Welcome to 14DA161 Dorota
July 17, 2009 by Darren
The Dx Adventure Radio Club (DA-RC) is proud to introduce to you 14DA161 Dorota whom is the Club’s most recent darling of the airways in Europe. One of the most well thought-of and active YL radio operators in the Freeband DX Community, Dorota’s resume as a DXpeditioner on any stage is equally remarkable with a substantial number of stirring IOTA, MILL, DXCC, LOTA and SES activities in the past 5 year to her name.
Some of the most distinguished of these activities occurred in Andorra (51 Division), Gibraltar (55 Division) and Hoedic Island (DIFM AT-017) (EU-048) respectively.
A former member of the Fox Radio club and a current member of the Free DXers group respectively, 14DA161 Dorota’s location is Toulouse City (JN03RN) in South Western France which is the capital of the Midi-Pyrénées region, the largest region in metropolitan France and the capital of the Haute-Garonne department too. Toulouse City is also situated on the banks of the River Garonne, 730 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
In addition to being the home QTH for Dorota and husband 14DA058 John, Toulouse City is also the home base of the European aerospace industry, with the headquarters of Airbus, Galileo positioning system, the SPOT satellite system, and CNES’s Toulouse Space Centre (CST), the largest space centre in Europe.
When DXing in the field, Dorota uses an Icom IC-7000 transceiver, a G4-ZU antenna (spider beam 11 home made) or a ½ wave vertical antenna on a 10 metre high mast, with an electrical generator as her power source.
One of 14DA161 Dorota’s main aims upon securing DA-RC membership is to form a committed DXpedition Team to undertake dx adventure to some of Europe’s most wanted DX entities. “I’m very keen on field radio activities,” says DA-RC’s newest affiliate from 14 Division. “And with John, I am planning a few new activities soon as SOTA…”
Away from the demands of the hobby, Dorota enjoys long trips in the car and the adrenalin rush of mountain hiking. Like many YL’s, she also loves hunting for inexpensive or second-hand goods such as antiques, clothes, furniture, music, used household goods and food at open aired flea markets and is always on the lookout for a bargain!
As well as being guaranteed to be one of her new Club’s most popular members, 14DA161 Dorota is sure to feature prominently in the logs of participants in DA-RC’s 2009 YL Contest later this year.
On behalf of everyone associated with DA-RC welcome to the Club Dorota. We look forward to working your and John’s next major DX activity — whenever and wherever that may be on the globe — and trust that you will be valuable source of breathtaking DX tales in the future!
Inland Water Islands (IWI)
May 9, 2009 by Darren
The term IWI is a much used acronym in the World Eleven Metres Community which refers to the geographic phenomena that are inland water islands. As the name suggests, an inland water island is defined as:
- A body of land completely surrounded by rivers; and/or
- A body of land which is found in the middle of a lake.
The IWI idiom is commonly used as a Freeband callsign suffix – one which follows the operator’s respective DXCC division number and his radio group initials – to indicate an inland water islands DX activity. The IWI ellipsis also precedes an IWI reference number which is attributed to an inland water island by:
- The DXpedition operator; or
- The DXpedition operator’s DX Group; or
- Past IWI operations from that same island; or
- Representatives of the Islands Base Online Team
For example, a member of the DX Adventure Radio Club (DA-RC) based in Indonesia (91 Division) activating the Samosir Island (pictured below), would use the reference number… 91 DA / IWI ***** where the ***** indicates the inland water island’s reference number.
IWI on Eleven Metres
As a form of DXing, the IWI concept has steadily grown in popularity over the past five years to become one of the most exciting and hotly sought after activities on the eleven metre band. So much so, in fact, that many DX groups have added the concept to their DX agenda!
