AH1A Operators Manual
24-DEC-92
KH1/93 ---- Operator's
Manual
DXpedition to Howland Island
INTRODUCTION . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
ITINERARY . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
TRAVEL INFORMATION .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Jim Smith's Article from QRZ DX 1987 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Chod Harris Article for CQ Magazine . . . . . . . . . .
. 3
Weather conditions by F&WS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 3
Boat Information - 67 ft Schooner "Machias" . . . . . . . . . . .4
Legal Authority . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Ecosystem - Prohibited
Items - Conditions of Use Permit
. . .5
OPERATING INFORMATION
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Callsign . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Operator Guidelines
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 6
Frequencies . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 9
Station Design . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
: . . .
11
Beam Headings . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Polar Chart - appendix
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
QSL info ... . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Computer and Software Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 13
Maritime Mobile Operation
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
PROMOTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Sponsors . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Sponsor Guidelines
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Video/Slide show .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . 15
PERSONAL ITEMS . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Checklist from Captain Austin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . 16
Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . 16
Recommended Clothing
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Shoes . . . . . . . . . . .
17
Medical . . .
17
Sun protection suggestions . . . . . . . 17
A note on hearing loss
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Flashlights . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
18
Swimming gear . . . .
. . . . . .
. 18
Equipment and Radios
. . . . . .
18
Things not to bring
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES
. . . . . . . 19
Insurance . . . . . .
. . . . . .
19
Passports and
Visas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . .. . . 19
Landing Permit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . 19
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Travel and
Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Personal
Purchases . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . 20
FINANCE AND BUDGET.
. . 20
Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
20
OPERATOR LISTING . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.. . . 20
APPENDIX . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22
Copyright© 1992 Walt Stinson, W0CP
24-DEC-92 KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 1
DXpedition to Howland Island
INTRODUCTION
The KHI'93 DXpedtion was conceived by K9AJ and W0RLX. Their
interest in this DXCC spot was timely, indeed. KHI was just ranked Europe 's
second most needed country by "The DX Magazine." The increased
interest in KHI has created both problems and opportunities for us. There is
more support than we could otherwise have expected, and there is more pressure
on us to do a first class job.
As a member of the KHI team, you are about to embark on one
of the top DXpeditions of the decade, and one of the most exciting adventures
of your life. Our goal is to set a new standard in organization, operating
excellence, and signal strength. We want nothing less than to remove
Howland/Baker from the ranks of the most needed. We have all trained many years
for this moment. Many of us have direct experience on DXpeditions to other rare
DXCC countries. Our challenge is to come together as a team and make the best
of this magnificent opportunity.
This Manual will answer some of the questions relating to
operating and personal issues. It is not intended to be all inclusive, but,
hopefully, we haven't left out too much.
Please look it over carefully. If you notice anything else
that needs to be addressed, please bring it to the attention of the organizers.
ITINERARY
December 12-18,
1992 K9AJ and WORLX will be
in Hawaii to make final arrangements and load gear onto the ship
"Machias."
January 5, 1993
Last date that equipment shipped to Hawaii can be loaded on the ship in
Hawaii .
January 16
Team meets in Honolulu .
January 19
Team flies to Christmas Island (T32) to meet the ship.
January 26
Anticipated first day of seven day operation
February 3
Last day of operation February 8 Arrival in Tarawa
February 9
Fly to Honolulu (cross date line-gain one day)
February 8
Arrive Honolulu
February 22
Ship Machias returns with equipment to Honolulu from Tarawa
24-DEC-92
KH1/93 ---- operator's Manual page 2
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Information from Jim Smith's Article from ORZ DX 1987
Baker and Howland Islands , by Jim Smith VK9NS (edited for
conciseness)
Baker and Howland Islands lie a few minutes north of the
Equator at longitude 176 degrees West. They are north of the Phoenix group and
about 1650 miles southwest of Honolulu.
These days the islands are uninhabited, but are visited on a
fairly regular basis by personnel from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The
islands provide a habitat for a large number of seabirds.
Howland Islands was discovered in 1822 by Captain Worth of
the whaler OENO out of Nantucket . It originally bore the name Worth Island ,
but was renamed Howland Island (possibly after the sailor who first sighted it)
some 20 years later when the whaler ISABELLA visited in September, 1842. The
island is about 20 feet above sea level and one and a half miles long by half a
mile wide.
Like many of these remote Pacific Islands , Howland has had
a checkered career -- first claimed by the U.S. Guano Company in 1858. Then in
1895 the American Guano Company landed on Howland. For several years both
companies hotly contested the right to dig for guano. It appears that American
Guano won out in the end. Many tons of guano were then taken until late 1878
when the company representative, his wife, children, and 43 laborers left and
returned to Honolulu .
It was further occupied from 1886 until 1891 by the John T.
Arundel Company and with the aid of some 100 natives more guano was removed.
It was in March of 1935, however, that things really got
going on Howland Island . American "colonists" arrived and a small
settlement named Itascatown was built (named after the U.S. Coast Guard cutter
which brought them to the island). The attempts of the settlers to establish
themselves make interesting reading.
