DXpedition to Tarawa as T30JH
September 14 - 25, 2000 by Jack Haden VK2GJH    Grid Locator: RJ61
Final Tallies:
Prefix
QSOs
3D2
1
4W6
1
A35
1
BG7
1
FO3
2
JA
91
KH4
2
KH6
2
KH8
2
P29
3
VK
23 (VK4 20)  VK8 (3)
VR2
15
W
1
YC1
2
YJ8
1
ZL2
3

Total 17 DXCC countries logged, 16 worked and one heard (V73).
QSL Information:
All cards direct with return postage & SAE to:
Jack Haden
P.O. Box 299
Ryde
N.S.W.  1680
AUSTRALIA
Beacons heard in the period 16-21 Sep 2000:
Daily log details as follows;
14 September:
Dead band until 0055z when 46.171 VK & 45.260/250/240 ZL TV came through. All of them surged up and down between zero and 10dB over, MUF failed to rise, nothing on 50MHz.
0820z KH6HME/b 319, 0842z KH6SX calling 'CQ' on CW 519 to 529 report, called but no reply.
0845z P29BPL/b 519 peaking 579 until fade out at 1030z.  KH6SX heard calling on CW  559.
1030z KH6HME/b and P29BPL/b fading out, gone by 1033z.
1110z 49.750TV 519 report, also 48.250MHz TV 519 report, both of them never picked up, gone by 1145z.
1400-1430z Nothing!
2146z Electricity blackout, don't ask me when it will come back on!  So off air whilst blackout is on.
2245z In town doing business while power off, will be home by 0030z to look for the VK/ZL path again and whatever else!
15 September:
0740z KH6HME/b 519
0742z KH6HI/b 319
0757z AH6TM Craig (BL-01) worked 5x5 SSB.
0916z AH6TM Craig (BL-01) worked 5x7 SSB. 
2106z ZLTV 45.260 319 (weak).
2120z ZLTV 45.260/50/40 539 to 579.
2200z All gone, nothing!
16 September:
0810z 48.250 TV 3x1 beaming west, Malaysia??
0831z 48.250 TV 5x1
0845z 48.250 TV 5x1 with heaving fade.
0848z 49.750 TV just readable, gone 0910z.
17 September:
0010z V73SIX/b 319
0025z V73SIX/b gone!
0145z JA's on CW very weak (no beacons audible)
0519z V73SIX/b 319, just readable, gone at 0603z.
0600-1330z nothing noted, closed at 1345z to bed!
2045z ZLTV 45.260/50/40 3x1
2052z ZLTV 45.260/50/40 5x9 surging up and down.
2146z ZLTV nearly gone.
2345z  V73SIX/b 319 report
2347z  Faint CW detected from USA.

