K6VVA/KL7 * IOTA NA-242 * LATEST NEWS

IOTA NA-242

*** LATEST NEWS *** (Be Sure To Click Your REFRESH Button !!!)

MONITOR THIS PAGE FOR EXPEDITION UPDATES

(You can also be advised of updates via TWITTER)

NOTE: You do NOT need to be a subscriber to view updates via TWITTER

PS #11 - July 26, 2011 (2325 UTC) - By Jim, W6SC - Just heard from the team that they are NOT going to NA-172. A combination of poor HF conditions and a limited amount of available time on the island caused cancelation of their plans, in addition to the trouble of changing existing travel arrangements. They say NA-172 will be re-scheduled for NEXT July (2012).

PS #10 - July 26, 2011 (0620 UTC) - By Jim, W6SC - Sorry for the late info - your pilot station has been gone all day today (Monday). Talked to Rick a few minutes ago and they will decide tomorrow (Tuesday) whether NA-172 is a "go" or "no go" then. A few things remain unresolved but they expect to have all the answers by Tuesday (July 26 local). As soon as I hear the answer I will post it here and send a tweet. NA-242 is now QRT (earlier today, Monday) and the team is back on the mainland at Pt. Lay, AK. They are pleased with the 3800+ QSOs they made.

PS #9 - July 24, 2011 (2020 UTC) - By Jim, W6SC - The team will be on SSB for awhile this afternoon but had no specific time. They request that stations work them once per band-mode only, please no dupes on the same band and mode.

PS #8 - July 24, 2011 (0300 UTC) - By Jim, W6SC - The team regrets inconvenience caused by rig/antenna problems. But things are getting resolved, both stations are up and running, and they will do some SSB on Sunday (7/24). They have nearly 2000 QSOs on CW so far. Thank you for your interest in NA-242!

PS #7 - July 23, 2011 (1750 UTC) - By Jim, W6SC - Having some radio and antenna problems currently. Sorry for any drop-outs and shortened QSO runs. Working on a solution now.

PS #6 - July 22, 2011 (2315 UTC) - By Jim, W6SC - K6VVA/KL7 QRV on 18.075 with K9AJ operating as of 2215Z. Rick, K6VVA, is on 14.042 as of 2240Z.

PS #5 - July 22, 2011 (1750 UTC) - By Jim, W6SC - Rick/Mike are leaving Pt. Lay for the island at around 1800Z and expect to be QRV by 2200Z or possibly earlier if things go smoothly during the set up.

PS #4 - July 21, 2011 (1805 UTC) - By Jim, W6SC - The team is flying from Barrow to Pt. Lay today. They seem to be on schedule as planned.

PS #3 - July 20, 2011 (2225 UTC) - By Jim, W6SC - The team (Rick/Mike) has obtained UIC landing access permit for Doctor Island, NA-172. Currently working on transportation arrangements. Continue to stay tuned.

PS #2 - July 20, 2011 (1815 UTC) - By Jim, W6SC - NA-242 team has arrived in Barrow, AK. They are working on NA-172 possibilities so stay tuned.

PS #1 - July 17, 2011 (1800 UTC) - By Jim, W6SC - This is a Pilot Station News Update test entry only.

#5 - July 19, 2011 (0530 UTC) - By Rick, K6VVA - Mike/K9AJ and I will be leaving today and rendezvous in Seattle for the rest of the journey to Barrow, Alaska. We will be spending the 20th there to try and facilitate doing NA-172 after we return to Barrow from NA-242. Keep your fingers crossed !!! We leave for mainland NA-242 on July 21st and hope to be QRV on the Island the next day depending upon WX and logistics.

Several important additions to the OPERATIONAL INFO webpage:

1. Addition of 24 World Area W6EL Propagation printouts by Band by Hour
2. Additon of HamCAP World Area Propagation Maps by Band by Hour
3. Addition of custom DXSCAPE window specifically for K6VVA/KL7 posts
(Tnx to JA4PXC for this nice capability)

NOTE: Be sure and click your browser REFRESH button to see these additions !!!

From this point on, our Pilot Station (Jim, W6SC) will be maintaining a special PILOT STATION NEWS UPDATE webpage. Please be sure to refresh you browser each time you access the page.

PILOT STATION POSTS START ABOVE WITH PS #1

#4 - July 7, 2011 (0600 UTC) - By Rick, K6VVA - The two generators, bear fences, bear spray, and most other advance shipment items have now all arrived in Point Lay. The special large A/C RFI Filter box and 2 heavy duty extension cords were scanned by the USPS at Anchorage and will hopefully arrive soon.