In 1937 an airfield was hurriedly constructed to handle a
possible landing by Amelia Earhart on route from New Guinea to Oahu . As events
later proved she and her navigator disappeared enroute. The beacon lighthouse
on Howland Island was then named the "Amelia Earhart Light" in her
honor.
Of course in the Pacific during WWII things were never quite
the same again. on nearby Baker Island some 120 officers and 2000 men soon had
a major airstrip built, an incredible 5750 feet long and 150 feet wide. This
runway along with taxi ways, ammunition and fuel dumps, and other facilities
took up most of the island. The runway was completed in early October 1943 and
after being used briefly was evacuated in March 1944.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- operator's Manual page 3
In due course, the islands were left alone. However, a
number of factors have kept interest in the islands alive. They harbor a unique
group of birds and visits showed they were in serious trouble due to a strong
feral cat population (courtesy of the former inhabitants). The cats had
achieved one thing, they had eaten all the rats, and were turning more and more
to birds for food. In addition, with the passing of the years many of the war
time fuel drums were rusting through. As the fuel drained away, the birds
started to use them as nesting sites. They often fell in and were trapped.
In recent years a massive cleanup operation has been
undertaken. The sheer volume of hard work involved in dealing with hundreds of
old fuel drums makes impressive reading. It is to the credit of these dedicated
people that so much has now been achieved. The cat population has been
drastically reduced and a real possibility of complete eradication exists.
In visiting these islands some 44 years after the evacuation
of the military there will be much to search for. We are looking forward to
this visit to one of the rarest areas of the Pacific and, of course, we hope
that the propagation will allow many to hear and work us on Howland and
possibly Baker also.
[QRZ editor's note: The HIDXA DXpedition will probably be
the first amateur radio operation from either Baker or Howland since WWII. our
request for information about these two islands yielded answers from Bob,
K4PDV, who operated from Howland,island during 1940 as KF6SJJ and Jan, N6AW,
who found the following cards in the W6AM QSL collection: K6BAZ (Howland Isl.
1938) and KF6PUL (Baker lsl. 1939).
Evidently, all post-World War II activity from the American
Phoenix Islands was from Canton island (KB6 and KHI). Thanks to N6AW, K4PDV,
N4SU, W5HTX, and K4FK for info.]
END
Chod Harris Article for CQ Magazine - appendix Weather
conditions by F&WS
Only a limited number of weather observations have been made
on Howland. However, the few existing records do indicate a fairly uniform
climate with little seasonal
change except variation in amount of rainfall. Records of
observations made during the 1935 to 1942 colonization and the 1943 to 1945
military occupation show Howland as having
a mean annual temperature of 83 degrees F with monthly means
not more than I degree F above and below. Slight seasonal variations in
temperature do occur with the warmest temperature in September (extreme mean
maxima of 89 degrees recorded then) and the coolest in March (when the extreme
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 4
mean maxima of 86 degrees were recorded; mean minima are
always near 79 degrees F). Extremes recorded are 101 degrees and 71 degrees.
Humidity readings are low generally but show a slight rise at night (from 55 to
86 percent relative humidity.)
The sea water temperature ranged between 86 and 87 degrees F
during a four day period in October, 1963.
Howland is located in the south equatorial current zone
where the currents are from east to west. Cloud cover is most frequently
stratocumulus with maximum clouds occurring from November to May.
Information on precipitation is scant and inconclusive but
available records do show the annual rainfall to be extremely variable.
Sometimes more than a year may elapse with little or no rain at all, as in
1859-1860.
END
Boat Information - 67 ft Schooner "Machias"
Mailing address for items shipped to the boat:
Burt Myers/ Howland Island Trip
c/o Bob Farrow
4767 Farmers Road
Honolulu , HI 96816
Legal Authority
When we are aboard ship, the captain is the legal authority.
He is responsible for our safety and welfare, and we are responsible to obey
any legal directive from him. Please respect the ship and its crew and do your
best to help, not hinder, its,mission.
When on Howland/Baker we are under the authority of the US
government. Two scientists, Beth Flint and Dave Woodside, from the Fish and
Wildlife Service will be accompanying us on our expedition. Dave Woodside is a
veteran of many expeditions to remote islands, including AH3C/Jarvis.
The F&WS doesn't have the budget to travel to Howland
and Baker as much as they would like, and are taking this opportunity to
hitch-hike with us. They are there to observe the local bird population, not
us. It is their job, however, to protect the wildlife and the environment of
the island. Please be sensitive to this and do your best to avoid putting our
mission in conflict with theirs. We must do our best to minimize the impact of
our operation on the plants and wildlife of the island, and to leave the island
in the same condition we found it. Please police yourself as we proceed, so
that we do not have a major cleanup job at the end.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 5
Ecosystem - Prohibited Items - Conditions of use Permit
1. Camp and Antenna
Placement
The site of camp and antenna placement will be determined by
the F&W Service staff. Permittees will be restricted to the general area of
the camp and a trail to and from the landing area unless approved by Service
staff. Disturbance to wildlife and habitat will be minimized.
