Tom Baugh
DX PEDITIONS
DX PEDITION: Traveling to remote locations to operate radios |
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I have enjoyed the few Regional DXPeditions we have taken. Winter DXPeditioning to North Dakota for 2 years was exciting. I also travel to Curacao once a year but can't really call it a DXPed because our club (PJ2T) has a fully stocked house with all the best equipment. I guess I have earned the respect of a few hams because I have been invited to participate in some really nice outings. Africa, Peter 1 and FK5 were all mine for the taking but I'm realistic and have 2 kids who will soon be in college. Trips are expensive and although I have resources, my first obligation is to family. I know people who have taken the other route and lost their family. I hope you will consider the consequences of your decisions. It is not worth losing a job, or worse losing you loved ones because of a dream. | |
NORTH DAKOTA | POST CONTEST WRITE-UP IN Jim's Gazette |
January 3rd - 6th in North Dakota for the ARRL RTTY Roundup
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NEWSLETTER # 138---20 January 2003This is not normally the forum for discussing DXpeditions. There are many other vehicles both on and off the Internet that focus their attention on such matters. However, we canÕt fail but spend some time reporting on one hazardous effort that operated during the ARRL Roundup. This unusually successful group logged 1347 QSOÕs in 24 hours of operation, bagged 57 DXCC entities and worked all of North America except DE, NWT and YUK and scored over 150K points. They also made a lot of operators happy in the process for their location was on the wanted list of hundreds of eager contesters. The operators were NW0L, AE9B, K0LW and W0ZAP. The DX location was Hazelton, ND. Yes, North Dakota, the state of the frozen north and the ugly Januaries. IÕm familiar with this area for the state used to be in my territory many, many years ago and IÕve seen the awesome thermometer readings and the scary ground blizzards. Thus, I know what kind of obstacles this brave crew faced. Their saga began in Kansas City. They hauled radios, amps, antennas, a 1000 feet of coax, gloves, hats, coveralls, long underwear, food, more food and still more food. They arrived at 1830 local time and were on the air with a 40M dipole within two hours. Sorry to say, they devoted this time to that mode we call CW, but considering their sacrifices, we will forgive them this time. The next morning two beams went up on military crankup masts. Then came a vertical and some long wire and they were ready to go. The rest is history. A lucky bunch, the temperatures were peaking at about 30F, thus eliminating the severe threat of frost bite, or worse. They did watch the pickup trucks, driven by ice fishermen, go right out on the thick lake ice, not something done in Kansas City but run-of-the-mill in this frigid climate. I remember suffering a morning temperature of Š42F. The hoar frost covered my car and it took an hour to find it, an hour to get a tow truck, an hour to get the garage to thaw it out with a blowtorch! The oil was solid as cold Vaseline. Why do you think I moved south??? Contesting will be safe as long as groups like this foursome seek out the tough spots of the world. Last year it was Nevada. North Dakota deserved theirs, in spades. Congratulations guys for a job well done. By the way, cards can go direct or to the bureau. But be warned that direct QSLs must contain SASE or an IRC, or it goes to the recycle bin.
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