In a telephone call earlier, I was informed that while on the Beluga Whale hunt now in progress up there, 4 or 5 GRIZZLY BEARS were spotted on the Island. Safety concerns have now been elevated beyond primarily POLAR BEARS !!!

Solar cycle propagation continues to be in-the-tank. Next week I will be posting W6EL Propagation print outs for various parts of the World based upon the "Best Guesstimate" of what we can expect in the way of condx. For those wanting to do their own analysis, the approximate coordinates of our NA-242 operating QTH are: N/Lat 69.761100 x W/Lon -163.05300 which is one of the narrowest parts of the Island (less than 300 feet wide). We anticipate good far-field RF benefits from proximity to the salt water on both sides, as Mike and I will be using vertical and vertical dipole antennas.

I am "praying for sunspots", with a lofty goal ("wish") of SFI=130 A=3 K=0 during our activation :^)

NOTE: "Elisha was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit." - James 5:17,18 ... and everyone said: "AMEN!"

#3 - June 23, 2011 (1000 UTC) - By Rick, K6VVA - This First-Time Activation of IOTA NA-242 is on schedule, and we are in the 30 day countdown period. All airfare bookings are in place, and advance shipments underway to help offset the extremely high equipment baggage costs on the small plane we must take to get from Barrow to Point Lay, Alaska.

Our objective is at least 3 days QRV between 22 July and 26 July (2011) on 40/30/20/17m depending upon WX and North Latitude propagation. Hopefully there will be no solar flares. We will be primarily on CW to give as many Little Pistol IOTA stations a chance to work us. We will be utilizing two complete stations, two generators, one backup station taken “just in case” ,and sufficient components to re-build an antenna 3 times in the event of any bear vandalism. Diligent planning has been done and consideration given to possible contingency situations.

This will be an extremely expensive activation due to generally high costs on the North Slope of Alaska. We will be renting a small trailer on the Island which was vandalized by polar bears several months ago. An electric bear fence and bear spray have been purchased and advanced shipped, however for increased safety we must also hire one or more local “Bear Guards” to be with us on the Island 24/7 as we will be quite intensely focused on making QSOs with our headphones on!

At this point, Mike and I have committed to all expenses ourselves. We anticipate a small stipend grant from IREF to help, but since this is a never before activated “New One” in a challenging remote area, hopefully the IOTA Community at large will lend additional assistance. Any donations will be greatly appreciated, and should be sent to our QSL Manager: Fred Stenger, N6AWD, 6000 Hesketh Dr., Bakersfield, CA 93309 USA. Optionally, you may use the PayPal DONATION button. NOTE: Donations are NOT tax-deductible (sorry).

Thanks very much. Mike & I hope to give you a NEW IOTA at NA-242 !!!
#2 - September 14, 2010 (1900 UTC) - By Rick, K6VVA - I would be remiss if I did not express my sincere appreciation to Roger, G3KMA, and Martin, G3ZAY, for their absolutely stellar assistance, cooperation and timely communications associated with facilitating matters related to the planned activation of NA-242. Thanks again, guys. Also special Tnx to Dominic, M0BLF, for his hard work to make the RSBG IOTA website a valuable resource to the entire IOTA community.
#1 - August 20, 2010 (0000 UTC) - By Rick, K6VVA - Mike/K9AJ and I had planned to be operational today from NA-242, but are rescheduling our trip for a 3 day QRV during the period of July 21st to July 27th, 2011. The new timetable should put us on the Island after the local Beluga whale hunt in the access lagoon, and prior to the walrus haulouts and increased possibility of polar bears. Hopefully, Sunspot Cycle 24 propagation will also be better a year from now so we can give every IOTA Island Chaser a new one. Since we need to go through Barrow (Alaska), we hope to also make a side trip to NA-172 as there are many who still need this rare IOTA. I may stay longer in KL7 to do NA-004 and NA-050, unless the arrangements for two other new ones I'm working on (NA-232 and NA-240) can be finalized in time which would shift priorities. Due to the remoteness and high cost of goods and services on the North Slope of Alaska area, NA-242 will be an expensive IOTA expedition by itself. Fred/N6AWD will be handling the QSL cards, and my long time friend (a KL7 Iditarod volunteer), Jim/W6SC, will be the Pilot Station. More details to follow periodically. Note that you can also be advised of updates via TWITTER.