2. Authority of F&W Service to halt activity
The Service staff will have the power to halt any activity
which they feel constitutes excessive
disturbance to the wildlife, the habitat, or the reef
ecosystem.
3. Importation of Harmful Items
All clothing, gear and materials taken onto the island must
be inspected and found free of foreign
plants, seeds, animals, and insects prior to entry onto the
island. Fumigation with an insecticide should be
used on all non-sensitive gear. Tomato seeds, tomatoes,
sunflower seeds, alfalfa seeds, and mustard seeds are specifically prohibited.
4. Fishing is Prohibited
Fishing from the island or within the limits of the Refuge
boundary (three miles from the island) is prohibited. This includes the contract
vessel.
8. Restoration of the Island
KHI'93 is responsible for removing all signs of their
presence on the island. All equipment and debris should be removed.
9. Removal of Indigenous Material Is Prohibited
The taking of any animal, vegetable, or mineral matter,
except as authorized by the Refuge Manager or representative, is prohibited.
Disturbance to any wildlife, except as authorized by the Service staff, is also
prohibited.
10. Fish and Wildlife Service Officer-in-charge
Beth Flint is the Wildlife Refuge's Officer-in-Charge during
this expedition.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 6
OPERATING INFORMATION
Callsign
The callsign for the trip will be AH1A. This call will used only
from the island. Operator calls will be used from the boat. We will use the
AH1A callsign only for QSO's that qualify for Baker/Howland country credit in
our official log, in order to avoid confusion. The organizers will announce the
callsign at the appropriate time. Do not announce the call to the general
public yourself, as we wish to minimize the possibility of pirates.
Operator Guidelines General
We have a commitment to our corporate and foundation
sponsors to maintain the highest standards of personal and technical conduct.
Previous expeditions have been marred when the operators, frustrated with
unruly and uncooperative pile-ups, have lost their temper and threatened to
pull the plug. There have also been instances of malicious interference, which
has severely disrupted the operations and caused ill-will toward DXers in
general and the expedition operators in specific. We want to avoid these
situations. If you feel you are losing control over a pile-up, get another
operator, QSY, or QRT. There will be lids, cops, and jammers. O ur job is to
stay above the messes and not to get pulled into them. Our success or failure
at doing this will be one of the primary measures that the DX community will
use to judge the professionalism of our operation. Stay cool!
General Guidelines:
Do not ragchew or debate with anyone while running a pile
use pilot stations to alert you to openings.
MHDXA has appointed certain stations to be
"pilots." These stations will monitor the jamming, policing, rates,
openings, etc. They will also keep tabs on European and east coast Dxer's so
that we can get constructive criticism (or compliments) promptly. We will have
a daily sked with the pilot coordinator, who will pass along input from the DX
community.
Use the rf gain and attenuators to peel off the strongest
stations
Announce the callsign every 3 minutes at minimum
Don't try to go too fast-adjust the speed of exchanges
according to conditions. HA5BUS and Romeo have both received complaints of
going too fast. Shouldn't be a problem when you are loud.
Be polite, it will help make to pile more polite, too.
Standby occasionally to listen for tough propagation paths.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 7
Also, remember to take advantage of the grey line
propagation twice each day. Don't be caught working USA or JA on the grey line,
you can work them anytime. Use these opportunities to work the antipodal
stations, as these are the two times each day that propagation will favor them.
Low band stations should keep and eye on the DXedge and work the USA sunrise
grey line on 160 and 80 meters by calling CQ as the line moves west. High band
stations should use DXedge to monitor the grey line as it moves across Europe .
Work USA only after the high bands have closed to Europe . Let the USA and JA
stations know what you are doing and why, to gain their cooperation.
When working split, don't keep moving up the band - limit
your spread. Set a pattern, so that the discerning operator will know where to
call. one approach would be to move up the band for l0kHz or so, then come back
down and start moving up again. If you keep moving up the band too far, you
will inevitably cause QRM and disrupt QSO's, which would result in ill will
toward our expedition or even retribution through jamming. Should you encounter
excessive jamming or policing, move your transmit frequency down slightly. The
policemen and jammers will be left bickering among themselves while the sharp
operators will quickly find you on the new frequency. Use the least amount of
spread necessary, especially on 20M!
if you use a call area strategy, be sensitive to
propagation.
High band propagation (10, 15, and 20m) will remain open to
the west coast about 3 hours longer than to the east. Work the west after the
east coast propagation has closed. Watch the DXedge and follow the grey line
starting with east coast call areas 1, 2, 3, and 4; then go to 5, 8, 9, and 0;
then to 6 and 7. You can take these one at a time or in groups, depending on
the size of the pile. Stay on the 1,2,3,and 4 group as long as propagation
holds up, then move to the next group. Let the pile know what you are doing.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- operator's Manual page 8
Do occasionally make announcements what other frequencies we
are on.
When we will be on certain bands and modes where to send
QSLs
What equipment we are using
How long we will be on the island
What our normal daily operating schedule is Nets
Do not run stations on nets! Checking into nets is
permissible for the purpose of disseminating information about the expedition
only.
