Operating Plan

Now of course this all depends on propagation, but here are the plans. Feel free to email me any questions before the DXpedition at vk5ce@yahoo.com.au

Mode

SSB (majority of QSO’s to be SSB for DXpedition) or PSK31. 

Power

400W on SSB powered by two Honda EU10i generators

Bands

The main focus will be on 20m and 15m to give out as many unique call sign QSOs as possible. I will only operate on 30m digital when 20m has closed to Europe, this is typically in the 1600 or 1700 UTC period depending on band conditions. Just for fun, I will be on 80m SSB at my local sunrise in the 2000 to 2130 UTC period to take advantage of using a vertical at the beach for this band. My operation of 30m digital and 80m phone is not intended to provide massive amounts of QSOs, this is just for a bit of fun and to try something different. 

80m (look for me around 3779 – 3800 kHz)

40m (look for me around 7160 – 7220 kHz)

30m (look for me around 10140 – 10144 kHz)

20m (look for me around 14240 – 14265 kHz)

17m (look for me around 18140 – 18160 kHz)

15m (look for me around 21240 – 21270 kHz)

10m (look for me around 28450 – 28480 kHz)

On the Sunday of WPX SSB I could be anywhere. Hopefully I'll have internet access to spot where I am

Antennas

All verticals so no need to worry about where I am beaming. All antennas will be at the high tide mark of the beach. For 40m/80m there will be a HF2V duoband vertical with 32 x 20m radials. For 10, 15, 17, 20 and 30m I have quarter wave monoband verticals made of aluminium tube sections, whenever I need to change a band it takes just 1 minute to do it by inserting or removing sections. This means I only need to have one radial field for this ground mounted antenna and I have 50 radials for this antenna. 

Club Log

There should be internet access on the beach, and so I will do Club Log uploads twice a day. If the Club Log is not updated during the DXpedition then you'll know that mobile reception isn't working.

Pile ups

I’ll be listening for ‘North America only’ at various times particularly on 20m as propagation to North America is much tougher and for shorter windows compared to Asia and Europe. When I call ‘North America only’, stations from North America, Central America, the Caribbean, South America and Hawaii can call me. I'll be on 20m in the 1000 to 1400 period on day 1 and 2 to maximise QSOs into North America. On days 3 and 4 I may be on 15m to maximise QSOs into Europe, especially northern Europe. It just depends on what propagation is doing.

On the last day (Wednesday) you may hear me calling for "United Kingdom and Scandinavia only" at times to give northern Europe a chance to get through. 

Operation Plan

Sunday March 29

From Ceduna SA, I’ll be going by boat to St Peters Island, the actual arrival time depends on the tides but I’m hoping to be there by lunchtime around 0100 UTC. This is a classic tent and generator DXpedition and I will be all by myself on the island as the boat is only there to drop me off and pick me up – WILSON!!!!!!

 My intention is to be on the air by late afternoon around 0600 UTC.

Anticipated operating plan for Sunday March 29:

I could be on various bands at various times on Sunday due to the WPX contest being on. The negative is there'll be lots of QRM but the positive is that there'll be lots of people looking on the bands. The schedule of operating for Sunday will probably look something like this:

0600 – 0900 UTC:              20m SSB (or 15m SSB)               

0900 – 1000 UTC:              40m SSB (or 80m SSB)               

1000 – 1200 UTC:              20m SSB (or 15m SSB or 40m SSB)               

1200 – 1700 UTC:              20m SSB (or 17m SSB)

1700 – 2000 UTC:              30m digital (or 40m SSB or 40m digital)

2000 – 2130 UTC:              80m SSB (or 30m digital) 

2130 – 0000 UTC:              15m SSB (or 10m SSB or 20m SSB)

Anticipated operating plan for Monday March 30, Tuesday March 31 & Wednesday April 1:

0000 – 0200 UTC:              15m SSB (or 10m SSB or 15m/10m PSK31)

0200 – 0400 UTC:              Break for sleeping 2 hours

0400 – 0900 UTC:              20m SSB (or 15m SSB)

0900 – 1000 UTC:              20m SSB (or 15m SSB or 40m SSB)               

1000 – 1700 UTC:              20m SSB or 15m SSB (or 17m SSB)

1700 – 1800 UTC:              30m digital

1800 – 2000 UTC:              Break for sleeping for 2 hours or maybe staying with 30m, 40m, 80m

2000 – 2130 UTC:              80m SSB (or 30m digital or 40m SSB)
                                        

2130 – 2200 UTC:              Break for sleeping for 2.5 hours or maybe staying with 20m 

Propagation

The good thing about St Peter Island is that it is around 600km west of my QTH but at a fairly similar latitude and so the propagation between home and OC-220 would be quite similar. I’ve been pretty active over the past couple of weeks and so I know what to expect on the bands.

