Fiji DXpedition

By

Team Vertical

 

 

 

Team Vertical goes to Fiji!  Here’s some information on the trip:

 

Dates: November 20-30, 2004

 

Location: Taveuni Island, Fiji, OC-16.  Taveuni Island is the 3rd largest in the Fijian islands, and is in the same IOTA group as the main island of Viti Levu that contains the popular cities of Nadi and Savu.  Taveuni is known as the “Garden Island”, and is a lush tropical island.  Taveuni is also a world-class diving location, and has one of the finest soft coral locations in the world.

 

The villa we are staying in is called “Matei Point”, and is on the northern tip of the island with a 300-degree water path to Europe, USA, Japan, South America, Caribbean, Africa, and much of Oceania.  The only directions over land are long path to Europe, southern South America, and ZL and a few of the islands.  The villa we rented has a website at: www.taveuniresort.com

 

Topographic Map of Taveuni Island
 
 

 


Matei Point villa is at the very tip of island. The property extends between the pencil marks on the map.  Map-grid spacing is 1 km.
 
  

 

 

QSL Information:  QSL all stations from this operation via:

 

WA4WTG

ROBERT  KAPLAN

718  SE  3RD   Lane

DANIA BEACH, FL  33004

USA

 

Callsigns of Operators:

3D2EE = Mark, AG9A

3D2KW = Kenny K2KW

3D2OK = Mike, WA6O

3D2SS = George, W2VJN

3D2TS = Tom, N6BT

3D2XA = Fred, KE7X

 

CQ WW CW Contest Entry:  The group will do a M/M “Lite” (100w) entry in the CQ WW CW contest signing 3D2XA.  M/M Lite is a “low-carb” version of the traditional M/M high power class.  Traveling with amps is increasingly more difficult and costly.  We are advocating a low power version of the Multi-Multi category, as you still get the same camaraderie of a multi op, but the trip is a lot easier to make happen.  We hope others will do the same.

 

Propagation Predictions:  The follow propagation predictions were generated by N6BV of the ARRL.  Similar projections for locations around the world are included in the 2004 ARRL Antenna Handbook.  Propagation is predicted from Fiji to the 40 CQ zones for each contest band. Click Here for Propagation (in PDF)

 

Sunrise/Sunset Times (GMT): 

 

CTS = Civil Twilight Start

CTE = Civil Twilight End

 

Date

CTS

SR

SS

CTE

Nov 20

16:54

17:18

6:15

6:38

Nov 30

16:54

17:18

6:21

6:44

 

Operating focus:  Heavy emphasis will be given to working Europe on all bands.  The 160 and 80m bands will be especially active to all callers.  Most operations will be on CW, with some SSB.  No digital modes are planned.

 

160m Operations:  Fiji is apparently rare on 160m.  Looking at DX Summit archives, we can only find 9 valid spots for Fiji stations on 160m since 1998.  There have actually been more 160m operations from Conway reef than Fiji!  To meet the demand, the 160m vertical will be the first antenna that is erected.  We should be operational by 0600 GMT on Nov 21.  Main 160m frequency is 1825.5 (transmit).  QSX up/down 2 as directed.

 

European 160m Operations:  We will be calling CQ Europe from 0700-0730z and 1650-1720z each day on 1825.5, listening on 1827.5 for EU.  During these times, no stations from any other continent will be worked.  Please respect our attempts to work Europe, which is an extremely difficult path even under the best conditions with high power. 

 

Japanese 160m Operations:  We will transmit on 1825.5 and listen on 1823.5

 

Antennas:  Force 12 has sponsored our DXpedition with a set of verticals for all bands.  Thanks Force 12!

 

Equipment:  The team will be using 6 barefoot stations, with operations on all HF bands from 10-160m.  No amplifiers will be used on trip as the power limit in Fiji is 150w on most bands.