Essentially, the origins of IWI are believed to have come from the Maidenhead grid squares concept – a popular offshoot of standardised DXing on the ham bands which represents a position on the earth based on points of latitude and longitude. IWI enthusiasts would argue, however, that the eleven metre community’s IWI concept is not only more challenging for those radio communications hobbyists concerned with hunting grid squares on ham bands, but it also correlates well with the Radio Society of Great Britain’s Islands On The Air (IOTA) program.
One of the first challenges a prospective IWI DXpeditioner faces is actually locating an inland water island. This exercise is commonly achieved through the use of an online satellite system such as Google Earth or map, by tracing the tributaries of river systems or studying the geographical composition of lakes and rivers, trying to pin point land masses surrounded by water.
To facilitate the IWI DXpedition concept, the Islands Online database contains details of 14679 inland water islands, a number set to grow as the concept develops even further.
While some IWI are in fact officially recognised as islands and carry a formal title incorporating the island tag, many if not most IWI exist in anonymity, nestled within the land locks of cities, towns, municipalities and suburbs, waiting to be stumbled upon and brought to life by Freeband field operations.
Some Famous IWI
As you would expect, the size of an inland water island can vary greatly. Some like the Island of Bananal, the world’s largest inland island, covers an area of about 7000 sq miles for instance; while others such as Australia’s Jabiru Island cover an area of only a couple of hundred metres sq.
Some of the world’s most famous inland water islands, and those which feature prominently on the hit list of many IWI enthusiasts, include:
- René-Levasseur Island, Canada
- Soisalo, Finland
- Sääminginsalo, Finland
- Olkhon, Russia
- Samosir, Indonesia
- Isle Royale, United States
- Ukerewe Island, Tanzania
- St. Joseph Island, Canada
- Drummond Island, United States
- Idjwi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ometepe Island, Nicaragua
- Marajo, Brazil
- Teresa Island, Canada
- Beaver Island, USA
- Monteisola Island, Italy
- Majuli Island, India
- Bananal Island, Brazil
- Monte Isola (or Montisola or Monteisola), Italy
- Monte Isola, Italy
- Gudfjellöya, Norway
- Woodford Island, Australia
IWI & D
A-RC
The Dx Adventure Radio Club (DA-RC) is fortunate to have some of the best known and most successful IWI DXpeditioners in its midst. Members such as 14DA028 Phil, for example, are considered experts in the IWI domain with extensive experience working in the field from European inland water islands; efforts which have helped define the DX activity in the contemporary Freeband world.
On May 1, for instance, 14DA028 Phil, 14DA012 Herve and 14DA024 Fabrice will commence an extensive IWI tour taking in eleven islands spread across two European DXCC entities. Most of these islands have never been activated before. (Please see http://www.delta-alfa.com/da-rc-activities/franco-belgium-iwi-tour-2009/ )
DA-RC’s Achievement Program offers a number of awards recognising the feats of IWI DX enthusiasts, such as the French IWI Team’s. These include IWI DXpeditioner Awards for 5, 10 and 15 inland water island operations, as well as IWI Hunter Awards for 25, 50, 75 and 100 inland water islands worked and confirmed.
Additionally, DA-RC caters for members and IWI enthusiasts in general by hosting an annual IWI event titled IWI-kend (Details of which will be announced soon in the DA-RC Activities section). Similar to the World Wide Radio organisation’s Islands Festival, IWI-kend will involve DA-RC members from all around the world activating as many inland water islands as possible over 1 weekend. Project Manager for this event is 14DA028 Phil.
If you would like more information on the IWI concept or any of the IWI initiatives listed above, please contact the DA-RC HQ Team.
73 de Darren 43DA010 World HQ TeamThe DXCC Dilemma
January 10, 2009 by Darren
For the large majority of Eleven Metre DX enthusiasts around the globe, the fundamental aim of our hobby is to work and confirm as many DXCC entities as possible. For most radio operators, working a new DXCC is one of the most invigorating moments our pastime can provide, surpassed only perhaps by the aforementioned QSL card turning up in the PO Box a few weeks later.