North America

I was deliberately active in the ARRL SSB contest just recently to see what my best chances are for W/VE QSO’s. Normally with North America on my IOTA activations there is:

- almost nothing on 20m long path in the 2000-2300 UTC period
-  a little bit short path on 15m in the 2300-0200 UTC period
- a little bit short path in the 0500-0800 UTC period
- good conditions on 20m short path in 1000-1400 UTC period

WELL………. not last weekend. Rather than search and pounce, I figured the best way to see what my signal was like was to run on a frequency and see if people could hear me in the QRM rich contest environment. There was:

- almost nothing on 20m long path in the 2000-2300 UTC period, so I expected that
- there was virtually nothing on 15m short path in the 2300-0200 UTC period which was a surprise. But on 10m there was a nice run of stations into the west coast mainly but also CT, NJ, NY, KY, PA and AL.
- conditions were SENSATIONAL across east to west coast in the 0530-0900 UTC period which was a really big surprise.  
- conditions were not great in the 1000-1400 UTC period at all

To verify this, yesterday I was chasing VP2MEL for an ATNO. They were very poor long path around 0000 UTC on 20m, they were OK on 15m at 0100 UTC but I couldn’t get close to breaking the JA wall, but then later in the day on 20m at 0730 UTC I was able to beat the EU wall and work them within 15 minutes. That’s a classic example of how the best chance of working me in North America may be better in the 0530-0900 UTC period on 20m short path. I know this is very early in the morning in the middle of the night, but rest assured I will be there each day and regularly listening for North/South America. When you look at my operating plan, I’m sure that if you’re in North/South America you’ll see that I’m in places where there is a chance for you to work me.

On 20m at 0400-0800 UTC and 1000-1400 UTC will be competing with Europeans that are likely going to be much stronger. But don’t worry, I’ll be regularly listening out for North America. One thing that I’ll do is listen out for North/South America only on every half hour, i.e. 0430, 0500, 0530, etc.

I'll be on 20m in the 1000 to 1400  UTC period on Sunday and Monday to maximise QSO’S North America. I cant guarantee I'll be there at this time on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Europe

For those who know my IOTA DXpeditions you know that I typically make 60% of QSOs with Europe. Even though there is a lot of comments made about pile ups to this part of the world, I admit to really enjoy working big European pile ups and I’ll always give the pile up instructions of where I’m listening and if I’m listening for a certain station I’ll stick with you and not let bullies trying to call over the top win. The key is just keeping discipline to control the pile up. So when you hear me calling for North/South America only, it’s not that I don’t value the European QSO’s, it’s just that I know I have longer and stronger band openings with Europe. This isn’t a holiday style operation, its EAT-SLEEP-DX-REPEAT non-stop, my goal is to be operating 18 hours a day, so you’ll get in the log eventually on 20m or 15m. Remember there will also be club log uploads twice a day to minimise you fighting hams doing dupes.

The great news is that I’m hearing you in Europe really really STRONG on 20m long path in VK5. I’m also hearing you well on 15m both long and short path and later on 20m short path. You’ll see from my operating schedule that I’ll be in the right places for you, especially at 0400-0800 UTC on 20m long path, 1000-1700 UTC on 20m or 15m SSB short path. For a bit of fun I’ll also be on 30m digital after 20m closes, I’ll announce that on the DX cluster. At my sunrise in the 2000-2130 UTC period I’ll be trying 80m SSB or 30m digital also just for a bit of fun, again I’ll announce myself on the DX cluster.

On Sunday and Monday I'll be on 20m in the 1000 to 1400 UTC period to give North America a chance too. But on Tuesday and Wednesday I may be 15m instead. 15m could be open to Europe short path as late as 1400 UTC. At times I may be calling for "United Kingdom and Scandinavia only " to give northern Europe a chance. 

JA/Asia

Well it’s safe to say that even if you run QRP or a magnetic loop from your apartment window, you’ll make it in the logbook. I’m on the air at many times that are favourable to Asia all day long as you can see from the above schedule.

South America

Even though there is only a small number that ever make it in the log, I’m always listening out for the regular band of South American IOTA chasers especially from people like XQ1KY, HK3JJH, PY7ZZ, PT7WA, PY1SX, etc. Remember when I’m listening for North America, anyone from South America (and Central America/Caribbean) can also call. I’m thinking that 20m short path in 0500-0900 UTC is the best chance for you, and perhaps on 15m short path at 0000-0200 UTC. Also look for me ar 0800 on 40m

South Africa

A few ZS stations pop up in a European pile up. If you are a ZS station and want to give yourself the best chance of getting in the log, send me an email at vk5ce@yahoo.com.au and I’ll listen out for Africa at certain times you think that band conditions are best for you.