From the IOTA reflector:
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MESSAGE: (#2096) ADELAIDE ISLAND AN-001
<http://www.islandchaser.com/cgi-bin/General/general.pl?rev=2096>
AUTHOR: MDXC
DATE: January 27, 2005 at 11:23 UTCMike (GM0HCQ) reports about VP8ROT (Station R - Rothera * AA G-07, IOTA AN-001) :"After nearly four years since I last operated from the Rothera, I walked up up to the base last night and having found some tools to dismantle the radio, plugged in my keyer and headphones. Using a North/South Dipole I set up on 10108.0 kHz and was delighted to see that the band was active. The only problem that I had initially was that my laptop would not talk to the network at the base, and so I did not have access to the DX cluster network. However I was spotted quickly and then the band really did light up. My first QSO was at 2353 with VE3RGU. There was a slight glitch in operating at 0000z when the Radio Op in the control tower (who was flight following two of the BAS Twin Otters which were on their way back to the base), switched the antenna to a very deaf one, not realizing that I was working below, using a remote radio display unit. However, once I had nipped up into the tower and mentioned that I was below, all was restored. I did have some trouble working into Europe as there were so many North American stations on the frequency calling, but I did get a few into my log. At about 0209z I moved to 40m and worked a number of stations there, before working a single station on 80m and one on 30m again. My last QSO was at 0238, being contact 148.
I would have managed an awful lot better with a decent amateur transceiver. The Skanti that I was using is a commercial radio and whilst it does have filtering, it is not really designed for amateur operation and so many stations calling at the same time.
I operated throughout on medium power, which is just under 100w. Alas the James Clark Ross is due to depart from Rothera at 1800z and so I will not get the chance to go ashore and operate again this season. I am not sure when I will be back to the base, but it may not be until December 2006! There has also been a change in our weather here, with snow falling steadily overnight, the base is once again looking as though it is part of Antarctica and is now very white. A shame this did not fall a few days ago as it will have improved the ski surfaces, which were not too good on Sunday and I could have had a decent shot at the slopes!
All being well the ship should be back in Stanley for Sunday sometime, so this means that I only have a few days left of operating as VP8CMH, then I will need to pack the key away for some months whilst I go home on leave. With my leave fast approaching I will then have to change from operating mode to QSL mode. If you have sent a QSL in the past four months, especially if direct, then I should be getting around to sorting them all out later in February." More info about Antarctica activity: http://www.mdxc.org/antarctica/activity
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-- Jim Reisert AD1C, 7 Charlemont Court, North Chelmsford, MA 01863 USA +978-251-9933, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, http://www.ad1c.us
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