As you might imagine, working new DXCC entities in the current band climate, as we move into Cycle 24, is highly unlikely for those who have been around since the peak of Cycle 23 and even prior to that; experienced Eleven Metre radio operators who have made the most of the ‘good times’ on 27 MHz and 26 MHz and cashed in on them.
On this note, most of the more experienced Eleven Metre DXers will have amassed a healthy number of DXCC in the log – but now await for improved conditions to spurn DXpedition parties to rare and most wanted counties in order to complete the missing entries in their QSL album.
Despite the prospect of cyclical dividends in the future and greater accessibility to a wider range of contacts, several of the world’s Eleven Metre DXers have reached a point in their career as DXCC accumulators where the future as ‘paper collectors’ looks bleak. “Why bleak?” you might say. “Sounds a little cynical, Darren…”
In my opinion, one of the biggest and certainly one of the most frustrating challenges sure to affect more and more Eleven Metre radio devotees over time will be conquering DXCC entities accessible only to ham operators and this brings us to the crux of this article…
Rightly or wrongly, hams have an enormous advantage over Eleven Metre DXers because their licence, like a passport, enables them to venture to places where the common man cannot. Island sanctuaries, foreign controlled atolls, sovereign land, etc. are all far more accessible to the Ham – not just because of the government issued licenses too but also because of the extensive resources available to Ham DXpedition parties willing to tackle Most Wanted DXCC. By resources I mean equipment sponsorship from amateur radio companies such as ICOM and Yaesu, as well as large financial donations from DX Groups and individuals sometimes totalling over the $100,000 US mark.
Ask yourself this question, “Would an Eleven Metre DXer be afforded that same support?” Not likely. Does he deserve it? Some might say, “YES!” Others would say, “NO!”
Despite the fact individuals in the Eleven Metre DX Community contribute significantly to the retail communications market by way of $$$, getting any recognition from these companies to help fund Eleven Metre DXpeditions will probably never happen, for my part, until operations on Freeband frequencies are legalised. Ask anyone of these companies off the record though and they will tell you that Eleven Metre DXers have their support 100%. Note the emphasis on “off the record though…”
While many Eleven Metre DXpeditions in the past have been carried out by Ham DXers under the guise of Ham DXpeditions, this behaviour has been frowned upon in the Ham Community to such an extent that any future activities paraded as Ham but ending up on 27 or 26 MHz could result in licenses being terminated and hefty fines issued. This method of obtaining accessibility then is fast evaporating…as it almost certainly should.
A massive dilemma facing Eleven Metre DXers in the future therefore will be accessing the remote regions of the world (ie. Most Wanted DXCC); DXCC such as Scarborough and Mellish Reef, Johnston Atoll… Some might argue that any Freeband activity from these places will never eventuate and with good reason too. Are changes to the DXCC listing required in view of that? I’m not convinced. Or should everyone put their heads together to devise a way that such out of the ordinary places can be activated and ticked off in the QSL album? The future will tell.
73 de Darren 43DA010What is COTA?
December 7, 2008 by Darren
What is COTA?
COTA is an acronym for the special radio DX activity known as Castles On The Air. COTA is an exciting concept most likely born in Spain (home to many of the world’s finest castles) which involves radio transmissions occurring from castle grounds or within a maximum of 500 metres from castle walls.
A slight variation of that phrase, yet one which carries the same implication and is commonly added as a suffix to the callsigns of Freeband operators undertaking COTA activity, is the term CF (Castles and Fortresses).
While CF stands for Castles and Fortresses, the first two letters or numbers after CF refer to the department, province, state, county or other where the CF is located. The suffix, composed of three numbers, is the reference assigned to the castle or fortress.
Who Invented COTA?
The Delta Radio DX Group is credited by most as the creator of the COTA concept. The DR World Castles and Fortresses Weekend was once one of the most eagerly anticipated weekends of DX adventure in many sections of the Freeband Community with activities occurring in most continents of the world.
