PAST PROJECTS
La Manteņa Raft Expedition - July 98 - July 99 - Follow explorer John Haslett (KC5KHA) as he sails his replica of a 60 ' Ecuadorian Balsa Log raft over the ancient sea routes from the west coast of South America north to Mexico and then west across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. CLICK HERE FINAL UPDATE POSTED 07/07/99 - RAFT DESTROYED IN STORM - CREW SAFE - EXPEDITION ENDED.
Trans-American Trek 99 Sept. 1- 30 Jim, W2EMT journeyed with his son Andrew and his faithful companions, Labrador Retrievers Rufus & Queen Cleo with other Land Rover vehicle enthusiasts as they retraced the routes of the Klondike Gold Rush Stampeders through Alaska and The Canadian Yukon and Northwest Territories. With Rufus & Queen Cleo as their official "guides" the team will traveled as far north as the town of Inuvik, N.W.T. located on The Beaufort Sea at 69 degrees North latitude above The Arctic Circle. Schools from around the world followed the expedition's progress and utilized the many classroom activities - They are still posted at Lab-rover.com-for you to enjoy and read their final Trek Updates - or CLICK HERE FINAL UPDATE POSTED
Amateur Radio Special Events Station"K2A"- Sept. 4 - Sept. 30 In conjunction with The Border To Border Expedition Society Trans-American Trek 99, This station, W2EMT, operated The Special Events Station "K2A" while on-route (VE7 - VE8 - VY1 - KL7 call areas). Pre-scheduled contacts were arranged as well as random QSL's on most HF and VHF/UHF bands. As the team ventured farther North, propagation deteriorated with only 20 meters as a viable band. Nevertheless, over 100 contacts were made. CLICK HERE
- Dec. 27, 1999 - Jan. 09, 2000 - To celebrate the arrival of the Millennium and a New Year's Day sunrise on an Easternmost US island, Jim Wilmerding, W2EMT and Bob Noonan, WB1GDZ, operated the Special Events Station "W1C" from Mount Desert Island (IOTA NA-055) off the coast of Maine to welcome in the first sun's rays striking a US East Coast island. Special certificates were issued for one and two-way confirmations. CLICK HERE
Amateur Radio Special Events Station"W4W" - To celebrate the wonderful outdoors, responsible four-wheel off-roading, and the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, W2EMT once again takes "ham radio" on the road. Beginning Saturday, July 14 through Monday July 23 2001, Jim, his son Andrew, and veteran four-legged expeditioners Rufus and Cleo will climb aboard their newly outfitted 1993 Land Rover Defender 110 and venture into the Wenatchee Mountains of Washington State. Daily QSO's are planned - QRP - so listen up for them. CLICK HERE for info.
Amateur Radio Special Events Station - NEW CALL: "W2R" - Jim, W2EMT, son Andrew , "Rufus & Cleo" are off again with the intrepid Team Lab Rover - this time leaving Jim's home in Maine via the Trans Canada Highway. Departing from Mt. Desert Island (NA-055) on SEPTEMBER 7th. (New Date) via Quebec, the Team will head on Westward towards British Columbia then returning to Portland, OR. Jim will again be QRP-ing along the route. SEE UPDATE Click here
Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society - Spring Lites QSO Party March 29 - April 7 2002 Jim will be activating BEAR ISLAND LIGHT - US 045 during the ARLHS QSO party scheduled from March 29 - April 7 2002. He will operate a portable, battery powered QRP station from a site near the location pictured above in Northeast Harbor. Specific operating days and times will be posted prior to beginning operation. Click HERE for further information. Scoring, logging and awards information can be found HERE
Guinness Around The World Challenge - Beginning in (date TBA), Team Lab Rover will again take to the road - all the way around the world!! Part of a 43 team vehicle field, Jim and Andrew will drive "fly" across all the continents non-stop. To find out more and how you can join the team Click here .
S.A.R.E.X (Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment) Follow ham radio licensed astronauts as they communicate to school groups around the world while orbiting on a Space Shuttle Mission. During a mission get current Keplerian Elements to track the orbits and daily NASA reports. CLICK HERE FOR UPDATE
Listen to
part of an actual SAREX School Contact:(it will take about 1
minute to download) Sound File
SAREX
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION Follow the progress of the construction of the International Space Station which will incorporate both a VHF and HF Amateur Radio Station. Current Keplerian Elements are available to track the station for visible sightings. CLICK HERE
RUSSIAN SPACE STATION MIR- Read about the final amateur radio contact opportunities. CLICK HERE
Listen to
an actual contact with the Russian MIR Space Station (08/15/99)
This was one of the few remaining opportunities to talk to the
French Cosmonaut Jean-Peirre Haignere before the station was abandonded. Sound File
MIR SPACE STATION - Contact with Fench Cosmonaut Jean-Pierre Haignere
MARS POLAR LANDER - Launched on January 3, 1999 this unmanned probe was scheduled to land on the Martian surface on Friday, December 3, 1999. CLICK HERE for details.