H40GJ Update!

[Lance Collister, W7GJ]

GREAT NEWS!!!

After 4 months, I just received my license to operate 6m with a kw from Pigeon
Island! So I am starting to test all the equipment and repack it in waterproof
ZipLock bags! And of course, get all my shots and medical checkups! August will be
here before we know it! All the details of my DXpedition are here:

https://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/

This is going to be a very challenging operation. Aside from the fact that it takes 4
days to get there, I know it will be difficult and slow work in all the heat and
humidity. Plus, I hear the mosquitoes are very hungry and carry malaria :-( There
also will be lots of trees and jungle to try to work around and beam through. Of
course, I will do my best to position the antenna as well as I can, but there may be
some azimuths and or elevations that will not be possible...I will provide an update
as soon as I get there and some of these contraints become clearer.

I expect to be able to get access to the internet during daylight hours, and will do
my best to update my website with status reports. I also hope to be able to send out
regular updates via the Magic Band EME email group, and perhaps post some photos on
my FACEBOOK (Lance Collister) page. When I was at ZD9, it really helped to be able to
post my log in a CSV text format on my website, and I will also try to do keep that
updated.

I will be using Q65-60A in Q65 PILEUP mode for all EME contacts. Because there will
not be any internet during my initial EME windows, I will not have any way to know
what stations might be copying me at a given time :-( So all I can do is ask that you
follow the procedures on my website and keep calling me. I will hopefully be able to
add you to the Active Stations List so I can easily decode you if you do reply to me
when I call you. I will keep calling all the different stations I have decoded and
hopefully at some point things will line up for us so we can complete :-) I realize
there probably will be days where geomagnetic disturbances will greatly hinder the
EME efforts. But that is why I am planning to hang out there for so many days.
Hopefully, we will be able to connect at some point! And I sure hope to be able to
elevate and match the moonsets of all the North America horizon-only stations ;-)

When I am not operating EME (or squeezing in a chance to eat or sleep), I will be
looking for ionospheric propagation. I don't expect to be able to run a generator 24
hours a day, though. So it would help a lot if you could do some calling my way from
time to time. I am taking a battery to power my preamplifier and receiver, so I plan
to be able to monitor FT8 even if the transmitter and generator are not powered up. I
am not planning taking a microphone or key, so please look for me on FT8 or Q65-60A!

I have also received a number of requests to activate H44 while I am down there. I
know that H44 is quite rare (I need it too) but I am hoping that the team of JE3GRQ
and JR3DVL will be able to obtain their license soon. They also have been trying for
many months to secure their license. If they can obtain it by the end of June, their
plan is to activate H44 on EME and ionospheric propagation in October. Fingers
crossed for them - they have found what appears to be a quiet rural QTH in H44 ;-)

I expect this is going to be one of the toughest DXpeditions for me. However, this
will be an ATNO for most stations in Region 1 and 2 (and certainly for everyone in
North America), which makes it all worthwhile :-) I hope I can make many of you happy!

Good luck and VY 73, Lance

--
Lance Collister, W7GJ(ex WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX, 3D2LR, 5W0GJ, E6M, TX5K, KH8/W7GJ, V6M, T8GJ, VK9CGJ, VK9XGJ, C21GJ, CP1GJ, S79GJ, FO/W7GJ, TX7MB, TO7GJ, 3B9GJ, ZD9GJ, H40GJ)
P.O. Box 73
Frenchtown, MT 59834-0073
USA
TEL: (406) 626-5728
QTH: DN27ub
URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
Skype: lanceW7GJ
2m DXCC #11 - 6m DXCC #815 - FFMA #7

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page (above)!