Why COTA?
Like Lighthouse On The Air (LOTA) activations, COTA activity presents an opportunity for radio operators to educate and promote the historical significance and architectural uniqueness of castles. In the past, they have also been used in conjunction with important fundraising ventures to assist with the repair or renovation of ‘at risk’ castles.
DA-RC and COTA
The Dx Adventure Radio Club fully supports the COTA concept, including its objectives as outlined by the now defunct Delta Radio (DR) group. DA-RC members, in fact, have undertaken many castles and fortresses activities in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
The DA-RC Achievement Program offers a fabulous range of COTA awards which include a COTA Hunter award for the operator who successfully works and confirms 50 COTA stations, as well as four COTA DXpeditioner awards for 10, 20 and 30 activities respectively.
TS-2000 Commemorative Rig
November 23, 2008 by Darren
Ask most DXers what the latest premier rig release for Amateur Radio Communications giant Kenwood was and chances are they’d say, “The TS-2000.” They’d be half right too – a magnificent, top of the range transceiver with dual DSP performance cased in a striking grey chassis and ideal for DX adventure.
What most DXers do not realise, however, was that Kenwood actually released a limited edition black version of the All-Mode Multi-bander as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations back in August 2006 and that this particular rig remains one of the most sought after rigs in modern times!
Kenwood launched the sale of its TS-2000 black commemorative model during a period of global implementation of various business promotion programs and brand strategies in accordance with its birthday festivities. The company positioned these 60th Anniversary Models as a prestige series, equipped with the highest performance and class, built on the full range of technology and expertise accumulated over the years in the fields of ’sound’ and ‘wireless radio’, as well as Kenwood’s consistent core competence since its foundation.
As a leading manufacturer of amateur radio and audio equipment, fields that have been supporting 25 Division’s post-war economic growth in pursuit of sophisticated hobbies, the Kenwood 60th Anniversary Model adds uniform black colour finishing in its various components, including its front panel, main turn knob, and carrying handle. While retaining the multi-functionality and high quality of the original model, luxurious touches have been added to realise a product that deserves to be called a prestige model.
Apparently, the sales quantity of this special rig within the worldwide market was limited to 570 rigs (260 in the Americas, 210 in Europe, 40 in China and 60 in Japan, with a limited serial number affixed to the back of the product as a token of Kenwood’s hope for many years of enjoyment. Note that limited serial numbers were assigned per model to the individual radios, starting with Number 1.
Also, as for the Americas and Japanese versions, the popular DRU-3A (digital recording unit) and VS-3 (sound synthesizing unit) were accompanying accessories, with the ARCP-2000 (radio control program) included; the three together making the product an attractive all-in-one package.
73 de Darren, 43DA010
What is Ham Friendly?
November 19, 2008 by Darren
The term ham friendly is most commonly applied to DXpedition accommodation (hotels, resorts, holiday homes, chalets, bungalows, etc.) where radio communications, including the erection of an antenna array, is permitted. Furthermore, judgement that a dwelling is ham friendly communicates to others in the hobby – not just if lodgings are suitable for DX operations – but also if their operations are tolerable.
With this in mind, accommodation is legitimately described as ham friendly when the owner of that accommodation provides formal consent that radio operations may take place there. Before giving their blessing, most landlords will usually demand some sort of assurance that any interference will not occur. In the event that prior consent is not obtained, the DXpedition team run the risk of forfeiting any bond, being evicted from the premises, or even receiving a visit from the local law enforcement agency as penalty.
In cases where the owner might be apprehensive about allowing the establishment of an antenna array, the DXpedition operator or team might offer to pay a sum of money as security (ie. a bond) so that if damage does occur then the owner at least has a safeguard in place. In all likelihood, this will not eventuate but it does give the owner peace of mind and can often prove the clincher when seeking approval to operate a station from the premises. The bond then can be refunded if no damage is incurred.