Modes
CW
Try to limit the qsx range to no more than 10khz
If the pile-diminishes, slow down a bit - not everyone can
copy 40wpm
Send call and qsl info slower when possible
Use CT as much as possible for sending to reduce error
resend the call, as shown below, if call is broken initially
SSB
Try to limit QSX to no more than 15khz of the band (good
luck)
Never use more than 15khz of qsx on 20 meters (good luck
agn)
Announce the qsl route every 15 minutes at minimum
Be friendly to the pile, make personal comments where
possible
Do not give out cw qsols on ssb frequencies
Request full calls. do not request "last two
letters." recommended ssb exchange when conditions are tough (his call at
end) AHIA: ...... QRZ
Sample exchange:
K0EU: ...... K0EU
AHIA: ...... K0echo uniform FIVE NINE;
K0EU: ...... THIS IS K0EU UR FIVE NINE
AHIA: ...... K0EU, THANK YOU, ALPHA HOTEL ONE ALPHA
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 9
Digital, VHF, and Satellite RTTY
1. Be Patient. RTTY is a slow mode, especially with large
pileups. The qso rate will be around 60 to 100 per hour. Not exactly a high rate
of QSO'S, so be patient.
2. We must work RTTY split. This should really go without
saying, since we are planning to work SSB and CW split. A recent rare operation
tried to work them on his own frequency. His QSO rate was around 20 per hour.
It was very difficult copy, with everyone calling on top of each other - an
unbelievable mess!
3. Do not attempt other digital modes for DXing. Baudot RTTY
(45 baud) is still the standard for
RTTY DXing. Good old standard Baudot is still the only
digital mode used on DXpeditions. ASCII just never caught on and of course
AMTOR would slow the rate way down since we would have to connect to each
station first.
4. DXpedition operating frequencies. The standard seems to
be around .080-.085, listening up 5. So, the DXpedition transmit frequencies
should be 28.085, 21.085 and 14.085. Amtor is from 070-080, Baudot RTTY from
080-095 and Packet from 095-100.
5. Call areas vs free-style. Call areas don't work too well
on RTTY. It just seems to slow down the QSO rate. However, if the pileups are
too deep, you may have to go with it.
6. Try to keep to a standard RTTY operating time. This will
keep both us and the RTTY community
happy. They will know when we will be operating -on RTTY and we won't have as many people
asking us on SSB and CW. Someone will know, if they miss us one day, we will be
back on the same RTTY frequency the next day. People will become far less
frustrated if they know our schedule.
7. Europe and USA East Coast propagation. KHI is no.2 in
Europe and no.8 on the east coast. There are a large number of European RTTY
DXers and we will be very popular an RTTY in Europe . It will be rough working
Europe and East Coast due to their respective locations. Long path openings may
be the best bet.
6 meter and satellite - we have a specialist with us. See
him.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 10
Frequencies
Authorized frequencies
Region 3 allocations
The allocations and band plans are the same as in the USA ,
except on 40m, as noted below. Note that 7100 to 7300 is NOT available
to.,Pacific islands outside of region 2, including Baker and Howland.
1800-2000
3500-4000
7000-7100 (CW: 7.000-7.100; RY: 7.035-7.040; SSB
7.075-7.100)
14000-14350 21000-21450 28000-29700 10m- 28777 12m- 24983
USA sub-bands (SEE APPENDIX)
Announced operating frequencies:
SSB
10m- 28475 qsx 430-500 (USA novice op's cannot go above
28500)
12m- 24935 qsx 940-950
15m- 21295 qsx 300-310
17m- 18115 qsx 120-130
20m- 14195 qsx 200-210; (for USA general class, qsx 240-250)
40m- 7080 qsx 230-240; (+-QRM) Europe qsx UP
75m- 3795 qsx 3800-3810 (3635-3650 for restricted) European
band edge is 3800,
so listen for Europe simplex at 3795 or, if you want to work
split, listen down. Some coutries,
incl. USSR and Italy are restricted; see appendix.
CW
10m- 28023 qsx up
3
12m- 24893 qsx up
15m- 21023 qsx up
17m- 18073 qsx up
20m- 14023 qsx up
30m- 10103 qsx up
40m- 7023 qsx up
80m- 3503 qsx up
160m- 1833 qsx up
RTTY
10m- 28085 qsx up 5
12m- 24925 qsx up 5
15m- 21085 qsx up 5
17m- 18105 qsx up 5
20m- 14085 qsx up 5
40m- 7085 qsx up
5; 7040 (dx)
24-DEC-92 KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 11
Secret frequencies
These frequencies
are for family and friends only. Use your own callsign (Foreign hams use a USA callsign).
Regulations do not require you to sign portable KH1 (unless you are using a
foreign callsign), so don't do it or you will spoil the usefulness of these
frequencies.
15m- 21444; 17m- 18160; 20m- 14277
40m- 7080 QSX 7199
USA Novice/Tech frequencies
Hopefully, things will never slow down, but if they do, use
the opportunity to work a few novices/techs. These are the entry level USA
licensees. By working a few of these, we will be bringing the thrill of DXing
to a new generation of hams.
