2018
Craig VK5CE has done the final update on the website for the 5 week July VK IOTA tour at https://vkiota.wordpress.com/vk5ce-6/ it now includes:
- updated operation dates for OC-164, OC-199, OC-140, OC-193, OC-170 and OC-220
- propagation forecasts and operating times/bands for all 6 islands
- for those people sponsoring before the DXpedition, they will automatically receive a card for all IOTA's if you're in the log and you'll also receive a special VK IOTA fridge magnet gift with your QSL card
- VK IOTA tour RRC award. For those people who Craig on 5 of the 6 IOTA's he activates this month, you will be awarded the VK IOTA tour award that also commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Russian Robinson Club. This award is free of charge and will be sent to you as a pdf.
VK5CE/6 News 12 May 2018
Well I’m off on my VK6 IOTA tour in a couple of weeks.
I’ve had a number of emails asking if OC-164 is possible so I’ve decided to leave home a day earlier so that I can squeeze in a 24 hour visit to OC-164. I’ll be able to arrive there in the late afternoon and I’ll leave the island in the early morning. So I can be operational there from 1000 to 1800 UTC so I’ll be on the air on 40m. The DXpedition schedule is at https://vkiota.wordpress.com/vk5ce-6/
For those sending in pre-DXpedition sponsorship, if you work me on any of the six IOTA’s OC-140, OC-164, OC-170, OC-193, OC-199 or OC-220, you will automatically receive a free QSL card if you are in the log, no need for OQRS. Pre-DXpedition sponsors will also receive a VK IOTA gift fridge magnet as a special thank you for your early support.
I’m now working with state government authorities and so once I return from the VK IOTA tour I hope to be able to let people know about the future IOTA activation(s) for 2019 to island(s) in the below 15% claimed category.
73s Craig VK5CE
VK5CE/6. Woody Island, East Lewis Island, Direction Island, Cheyne Island, St Peter Island. IOTA Expedition Logo.