Due to the growing emphasis on dx adventure, it is understandable then that ham friendly accommodation is a particularly valuable commodity, one that must be preserved at all costs. For this reason, many DXpedition teams staying at ham friendly accommodation often go to great lengths to ensure that that the building and grounds are protected so as to uphold the tag in the face of future operations by the same team or other visiting DX enthusiasts looking to find a suitable abode for conducting DX work.
These Ham Friendly Hams also take great safety measures and precautions when setting up radio equipment, antenna masts etc. (eg. guying the antenna where possible) to avoid damage to neighbouring structures during extreme WX and ensuring that transceivers and antennas do not interfere with other technology devices on the site, such as televisions and computers. Sound-proofing the room where radio transmissions is taking place is another precaution recommended to ensure the stay of other patrons is not sullied and that radio hobbyists are welcomed there in the future.
Common sense says that if a DXpedition team does violate that privilege and does not show respect for the accommodation, rules of the site and towards those who stay and work there, then radio operations will be frowned upon in the future.
If, on the other hand, radio operators are not only seen as open, respectful, friendly and courteous, but also leave the accommodation in the same (or better) state in which it was found, then permission to use that premises in forthcoming operations is much more likely to be granted.
History tells that some DXpedition operations have been terminated early following complaints from other guests, as well as the owners, about noise, unsightly arrays hindering ocean or mountain views and/or a fear of possible damage to the structure of the accommodation. Many of these events took place with little regard shown by participating team members for the immediate environment, lodgings and guests sharing the accommodation so of course they suffered the ultimate sacrifice in having their expensive trip cut short.
Some might term this sort of behaviour as ham UN-friendly!!!
73 de Darren 43DA010DXpedition Quandary
October 16, 2008 by Darren
With propagation on the improve and the next long-awaited 11m cycle almost upon us, more and more thought by DA-RC members is sure to be put into possible DXpedition locations – knowing that efforts to activate that elusive DX entity will be well and truly worth it in terms of progressive numbers issued and contacts in the log.
One of the burning questions on the end of all members’ lips, however, is, “Which DXCC, or which island, do I choose? If I do choose to recruit DA-RC members for a DX excursion, which DXCC or IOTA would be the most attractive to fellow members and the DX Community abroad?” Clearly, it’s a valid consideration given the enormous amount of islands, lighthouses, castles, windmills and DXCC available to the roving DX’er…
Obviously, a DXpedition to a DXCC or IOTA that has never been heard before is much more exciting to DA-RC members than one which has appeared on the band previously – even one which is already known to house one or two 11m DX’ers. After all, knowing that you have played a part in 11m DX history and made a major contribution to the hobby is something that can never be taken away from you!
It goes without saying that a DXpedition to an extremely rare DXCC or IOTA is also more attractive to the DX chaser also. Some operators around the world are so eager to work rare DXCC, for example, that they are prepared to sponsor or part sponsor DXpedition parties, not to mention QSL cards. The Dx Adventure Radio Club also has systems in place for members to promote and encourage DXpedition work to rare DX entities.
The only problem is that DXCC that have not been active before are usually so remote or isolated from the rest of the world that they present a huge financial and time challenge to DXers to get there. Apart from seclusion, some DXCC have also not been initiates due to the dangers of operating radio equipment in that particular country. Some communist countries, such as North Korea for instance, would likely ‘shoot to kill’ any individuals undertaking radio communications, fearing they were spies sharing secrets on nuclear infrastructure or planning a military coupe. Pirates, cannibals, terrorism and/ or guerrilla warfare activities are all genuine concerns in some potential DX locations that would understandably discourage one from travelling to DX hot spots – no matter HOW MUCH of a hero you would be crowned for going there. Risking one’s life for the purpose of activating a rare DXCC, after all, is something not many of us would do. (Okay, maybe DA-RC members would!)
