43DA/OC-137, North Stradbroke Island

Members of Team 43 will be active from Queensland’s beautiful North Stradbroke Island from 19—23 December 2011.  This looms to be one of the most exciting mini-ped activities of the pre-Christmas season and also a perfect way for IOTA Hunters to conclude their exploits in DA-RC’s awesome IOTA Challenge (See http://www.delta-alfa.com/contests/ic/).

The callsign for this Islands On The Air (IOTA) activity will be 43DA/OC-137 with OC-137 being the special IOTA reference number issued by the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) and one which covers all islands in the Queensland State (South Coast) South group.

North Stradbroke Island is unquestionably a DXer’s paradise, located just 15km and 30 minutes by boat off the Australian coast and 30 km southeast of the Queensland capital Brisbane.

Also known as Minjerribah Island by Indigenous people, this island DXstination is one of the great sand islands of the world being formed by the same forces which created South Stradbroke and Moreton Islands (Also OC-137) and Fraser Island (OC-142).

North Stradbroke is also 43 Division’s most easterly island and an enticing blend of rugged coastal landscape, tranquil inland lakes, and pristine beaches.

Just 38 km long and 11 km wide, there is plenty of infrastructure on the island for the IOTA DXpedition enthusiast to make his trip satisfying and, no doubt, these will be taken advantage of by our mini-ped team during the four night stay.

Ham-friendly accommodation has been booked and features an awesome whale watching tower at the top where the station will be set-up.  The views here and paths to the East, in particular, are amazing and will no doubt provide the team with a magnificent backdrop during its many hours behind the microphone.

A special IOTA QSL card designed by 16DA101 Max at ON5UR will be available to confirm this activity and other islands in the OC-137 group.  As per previous IOTA undertaken by Team 43, all DA-RC members who make the log will also be sent a postcard direct from the island.  This will be valid for the IOTA Challenge also.

For more details, please read below…