SSB 28300-28500
CW 28100-28300; 21100-21200
7100-7150 (we cannot operate on this band)
3700-3750
6 meter beacons (SEE APPENDIX)
160m worldwide frequencies (SEE APPENDIX)
Station Design
One of the primary goals of the trip is to satisfy the
demand for KHI in Europe and on the east coast. This ambitious goal has
necessitated a more rigorous approach to station-design than might normally be
required. After all, it doesn't take much station to work JA's and USA from KHI
and those areas could keep us busy full time if our only objective was high
rates.
To meet our goal, two objectives were set: to be loud, and
to stretch the openings as long as possible with better antennas. To meet the
first objective, the support of ETO, the maker of Alphals, was obtained. They
agreed to loan us four of the new Alpha 89 amps. These amps will loaf along at
1500 watts output and, better yet, they have a very effective protection scheme
that virtually assures us of reliable operation no matter how we goof up!
Meeting the second objective meant taking a fresh look at
our antenna needs. It was determined that we could improve
upon our signal in three ways: using mono-band yagils on the HF bands, using
phased verticals on 40m and 80m and,
finally, by paying special attention to the vertical RF
ground systems, especially on 80m and 160m. You might
assume that, because we are near salt water, the ground
system is of little concern. However, while there are definitely some
advantages to being near the ocean, the island's soil is a very poor conductor
and an extensive RF ground is required if reasonable efficiency is to be
obtained.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 12
We will have four HF station setup's, plus VHF and
satellite. There will be two widely separated HF station sites, one primarily
for SSB and one primarily for CW. We hope to be able to operate SSB and CW on
the same band without serious interference problems. Of course, we will be
operating from each of the locations on two different bands simultaneously. The
problem of inter-station interference will be significantly reduced by the
mono- banders, which will more effectively reject signals on other frequencies
than the tri-banders that are typically used. We will also be using band-pass
filters and tunable filters to further reduce inter-station interference.
Each station location will have two station positions, each
with a fully filtered Kenwood transceiver (TS-850s or TS-450s) and an Alpha 89.
The SSB station will have an HF6V for 80-10 meters. It will
also have mono-band yagis for 10, 15, and 20 meters on two separate masts, and
a WARC band beam on a third mast. The CW station will also have mono-band
yagis. We will also be installing a pair of phased Butternut HF2V verticals on
80m (with top loading) and another pair on 40m, which will give us 4dB of gain
to Europe . An inverted L will also be installed for 160. The vertical ground
system for each vertical will consist of several hundred square feet of chicken
wire in a square, augmented by a 3ft square of aluminum at the base of each
antenna. We also have a mile of magnet wire to lay out as radials for 80M and
160M - something to do in your spare time.
All station positions will have laptop computers for
real-time logging. The computer at one of the CW positions will also be
equipped for RTTY. We will be patching the Kenwoods into the computers, so that
band tracking will occur automatically. Each station position will have a
DXedge grey-line map, so you can keep track of the grey line despite your
disorientation at being in a different part of the world! Special headphones
have been customized that incorporate the Heil element and also cut out ambient
noise muff-style phones. These stations should be a lot of fun to operate.
Power will be provided by 4-Yanmar diesel generators, each
with over 3kw of power capability. One of our sponsors is Panamax, who will be
providing line voltage protection for all of our sensitive equipment. Their
sister company is providing our hi-tech water bottles.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- operator's Manual page 13
Beam Headings
Beam headings from KHI are displayed in the country window
of CT. To access them, type in a prefix and then press "FIO". Listed
below are the most common headings. Europe - zero degrees USA - 50 degrees
Japan - 317 degrees
Polar Chart - appendix OSL info --
QSL’S will be handled by the MileHiDx Association, a 100
member club based in Colorado . A
highly qualified team of volunteer DXers has been assembled to handle the
QSLinq chores in a very efficient manner. The QSL route is: Mile High DX
Association, POB 1, Franktown , CO 80116 , USA .
Due to the very strict QSL revenue accounting requirements
imposed by NCDXF, no other QSL routes will be permitted, though we will attempt
to reclaim cards that are misdirected to other routes. No copies of the logs
will be distributed to operators and no confirmations except those by MHDXA are
sanctioned.
Computer and Software Info
We have developed an excellent computer system for the
expedition. Computers have been obtained for each operating position. We will
use CT, by KIEA, as our logging program. Automatic hourly back-ups of our logs
to floppy disk will occur on the hour. CT allows many logs to be merged
together into a master log, which will permit us to track
our statistics in real-time. We are
breaking new ground with by using computers on a major equatorial DXpedition,
but we feel that the technology is mature enough (both hardware and software),
and there is enough experience (CT has been out 6 years) and expertise in our
group (W0CP is an ex-IBMer, and K0EU is a software programmer) to make it
work. The environmental conditions are the big variable, but
we have received assurances from dealers in the Pacific that our gear will work
fine. We will have paper/pencil backup, just in case.
