KINGMAN REEF DXpedition Summary Announcement

For immediate release.

Kingman Reef Summary, 10 November 2000

The operational phase of the KR2000 DXpedition to Kingman Reef is now complete; all operators are home.

After almost a week's travel from Honolulu by air and sea, the team arrived at Kingman Reef via Christmas Island and Palmyra Atoll aboard the MV Machias on 20 October and commenced construction on the islet. Bad weather delayed completion of this phase.

However, at full operational status, 15 people, 7 stations (160-6m), 6 5 kW generators and 12 antennas coexisted on a half-acre of coral and shell debris. The team erected nine separate shelter structures, including watermaking and sanitary facilities.

Appropriately, the first QSO was with Mike, N9NS at 0320Z on 22 October. Mike co-led the 1993 Kingman Reef DXpedition. The last QSO was logged at 1848Z on 31 October and we departed the reef on the same day. We returned to Honolulu by air from Christmas Island on 5 November.

The team logged 80,841 QSO's--good for third place among all DXpeditions, all-time. The total is also the highest for any pure boat-and-tent DXpedition. CW and SSB QSO totals were essentially equal.

A primary goal was to provide Kingman Reef QSO's to Europe. That goal was achieved: Europe accounted for almost 16,000 QSO's---20% of the total. Another primary goal was the first six meter operation ever from this counter. 899 QSO's were logged on that band.

936 QSO's were logged on 160 meters, and 1322 QSO's on RTTY. In all, the team operated in 22 band-modes.

We also consider the more than 25,000 QSO's logged so far by KH6ND/KH5 from Palmyra Atoll to be part of our total effort, as well as approximately 1000 QSO's logged from T32R on Christmas Island.

All QSL's go to K4TSJ.

The DXpedition website at http://www.qsl.net/krpdxg is currently adding images of the DXpedition. Please visit the site often to share the experience of the DXpedition team, and to note the sponsors who helped make this expedition possible.

On-line log checking will be available shortly.

For the Kingman Reef/Palmyra DX Group
Garry Shapiro, NI6T
Tom Harrell, N4XP