SADARS

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1 Dec. 2016 - A Visit by Don Field, G3XTT

Posted: 02 Dec 2016 09:44 AM PST
http://www.sadars.co.uk/archives/1421




Why go to Chatham Island for a DXpedition?Â* Don said the group known as The
6 Gs, thats G3SVL, G4TSH, G3TXF, G3WPH, G3XTT, G3BJ plus G4JKS had a look
at Club Log to see what DXCC Pacific location might fit the bill as wanted
in Western Europe as well as relatively easy to get to and provide a nice
holiday location. The trip was entirely self funded and relied on light
weight radios and elevated ground planes, all of which could be carried on
board an aircraft.

Chatham Island is a dependent of New Zealand and is about 800 kilometres
east of the South Island with a population of 600. On the island there are,
in addition to the harbour, two shops, a hotel, cafe, police station,
courthouse, weather station, a petrol station and a meeting hall.
Fortunately, the group knew that the local power supply would be reliable.

Long before the trip, extensive modelling of antennas was undertaken by
G3WGN and G3WPH. Â*A complicated station diagram of all the equipment and
interconnections was made and the best time to go was selected, which was
around the equinox. Since the focus would be on the lower bands, the grey
line propagation would be favourable, which proved to be the case.

Each member of the group made their own way to Auckland where they met up
for the once a week flight to Chatham Island.

ZL7G over the period 27 October – 8 November 2016 made a total of 42,723
QSOs, of which 13924 were unique. Â*CW was the most effective mode,
especially at this point in the low Sun Spot cycle.

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