If you are unfamiliar with computer logging or CT, you will
have an opportunity to receive training before we arrive at Howland. Many of
you will be interested in your rates during the operation. CT has an
"OPON" feature that tracks the operators for every QSO. See the
appendix for more information.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 14
Maritime Mobile operation
In international waters, the ship's registry determines the
country has jurisdiction over any radio transmitting activity. The S/V Machias
is of US registry, so the FCC rules and regulations will apply to any radio
operations on board, when in international waters. A FCC license or reciprocal
license is necessary for the station licensee and control operator. When in the
territorial waters of a particular country, that country has jurisdiction of
radio activities. It is necessary to have a license from that particular country
in order for transmissions to be authorized. The only country we are visiting,
other than the USA , is Kiribati . Arrangements are being made for a license
from that country for at least one of the operators. The identification
procedure in international waters is to sign your call sign followed by a slant
bar (stroke), mm (maritime mobile), Region 3.
PROMOTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
Sponsors
We have prepared a formal, spiral bound, presentation for
helping to obtain the commitment of clubs, foundations, and commercial firms.
It describes the trip in detail, including budget information. It was used for
our successful formal requests of support from Alpha, Cushcraft, NCDXF, and
others.
Equipment sponsors (as of December 12, 1992 ):
ETO/Alpha - 4 Alpha 89 amplifiers
Kenwood - 2-TS850, 3-TS450,filters; Cushcraft - 6 mono band
beams Butternut - 4-HF2V, 1-HF6
Heil - headphones, mikes, and footswitches
Panamax - AC power conditioning equipment, surge voltage
protection, water purification
Casio - timepieces
Oklahoma Comm Center (AH9B) –
Cushcraft A3-WS WARC beam
Bencher - one LogiKey
ICE - filters
W6EL MINI-PROP PLUS Propagation Software
WFIB RTTY Software
Club and Foundation Sponsors:
NCDXF - cash grant
MHDXA - qsl management
pending sponsors:
INDEXA
Clipperton DX Club
Chiltern DX Club
REF
LADX Group
LYNX DX Group
Danish DX Group EUDXF
More to come...
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 15
Sponsor Guidelines
On-site considerations:
We are required to take a number of photos showing the
operators with equipment banners and-, also, showing the equipment in use.
While we will acknowledge their support, the sponsors have requested that we
not discuss or acknowledge, on-the-air or otherwise, our promotional
agreements. As for mentions of the equipment being used, the FCC prohibits
on-the-air commercials announcements.- However, you are encouraged to discuss
the details of our equipment setup in the course of your operations, as you
normally would on SSB. A good time for this is when an operator change occurs.
Kenwood Photo Requirements (with prominent Kenwood banner)
1- Station operation
2- DXpedition members
3- Members in local geography
Heil Photo Requirements - headphones in use
Cushcraft Photo Requirements - banner, ops, beams Butternut
- ops, verts
Panamax - ops, products in use
Alpha - ops, products
in use
Misc op photo to
sign as thank you mementos (like a ball team!) All vendors
Post trip publication guidelines
Several of our product sponsors have mentioned that they did
not receive much recognition for their participation in previous DXpeditions.
They were assured that we would try to do a better job. in publications, we can
be blatantly commercial. It is essential that we mention our sponsors in all
post-trip materials. Incorporate the product mentions into all articles by
showing how the product helped us accomplish our objectives.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 16
Video Slide show
A semi-professional camcorder has been acquired for the
trip. This device, which records linear time codes, will enable us to have our
video tape professionally edited upon our return. We expect to produce a
one-hour documentary for distribution to supporting organizations. Do we have
any budding film makers among us? Make yourselves known. The film will require
us to stage certain events, like the landing and the antenna raising, etc. This will slow us down a bit, but the benefit
will be a more entertaining and informative video. Please bear with the delays
and intrusions that will inevitably occur as we try to gather enough video to
make a good film and fulfill our commitments to our corporate and foundation
sponsors.
We will also be making a slide show. Each operator is
encouraged to take a lot of pictures - bring a camera. If possible, use
Kodachrome 64 slide film. After the trip, pick out the best shots and send
slide copies to W0CP. If you must shoot print film, please have slides made of
your best prints. If you don't care to take personal photos, you are invited to
take official trip photos with your camera. You will be issued film at no
charge (within limits). Turn it in when it is exposed and it will become part
of our official photo documentary.
PERSONAL ITEMS
Checklist from Captain Austin
Duffle Bag
Tee Shirts Canteen
Laundry bag
Sweatshirt belt (scuba
type) Monkey nets* 2-long
pants mosquito net* Towels Sun hat "OFF" repellent
Cushion (pillow) Rain poncho Sun screen
Shorts
Aqua socks Antibiotic
spray swimsuit Swiss Army
Knife Work shoes
Money
Each team member is expected to bring at least $1000 in
travelers checks or cash to cover incidental personal expenses and emergency
needs.