So which DXCC are considered to be the ‘Most Wanted’ in the 11m DX Community? Which DXCC have never been officially active on the 11m band before? According to our records, only 26 of a possible 346 DXCC remain unconquered by 11m DXers. So obviously, each one of these elusive DX entities represents a ‘pot of gold’ to the DXCC hungry DXer; hobbyists that would give their right arm to work and confirm it by way of a beautiful glossy QSL card.
The following list of DXCC yet to be officially activated on 11m has been put together by the DA-RC Team in the hope that it might kick start some DX adventure plans by members…
071 MIDWAY ISLAND 222 SOUTH SANDWICH ISLAND 229 HEARD ISLAND 231 ST. PETER & ST. PAUL 243 AGALEGA & ST. BRANDO 247 NAVASSA ISLAND 260 BAKER & HOWLAND ISLANDS 262 JOHNSTON ISLAND 263 KERMADEC ISLAND 264 KINGMAN REEF 267 KURE ISLAND 269 MELLISH REEF 270 MINAMI-TORI-SHIMA ISLAND 273 JARVIS & PALMYRA ISLAND 277 SABLE ISLAND 278 WAKE ISLAND 282 AUCKLAND & CAMPBELL 287 MALPELO ISLAND 294 PETER 1ST ISLAND 296 CLIPPERTON ISLAND 297 BOUVET ISLAND 321 CONWAY REEF 334 NORTH KOREA 335 SCARBOROUGH REEF 336 PRATAS ISLAND 343 DUCIE ISLAND
* Note: If you think we have missed one, or listed a DXCC that has in fact been active in the last few years, please let us know by posting comments.
73 de Darren 43DA010Firestik IBA-5 Antenna
October 11, 2008 by Darren
Having a large base antenna such as a yagi beam or IMAX 2000 with radial kit on the roof is a luxury not all of us enjoy. One of my first ever contacts on 11m, for instance, was with a washing machine technician named Leroy who was transmitting from the 15th floor of a unit block in the Philippines (79 Division). Given the conditions, I’m not sure who was more surprised with the contact – he or I- but to this day it is still one of my most treasured.
Obviously, to use a large outdoor antenna was just not possible for him, but rather than throw in the towel and put his beloved radio hobby on hold until his living arrangements changed, Leroy chose to use a home made indoor antenna. Who can complain with 5/7 reports using 25 watts half-way across the globe? Leroy wasn’t, that’s for sure!
Many operators will agree that relocating to a residence that restricts the use of a base antenna is sometimes unavoidable. Employment or financial constraints, for example, can sometimes take us away from an accommodation that allows us to set up an outdoor antenna, meaning our hobby gets shut down and our radio gear, more often than not, sold. Often, DXpedition adventure too is conducted from hotel rooms where it is not possible to establish a large array.
So what can you do if the landlord will not permit such a structure on his property? Or if putting a 12 element beam up is just not possible? Do you set up a portable station in your car and sit in there for hours and hours waiting for propagation? Take a leaf out of Leroy’s book and consider this…
Priced at around $100AUS + postage, the Firestik IBA-5 antenna is one of the best indoor antennas available according to what I’ve read. Primarily designed to be used from the inside of a building or structure, this relatively small and lightweight vertical antenna is said to be suitable for operators who live in an apartment or unit block that restricts the use of outdoor antennas.
Due to the ease at which it can be assembled, the Firestik IBA-5 has also been used by hunters and campers to establish temporary communications centres. It has also been used with good results in offices and on construction sites apparently.
According to the manual, when fully erected, the Firestick IBA-5 indoor antenna stands just over 1.5m tall. Each kit includes a ‘bare-hands tuneable tip’ antenna (rated at 1000 watts), a partially pre-assembled base hub assembly, four x 76 cm radials, and 5.5m of RG-58A/U Fire-Flex coax cable.
In most cases, the IBA-5 will not out-perform an externally mounted antenna I would think. Sometimes, however, as was the case with my friend Leroy in the Philippines, anything else is just not possible!
