Re: [amsat-bb] AO-51 DX-by-mail

[Wayne Estes <w9ae@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Drew wrote:

Ed's email reminded me of another point I wanted to make. Contacting 
local groups going on DXpeditions and persuading them to take loaner 
equipment may yield better results. This is what I did with the KG4SB 
operation from Guantanamo Bay. Plus, if they are local you may have 
better options to pursue with regards to training, and gear return...

Wayne replies:

Agreed!  DXpeditions are the most productive recipients of loaner 
equipment.  They are knowledgeable and motivated radio operators.  They 
have a high probability of getting to the DX location.  Once there, they 
are pretty well guaranteed to get on the air and make lots of contacts. 
  And most importantly, they are very likely to return the equipment 
afterwards.  My portable AO40 antenna system was used by DXpeditions in 
4 DXCC entities that had no local HEO satellite operators at the time 
(Guadeloupe, Lesotho, Swaziland, Belize).  It will available for loan 
again whenever we have an operational HEO satellite.

We need more trained satellite operators who regularly go on 
DXpeditions.  People like Doug Faunt N6TQS who has been the "HF digital 
and satellite specialist" on several DXpeditions to extremely rare 
entities.  Every year DXpeditions activate about 100 DXCC entities that 
have no resident satellite operators.  Unfortunately, very few of those 
DXpeditions have any satellite operations.

Wayne Estes W9AE
Oakland, Oregon, USA
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