Recommended Clothing
Bring along light weight pants and long sleeve shirts for
wearing while doing outside work on antennas, etc. These will provide
protection from the sun. Shorts and short sleeve shirts will be more
comfortable for operating wear while in the tents. A wide brim hat is
recommended for protecting the face from the intense rays of the sun at the
equator. A hat that has come highly recommended is the Tilley T3, $45 (2.5 inch
brim) or T2, $55 (3.5 inch brim) in white from Tilley Endurables, ph
800-338-2797 in USA (716- 675-8650 elsewhere). A baseball cap will not protect
the neck or ears.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 17
Shoes
Foot protection is very important on this trip. You will be
jumping into water where there is coral and spiny sea urchins that can cause
injuries resulting in infection. You will need to protect the sides and bottoms
of your feet with sturdy athletic shoes. The scientists recommend light weight
hiking boots for walking around the island. Thongs, etc. are OK for operating,
but do not wear them for work or walking about, as they invite injuries.
Remember, after we land, we will be spending a lot of time in the water
retrieving supplies. Bring extra shoes so you will always have a dry pair.
Canvas, rubber sole shoes will work fine on deck and on the
atoll. High tops would be best in the
water, as they provide greater protection. if your shoes have a foam inner
cushion, you may want to try and remove this, as it retains water. A river sandal
with rubber soles and nylon and velcro straps might be handy, but you will need
more protection in the water.
Medical
Be sure to have your immunizations up to date. For example,
you will need a tetanus booster if you haven't had one in the past ten years.
Bring an extra set of any essential items, such as daily medications and
eyeglasses, in case of loss or damage to one set. The trip will be physically
rigorous, so regular exercise in the weeks before the trip should be
considered. A meeting with your personal physician regarding the trip and its
demands, including physical and environmental, is recommended. Some of the
things to ask about are: salt intake, exercise, effects of heat, seasickness,
immunizations, and backup medication.
Sun protection suggestions
Wide brim hat
Glasses
Sunglasses should have a UV block. Side blinders are
recommended to prevent light from coming in from the sides and rear.
Sun screen
On DXpeditions to the tropics, someone usually burns bad
enough to blister and take themselves out of the action. Don't let it be you!
Bring plenty of sun screen with #15 UV block or higher (don't forget to protect
your ears). You will also need sun block for lips and zinc for your nose. It
might be a good idea to pay a few visits to a tanning salon in late December
and early January, as it will reduce the likelihood of a burn.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual
page 18
A note on hearing protection
The late ham legend, W6AM, once noted that, if he had it to
do all over again, he would not use headphones. He felt that his use of
headphones for contests and DXing permanently damaged his hearing. While there
is no getting around using headphones on this expedition, there is one common
sense step we can take. A solid week of l00dB plus sound levels will not help
your hearing or your stress level. We encourage you to keep the volume down to
the minimum level required for good copy. Also, the generators will be running
all week and will make plenty of noise. Bring ear plugs if you want to escape
the noise while you sleep. A custom headphone has been designed, one that will
keep out most of the ambient noise. This should allow you to keep the volume at
a lower level.
Flashlights
Bring a small belt style flashlight and batteries for it.
You'll need it at night on the island, and for safety on deck, in case you fall
overboard at night. MagLite makes a mini AA model that comes with a black nylon
belt pouch. It's available at Target for
$10. Large flashlights, for use on the island, will be supplied. You may also
bring your own.
Swimming gear
Don't forget your swim trunks. You may also wish to bring a
snorkel mask, as the island is a coral atoll and it may provide a beautiful
underwater view. Some of the operators are bringing scuba gear. The boat will
provide tanks for those who bring gear.
Equipment and Radios
All necessary equipment and radios will be provided. You are
encouraged to bring a two meter radio for island communications. Tools will be
provided. The logi-key cw keyers have a chip emulator feature that will mimic
the sending characteristics of just about any electronic keyer ever made, so it
will not be necessary to bring your own keyer. We will be supplying Bencher
paddles. You may bring your own paddle, if you prefer. Headphones, microphones,
and footswitches will also be provided.
Things not bring
We will have to take the Alpha's as baggage from Hawaii to Christmas
Is., so please travel lightly. Do not bring anything that would be construed as
primarily a weapon - it will simply complicate the airport security process
(utility knives are OK). Do not bring any illegal or contraband substances. Do
not bring any ecological contaminants (see above). Do not bring a hard
suitcase; use a canvas bag instead. If you must bring a suitcase, storage in
Honolulu will be arranged. Ship any personal items or equipment ahead to the
boat agent. If it reaches the boat agent by January 5, it will be shipped by
boat to Christmas.
Otherwise, you will either leave it in Hawaii or check it
through to Christmas as extra flight baggage.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 19
ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES
Insurance
Health and Life
Each operator should consider the risks to their person and
property that this operation poses, and make individual insurance decisions
accordingly. While we believe this expedition to be safe, the remoteness alone
increases the risk, should an accident occur. Check with your insurance agent
if you have any concerns. Each operator will be required to sign a document
releasing KHI/93 (your fellow operators) from any liability arising from this
trip. Two of our group are emergency physicians. They will provide medical
attention to any injury should the need arise. Please advise them of any and
all potential medical problems before departure, so that they can be prepared
if a situation does arise.