73 de Darren, 43DA001/010
Wolf Bay 11m Dipole
October 1, 2008 by Darren
“Crying Wolf” once got a mischievous young shepherd into a world of trouble! Initially, towns folk had come a runnin, only to discover the warned of wolf was a hoax and the young lad laughing it up BIG time at their apparent gullibility. Just as certain as you know the rest of this sad tale, rest assured that crying “Wolf” doesn’t always lead us on the path of ruin…at least not when it comes to DXing that is!
Already for members of the Dx Adventure Radio Club, I have reviewed the Bazooka and the Buddipole and it was clear that both of these antennas are hot options for those 27 MHz DXers living in quarters which do not allow large vertical or horizontal arrays, as well as those hobbyists who are looking for viable alternatives on outdoor DX adventures. A short while back, well, I stumbled across in my net travels another interesting dipole product named the ‘Wolf’ or ‘Wolf Bay’ which I decided to order across from 2 Division and add to my current 12m One Man Tower setup.
For those unaccustomed to my latest discovery, the Wolf Bay 11m is a half wave centre mounted dipole for the 11m band with one heck of a rep. It is centre fed with a gamma match and is tuneable from 25 to 30 MHz (but also available for other bands). Like most other dipoles suitable for 27MHz such as the Buddi, Bazooka or G5RV, it can be mounted for vertical or horizontal polarisation on a tower or pole or any other suitable structure which makes it versatile and suitable for DXpedition activity.
What also appealed about the Wolf Bay was its all aluminium DC grounded design which makes it super for the high lightning and static area encountered at my QTH – particularly in the summer storm season. Apparently, this antenna does not attract lightning like the common fibreglass antenna and can withstand a substantial discharge with minimal or no damage. (Note: Wolf Antennas come with Lightning Warrantee)
In my opinion, another one of the advantages of this dipole is that it is easier to mount than a bride on her wedding night. I was also surprised with its performance in comparison to a couple of older verticals (ie. station master mk1 and a ringo) that I had lying around in the back yard. When replacing a radial-less Antron 99 with a Wolf Bay dipole on my tower, a minimum of 3 to 5 dB gain was realised in almost every direction. I had to check the readings twice but it was accurate and the A-99 was not floored.
The length is close to 18 ft. over all and the mounting boom is 3 ft. long 1-1/2 inch diameter thick wall pipe. Stock power handling is 1kw and high power version is 5 kW although these features are obviously useless on the Citizens Band or Freeband where the use of such power would bring unwanted attention from the local radio police.
Like 43DA101 Jordan’s sexual appeal, this antenna is considered to be omnidirectional but its pattern is offset a little in the direction away from the support structure. The theoretical gain of a half wave dipole is only 2.1 dB but the improvement seen by switching from a fibreglass antenna to this type is dramatic.
Furthermore, two or more Wolf Bay 11m’s can be phased together to give higher gain and pattern shaping but unfortunately I didn’t do my homework properly and order two of them. What a f**k up! Apparently, if two Wolves are mounted side by side 9 feet apart or more and fed in phase a bi-directional figure eight pattern results. Two Wolves stacked one over the other and spaced at least 3/4 wave produces a high gain omni. This is the configuration I would love to use down the track cos it would make one helluva improvement on the existing setup.
Here are the specs:
- Construction: All aluminium
- Style: Tower leg mount
- Polarity: (single) Vertical or Horizontal
- Length: 18 FEET (1/2 WAVE)
- Gain: 2.1 DBI MIN
- Power rating: 1000 WATTS ICAS
- Frequency: (tuneable) 25 – 30 MHz
- SWR: 1.1 to 1.0
- Feed: D.C. Grounded, Gamma Matched
- Cost: Approx $90US + postage, depending on the Aussie dollar
73 de Darren
Expedition Pack MKII
September 20, 2008 by Darren
After a few DXpedition trips to remote and hazardous locations, your transceiver can start to look a bit worse for wear. Even with the best intentions – such as wrapping it in clean beach towels whenever you’re lugging it around an island like I’ve done before - sand still manages to find its way inside during packing up and unpacking the station.
