Attention DX Hunters!
Breaking news is that Dx Adventure Radio Club (DA-RC) representative 14DA070 Franck will soon be QRV from Île d’Oléron—in the Charente-Maritime department—for an extensive period of Islands On The Air (IOTA) action!
Nicknamed “the light island” for its exuberant colours and contrasts, and known to be the largest island in the region, this gripping dxstination is situated a stone’s thrown off the Atlantic coast of France (14 Division).
More specifically, it’s found due west of Rochefort, on the southern side of the sailing boat infested Pertuis d’Antioche strait!
Last claimed by serious 27 MHz IOTA Hunters in 2012, according to reliable the Islands Base Online (IBO) database, Île d’Oléron represents an exciting opportunity indeed for the world’s 11m DX Community as they seek to update their prized tally of IOTA contacts.
So 14DA070 Franck is bound to kick up a storm on the band!
According to the World IOTA Program, Île d’Oléron is aligned with the Poitou-Charentes Region group and shares the reference EU-032 with 4 other entities.
These include Aix, Fort Boyard, Fort Enet and Re islands.
Under the Des Iles de La France Metropolitaine (DIFM) Islands program, however, Île d’Oléron retains the unique reference AT-025 with the letters ‘AT’ an acronym for Atlantic.
This is important detail for those Hunters ticking off islands in each of the world’s island groups.
Recon indicates that Île d’Oléron is joined to the mainland by a bridge and it’s here where our esteemed DX Man—14DA070 Franck—will access the shoreline for his thrilling dx adventure.
Here, he’ll enjoy a mosaic of breathtaking scenery, crisscrossed by cycle paths, the ideal recipe for dxpedition downtime when pile-ups with major DX markets have left him weary.
Features include pine forests, vineyards, stunning architecture (such as the Romanesque church of the eleventh century Saint-Georges-d’Oléron), towering limestone cliffs, rocky foreshores, marsh areas, sand dunes, beaches such as La Brée-les-Bains, the colourful huts of oyster ports, fishing villages and much more.
14DA070 Frank has attained ham friendly accommodation in a town known for its oysters, as well as La Citadelle, a huge waterfront fortress.
Importantly, his IOTA station will consist of a Yaesu transciever and directional antenna, permanently fixed to the accommodation, rather than portable.
All 27 MHz operations will take place from a rental property on the island with full proofs provided to the DA-RC HQ Team at the conclusion of the dx adventure.
These will then passed on to the DX Community in a comprehensive dxpedition report, provided by Franck at the conclusion of his activation.
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