[amsat-bb] Satellite ops planned YV0

[Stan <stan@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

SB DX @ WW < KB8NW $OPDX.670
Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 670

The Ohio/Penn DX PacketCluster
DX Bulletin No. 670
BID: $OPDX.670
July 26, 2004
Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW
Provided by BARF80.ORG (Cleveland, Ohio)

YV0, AVES ISLAND. The official YV0 DXpedition announcement was finally
released this past week by the RCV. The press release states:
   "The Radio Club Venezolano (RCV) is celebrating the 70th anniversary
    and would hereby announce an expedition to Aves Island - one of the
    top ten most wanted DXCC entities.

    Aves Island (NA-020) is located at 15 40' 33" North 63 36' 27" West
    (FK85eq) which is around 600 kilometres north of mainland Venezuela.
    The island is about 580 meters long and 150 meters wide.  The highest
    point on the island is only about 3 meters above sea level. Aves Island
    was claimed by Venezuela in 1865.

    On August 23, 1972, the island was declared a wildlife sanctuary. In
    1978 the Venezuelan Navy established a garrison in Aves called the
    Simon Bolivar = Scientific-Military Base. Now a new garrison has been
    installed this month, and this expedition will be there at the time
    of its inauguration. Last DXpedition to YV0 was in 1994.

      Dates: From July 28th until August 8th. (on-the-air period depends
             on voyage to Aves)

  Operators: K4UEE, K6MYC, OH2BH, OH0XX -  as invited guest operators.
             The host group is YV1AVO, YV1DIG, YV4BOU, YV5AMH, YV5IVB,
             YV5JBI, YV5KM, YV5KXE, YV5OIE and YV6BTF. Also YY5FRD will
             be part of the crew.

   Antennas: Sigma & SVDA vertical monoband antennas for HF provided by
             FORCE 12, the leading edge antennas for many successful
             DXpeditions and contest operations. On VHF M2 2x 41 ft.
             boomers on 6m and a 15.7 dbd yagi for 2m will be used.
             Crossed yagis for UHF and VHF will be used in satellite
             operation.

      Modes: SSB, CW, RTTY, PSK, SSTV, FM and some other digital, many
             modes for the 1st time from YV0.

      Bands: 75cms thru 160m including WARCs and satellite.

        EME: Moon bounce operation for the 1st time from YV0.

Suggested Frequencies:
   CW  -  1823,3503/3523, 7003/7023, 10103, 14023, 18073, 21023, 24893,
          28023, 50103, 144100 and 432100

   SSB -  1843, 3795, 7055, 14195/14260, 18145, 21295/21195*, 24945,
          28480/28905*, 50103 and 144200

  RTTY -  3580, 7035, 10133, 14083, 18101, 21083, 24920 and 28083

  SSTV -  14233, 21343 and 28683

  PSK  -  3580, 7035/7080, 10143, 14071, 18101, 21071, 24920 and 28120

   FM  -  29600 and 146520

       * only for Novice (please do not call if you are not a Novice)

    Follow up operator instructions for split range and frequencies.
    Plus 50103, 144080 for EME operations.

       RIGS: 4x Yaesu's FT1000MP Mark-V and 2x FT847's, 2x FinnFet HF
             amplifiers by MA-FET among others rigs & amps, also a 1kw
             (8877) on 6m and 350w on 2m (EME).

   Online Logs: If a good communication can be established, a query for
                daily uploaded logs will be on the radio club (RCV) Web
                page.

    Logs will be on ARRL's LOTW (Log of the World) but the expedition
    will NOT load logs into EQSL but right QSO's on the InBox will be
    honored.

    QSL Manager is KB6NAN 'OK' on QRZ.com, (1 IRC or 1 USD is 'OK'
    worldwide, SASE is 'OK' for USA). QSLs (most probably full colour
    folded cards) will be printed after the Dxpedition. QSLing thru
    bureau are 'OK'.

    Sponsors: FORCE 12 (www.force12inc.com) for all HF antennas and
              AMSAT-YV (www.amsat-yv.org) for the satellite operation.

    Pilot for Asia and Oceania: ZL2AL, America: K6GNX and Europe: OH2RF.

    Anything extra sent as contribution will be gratefully welcome to
    cover the expenses of the DXpedition and printing the QSL cards.

    Profile: 6 HF stations plus a 6m/2m EME and a satellite station for
             (AO7-FO29-SO50-AO51...).

    Trip to the island is expected to be a 24 hours or less depending on
    the ship. The set-up period after arrival will be some hours in the
    Caribbean heat.

    Such as antennas and tents, in a high heat would take its toll. And
    thereafter... be our guest!

    The main antennas will be taken down day before the ship arrival while
    a modest signal may be kept on the air until 8th of August.

    At the hour (00 minutes) operators will ask for only AF/AS/OC, be
    polite and stop calling if you are not in this areas, just wait until
    the next general QRZ.

    At half hours (30 minutes) operators will ask for short skip stations
    only, it means Caribbean & North SA, again please follow the previous
    lines instructions.

    If the ship commander would allow operations on the ship, keep your
    ears on 6m for some Caribbean sea grids.

    As you have noticed there are real good operators in the crew, so just
    follow their instructions.

    WEB Page: www.radioclubvenezolano.org and follow Aves link on the left
            menu, then choose 2004 (will be active soon).

    You can enjoy some info on all the RCV's DXpeditions to Aves Island."
----
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