While a bit of sand in the top chassis speaker and handheld mic audio grid (thanks to some IOTA set-ups on the beach) may not stifle the rig’s performance, they can sure leave a sour taste in one’s mouth. Thanks to the Expedition Pack however, now I can leave the extra beach towels at home!
Upon reading a review in the February 2002 edition of CQ Magazine which I picked up at a local Hamfest, I was excited to read about a backpack designed especially for protecting radios on DXpedition adventures. A quick surf of the web enabled me to purchase the newer MKII version on-line and the pack arrived two and a half weeks later by registered mail!
The Expedition Pack is manufactured by a company called Communication Outfitters which designs backpack style carrying cases for specific products (eg. radio transceivers). According to the company website, the initial version (NOT the one I purchased) was designed specifically for the Yaesu FT 817 and Tokyo Hy-Power HL 50B Amplifier, LDG Z11 Auto tuner, the MP-1 or MP-2 or other collapsible or wire antenna systems, as well as a variety of dual band mobile radios. As well, the lower section evidently held an external battery pack and several velcro straps internally were there to secure handhelds or other accessories…
In reviews that I read about the MKI version, the construction was said to be very sturdy nonetheless the backpack itself lacking in sufficient space, somewhat uncomfortable to use and certainly not suitable for trekking over any type of difficult landscape towards a secluded DX-stination.
Given that most of the DXpedition work I see myself doing in the future will be from rugged island terrain, this is the reason why I went for the MKII prototype. (Apparently, there were also some complaints about the fitment of the FT-817 though this was corrected in future runs).
Fortunately, the Expedition Pack MKII allows use of the larger HF radios such as the FT100, Icom 706 series and Kenwood TS2000. Like its older brother (or is that sister?), the top panel has two velcro openings to allow the use of antennas either on the right or left of the radio. There are several compartments on the large section, too, including two zippered openings on the lid which allow microphone or antennas to feed through the lid. There are also small compartments that will accommodate some light clothes, food and other items for the day expedition.
As you would expect, the pack is complete with heavy padding for your back and shoulders; a sternum and waist strap are included too. Also incorporated is a small removable pouch for your handheld radio, mobile phone or GPS, which connects to the shoulder strap at chest level and a place for your License, ID or other small notes on the right front shoulder strap.
Rumour has it that the Expedition Trail Pack (Which I did not buy although probably should have) is the one to really watch out for. It is a top loading backpack which will hold BOTH the MKI and MKII types. It also has a small pack that converts to a fanny pack which is designed especially for storage of an FT 817. Apparently, the fanny pack has a specially designed pocket for the Yaesu FT 817 complete with a cut-out on its side for the microphone connection.
As I said before, the Expedition Trail Pack will hold both the Expedition Pack MKI and Expedition Pack MKII inside the large compartment. This pack also has a pocket between the large and small pack that allows placement of a water bladder such as a Camel Back Hydration system.
In summary, this is a great product for the radio adventurer with the potential to provide added protection for expensive radio gear during DXpedition work. In fact, I can’t wait to test it out for real! Apart from the sexy look and the fact the backpack is so light (18 oz empty), I particularly love the water resistant material and the compartments for additional items such as a water bottle, lunch box, stationary etc. which will make life on the road much easier!
The Expedition Pack MKII is not exactly inexpensive but I would be willing to pay even more for a quality DXpedition backpack such as this. Subsequently, I would recommend this pack to anyone who would like a convenient and multi-purpose way to store or carry portable DXpedition equipment.
Before I finish up, before carrying any loaded backpack, it is recommended that you be sure you know your physical limitation and consult with your physician if you are unsure how a weight bearing pack may affect your health or back.