Personal property
If you are bringing any equipment along, you may want to
arrange for your personal insurance policy to cover loss or damage in transit.
some policies provide coverage free of charge. Kenwood and Alpha have coverage
on their corporate policies, so we are not taking out any additional property
insurance. KHI/93 will not be responsible for any losses to personal property.
Passports and Visas
Don't forget your passport! Visas for Kiribati will be
arranged in advance. All non-US team members need to be sure to have a
multi-entry visa for USA or they may be denied the second entry to the US from
Tarawa .
Landing Permit
The Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a use permit for
our expedition. This permit is necessary for a landing on Howland. K9AJ and W0RLX
are the permitees and, thus, are responsible for ensuring that our activities
on the island are conducted according to F&WS policies.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- operator's Manual page 20
Safetv
The personal safety of each team member is of primary
concern. Please avoid placing yourself or fellow team members in any situations
that might result in injury. our goal is to return from Howland with a perfect
safety record. Please do your best to help reach this goal by keeping an eye
out for hazards and being cautious.
Travel and Lodging
Inter-island travel and lodging will be arranged by KHI/93.
Personal Purchases
Many of the items taken will be made available for sale upon
completion of the trip. A list of available items and prices will be
distributed later. If you are interested in purchasing some of the equipment,
bring extra money. It would not be fair to the other team members to release
equipment on credit, so payment will be expected for any equipment taken by
individual team members. All income from such sales will go into the team
treasury to be rebated after all bills are paid.
FINANCE AND BUDGET
The total out of pocket cost for the trip is roughly
$75,000. The operators will share equally in the fund balance at the end of the
trip. If the balance is positive, a refund will be issued for the pro-rata
share of fund balance. Likewise, if the balance is negative, an additional
assessment will be made to each operator for their pro-rata share. It is our
intention to balance the budget without additional contributions by the
operators.
OPERATOR LISTING
Here's a little info on our team members:
W0RLX (Burt), age 50; emergency medicine MD; has operated
from Kingman Reef, Palmyra & Jarvis Is., XF4DX, HC8X, ZKIXY, and several
spots in the Caribbean; operates SSB & CW.
K9AJ (Mike), age 46; emergency medicine MD; has operated
from Kingman Reef, Palmyra Is, XF4DX, HC8X, 8Q7AJ, 9NIMM, 4S7AJG; top of CW
DXCC honor roll; operates SSB & CW (prefers CW, WARC, & low bands.
PacketCluster sysop.
W91XX (Phil), age 53; electrical engineer; president-IPR
Systems (manufacturer of industrial power rectifiers); pres.
of local DX club; prefers CW operation.
24-DEC-92
KHI/93 ---- Operator's Manual page 21
F6EXV (Paul), age 33; salesman for wine barrel manufacturer;
operated from Kingman Reef, Palmyra Is, 708AA, ZAIZXV, FOOEXV, FROEUT/G &
others; top of DXCC honor roll, pres. Clipperton DX Club; multi-lingual.
Prefers SSB.
G4LLTF (Ian), age 47; Boeing 747-400 captain with British
Airways; operated from /3B8, /EA9, /V2A, ZD8LJ, S79LJ, VS6GX, 5Z3DG, and
others; worked all current SSB countries; operates SSB & CW. PacketCluster
sysop.
PA3DUU (Arie), age 33; manager of production for fruit and
nut company; operated from FOOCI (responsible for VHF/Satellite operation),
S79WL, LG5LG. Will be VHF/Satellite specialist.
W0CP (Walt), age 44; president of consumer electronics firm;
operated from GJ5EGI, C6AEP, V3MS, 3A2BF, /6Y5, /C6A + many contest operations
with numerous awards for ARRL & CQ contests; operates CW, SSB, & RTTY.
PacketCluster sysop.
K0EU (Randy), age 37; mining engineer; operated from G5EHM,
ZLOAEB, VK2CRM, /KH6, /VE7 + contest experience single op, multi-single &
multi-multi; operates CW, SSB, RTTY, & satellite.
K4UEE (Bob), age 48; senior vp, marketing, annuities/mutual
funds. Operated from XF4DX, /3A, many spots in Caribbean + several world
records in CQWW; operates CW & SSB; enjoys low- band DXing.
ON6TT (Peter), age 32; MIS system supervisor; operated from
FO0CI; C30EMA; /GU, /GJ, /LX, /C3; experience with multi-single &
multi-multi contesting; prefers SSB operation.
I8ULL (Gino), age 32; Manufacturing executive; electrical
engineer, extensive multi-multi and multi-single contest experience at I0MGM,
IA8A, IB8A, I5MPH, and others. Prefers CW. Was involved in planning to activate
Howland in 1984, which never materialized. Holds AHIA callsign.
Appendix A - World Azimuthal
Map
Appendix B - 160 Meter Bands Allocations 1992
Appendix C - Six Meter
Beacons 1992
Appendix D - US Amateur Frequency and Mode Allocations 1992
Appendix E - CT Helper
Appendix F - Soundings
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