18 September:
0003z N0XX/7 CW 519 hrd working ZL 50.105, couldn't get a look in !
0005z WD7S worked on SSB 5x5 each way 50.110.
0026z NZTV 45MHz plus 10dB.
0033z 46.240 VKTV 5x1
0047z 46.240 VKTV 5x9+
0049z VK8RAS/b 529 report.
0052z 46.261 VKTV 5x6, 46.171.8 VKTV 5x9+
0056z VK4FNQ (QG-39) 5x2 to USA (couldn't hear USA).
0100z VK4FNQ worked on 50.150 5x2 exchanged.
0103z KH6SX heard on CW via backscatter 539 report.
0103z VK4BRG/b 559 to 599 report.
0125z All gone!  As if someone switched the light off!
0436z V73SIX/b 319 very faint gone by 0442z.
0654z V73SIX/b 419 but very unstable.
Nothing noted until 1045z, got up 1400z nil, 1530z nil.
2236z ZL TV S6
2240 46.171 TV S9++
2242 46.260 TV S7
2243 46.260 TV S5
2247-2400 VK4FNQ, VK4DO, VK4JH, VK4CXQ, VK4BLK, VK4CP, VK4NW, VK4VV, VK4ADC worked
19 September:
> 0108 ZL2MQ, ZL2KT, ZL2AGI (open until 0330)
0719 KH6HME/b 519
0730 KH6HI/b 419
0731 KH6SX 55 BL11
0803 P29BPL 559 (open until 1151)
0804 VK4's - many!
0813 VK4BRG/b
0824 FO3BM 55
0854 3D2TC 53
0842 NH4/NH6YK 31
0859-1030 JA's
0911 YJ8WR 55
0919 4W6UN/b 539>579 (still in at 1153)
0928 VK4RIK/b 569
0929 VR2XMT 51
0938 VK8MS 56 PH57
0941 VK8AH 53 PH57
1015 KH8/N5OLS 59
1033 VR2XMT 59 OL72
1044 VR2DXA 55 OL72
1058 P29KFS 59
1130 VR2LC 51 OL72
1134 VR2XMQ 41 OL72
1149 VK4CP, VK4JSR, VK4KK
Jack would like to thank the VK4's for standing by when asked to whilst attempting to work the weaker VR2's and also adds
"...went to bed at 1345z with Ross' beacon 4W6UN still chugging away... will try and look for southern VK's today as there are few in VK2 looking for me for a new one.
2145z  32-44MHz monitored, no USA indicators noted.
2204z  ZLTV all offsets 5x7.
2206z  VK2 TV 46.240MHz 59 plus 20dB, VK4 TV 46.171MHz 5x5 rapid fade.
2208z  Nothing from VK/ZL noted on 50MHz!
2345z  Band dead, zero 45/46MHz TV...all gone!
20 September:
0956z  49.750MHz TV 5x6
1002z  VR2XMT heard 'CQ' 50.110 3x1, 7J6CCU Okinawa heard 'CQ' 5x5
1006z  JS6CDB on Okinawa worked 5x5.
1008z  P29BPL/b 559.
1011z  JA2IGY/b very weak, 319.
1023z  VR2XMT worked 5x2.
1024z  4W6UN/b 519 report consistant to 1220z!
1045z  48.250/244/240 TV 319 to 539 report.
1051z  V73SIX/b 'pings'.
1054z  49.750MHz TV steady 59, but no JA's!
1101z  VK8MS (PH-57) worked 5x5.
1133z  49.750MHz TV 5x9 plus 10dB, still no JA.
1137z  JA2IGY/b very weak.
1146z  VR2IL worked 5x1.
1159z  VR2XRW worked 5x1.
1248z  BG7OH heard 3x1 calling 'CQDX' on 50.160MHz.
1305z  VR2XMT heard 'CQ' 4x1.
1315z  JR6VSP Okinawa heard 'CQ' 539 on CW.
1345z  -gone to bed- 49.750 dropping down now 5x4.
21 September:
0201z  46.240MHz VKTV 59+
0215z  46.261MHz VKTV 5x7
0228z  46.171MHz VKTV 59+
0416z  49.750MHz TV 5x1
0418z  V73SIX/b 519 (side scatter)
0423z  JE7YNQ/b, JA2IGY/b & JA1YZK/b 319.
0510z  JA2's worked to 0517z.
0830z  P29BPL/b 519z through to 1315z.
0856z  VK4BRG/b and numerous VK4's heard.
1000z  YJ8WR/b 559.
1000z  4W6UN/b 559.
1015z  48.240/250MHz TV 5x5.
1017z  AX4ZJR (QH-23) worked 59+ 52.525MHz FM.
1042z  YJ8WR worked 5x5.
1049z  4W6MM worked 559 CW 5x3 SSB.
2100z  No indicators 32-40MHz heard from NA/SA.
22nd September:
0315z  49.750 TV 5x1
0315z  V73SIX/b 519 (side scatter)
0318z  JA1 and JA2 worked.
0330z  VK/ZLTV very weak.
BAND TOTALLY DEAD! (until)
0910z  49.750 TV 3x1, 48.250 TV 5x7, 48.240 TV 5x3
0922z  P29BPL/b 519 through to 1245z.
0944z  7J6CCU (PL-36) 'CQ' heard.
1000z  49.750 TV 4x1, 48.250 TV 5x9+, 48.240 TV 5x9+
1102z  Faint unident SSB on 50.110??
CLOSED DOWN 1300z, band dead.
2100z  Power black out again!
23 September:
"Hello Adam, power black out yesterday between 2100z and 0730z kept me off air, that's one of the problems up here, reliable public infrastructure!" 
0000-0730z  Off air, no electric power (black out).
0742z  KH6HME/b 519, KH6HI/b 319
0750z  KH6SX worked 5x5
0817z  VK4BRG/b 419
0820z  P29BPL/b 539
0846z  46.171.8 VKTV 5x7
0850z  P29BPL/b 599 to 1300z!
0905z  A35AD worked 5x5
0910z  VK4ZJR worked 5x9+
0933z  NB6A/KH4 worked 5x1
0935z  49.750 TV weak, 48.240 TV 5x5, 48.250 TV 5x7
1003z  YF1OO worked 5x2 to 5x5
1010z  YC1MQ worked 5x2
1012z  P29KFS worked 5x5
1045z  4W6UN/b 539 to 1236z.
1932z  V73SIX/b 319
24 September:
2145z  V73SIX/b 529.
25th September:
0242z  49.750 TV 4x1.
0242z  V73SIX/b 419 side scatter.
0322z  JA1,2,3,4,5,6 & 7. (60 worked).
0355z  V73SIX/b 419 (b/scatter)
0402z  JA2IGY/b 319
0800z  KH6HME/b 519.
0850z  FO3BM worked 5x1
0855z  48.250MHz TV 59++
0915z  P29BPL/b 519/559.
0930z  49.750 TV 5x1
0948z  VR2?? weak CW heard.
0957z  VR2XMT, ZXP, PM, XMQ, ZST and LC worked.
0958z  BG7OH worked 5x7.
1000z  JS6??? CW heard 539.
1003z  7J6CCU Okinawa hrd wking V73AT 50.150.
1046z  4W6UN/b 529.
Nothing else until close 1246z.

1900-2030z  No indicators from NA 32-40MHz noted although 10m SSB/CW were very good from the USA, shame I couldn't stick around to see if the band opened!

"No VK4's came through at all yesterday no a hint of 45/46MHz VK ZL TVtv either, last night was a good opening to VR2 and BG7...  Will close down tomorrow morning as check-in time for Air Nauru 9.30am (2130z)." (T30JH)