Andaman 2006

Andamam 2006 Radio Operations (last updated 2007/3/5)

One of significant difference of Andaman 2006 rather than other DXpeditions is, the radio activities were not organized by any leader, all of activities were by "participants" of the "HamFest" held in Port Blair, Andaman. Participants set up their own stations, some organized as groups, some did as independent individuals.

The official announcements were made very last minutes. Some received their radio permits in very last minutes. Last minutes changes have happened. Thus, some participants have cancelled their trips, or had to make changes.

Anyway, Andaman was on the air in April 2006 with more than 80k QSOs in a week.

VU4AN/VU3RWP

As well as others, the trip was a bit hassle for me. The permit was not sure until last minutes. Anyway, I prepared my casual "DXtrip" stuff with IC2KL. It was my first time to test (relatively) new compact switching PS for 2KL as DXtrip stuff. (Fortunately, no problem during the stay) Antenna was quite simple as usual. I did not want to spent lots of effort for it, it may cost expensive excess baggage and it might not have any chance to be used.

Anyway, license was given, with 30m CW (wow!!) Though the location was not best, antenna was not best, I had a lot of fun with 3kQSO in my log during (a bit less than) one week. Besides, I spent a lot of time for HamFest itself, trying to find another guys for an article.

Here are some of my op site photos.


This is my set at Sun Sea Hotel, downtown Port Blair. Simplest as usual. IC706MkII + IC 2KL + AT130 antenna tuner. The Fujitsu laptop includes CT Win 10 for CW,SSB, MMTTY for RTTY, MMSSTV for SSTV and Digipan for PSK. Possibly I am the only one who activates all five modes (?)	Antenna is simple as well. Approx 10m glass fiber rod for vertical. 3 radials. It work quarter wavelength vertical for 40m, and antenna tuner makes it work on the other band so far.

Another shot of antenna.	Overview of the hotel. Do you see the antenna at right side ??

Jun at operating position. (Just for photo) You may know I do not use microphone.	As some party was held at my hotel (though no other operation in the hotel) lots of guest visited me. VU2LIC Ram is one of them.

Kyoko JR3MVF/VU3RYI and Ellen WA6UVF/VU3RYH visited me one day. They tried bands, but not much luck as day time prop was almost dead.

Other stations

Station setup at Megapod Nest Hotel, the Hamfest venue. Most of Indian hams operated here.


Station was set at the room of left end. Antenna: 2m Yagi for EME.	Another view of 2m Yagi.

80m vertical (l) and Spider beam	Bhanumathi, VU2BL, experienced YL on the mike

Bharathi VU2RBI on the air	Some Indian uses inverted V made of local bamboo pole

SP3CYY and DK1BT	Manfred DK1BT working RTTY

View toward north

Hex beam	R7000 vertical

Vertical for 80/160