Dauphin Island, AL Expedition

[Radio]

Planning a trip to Mobile Bay to Activate Dauphin Island, Alabama

USIslands AL002S and IOTA NA213 for those keeping score.

Will work mostly 20m near 14.260, but if propigation and time allow will get up on 15m and 10m. Best times are moring and evening when the grayline/terminator is passing over the island.

Planning to arrive on Dauphin Dec. 26 and leave Jan 2. So actual on air days will be Dec 27 - Jan 1.

See you on the radio!

:radio:

[One Country Boy]

Now that sounds like a plan. I'm going to put that on my calendar so I will not foget. You will probably be too close for me to work you on 20 meters. Will you have any 40 or 75 meter capabilities ?

[Radio]

Will you have any 40 or 75 meter capabilities ?

I'll take a 40m dipole but likely will not have a place to put it. Mostly 20m - 10m on the new TW2010 antenna.

[Radio]

Step by baby step we're getting closer to the Dauphin Island Expedition.

Built a tiny radio table for the trailer. Been meaning to do that anyway. We'll leave one of the swivel "barrel chairs" home to make a little more room for it.
The TW-2010 antenna has arrived, but I still haven't has a chance to try the thing out. And I just now got a 10 year old 150Mhz Compaq laptop set up as a logging computer.

Get the trailer back out of the shop this week, looking forward to getting in all packed up for the trip.

Really looking forward to this! Last time I did an island I got 525 contacts in about 5 days.

[Andy N1ORK]

Wade,
Hope you don't mind, but I added your expedition to the calendar. Looking forward to working you.
Andy - n1ork

[Radio]

Wade,
Hope you don't mind, but I added your expedition to the calendar. Looking forward to working you.
Andy - n1ork

I should have thought of that. Some admin I am, huh? :thanks:

[One Country Boy]

I assume today is a travel day for "Radio" and his better half. He should be on the air tomorrow. If anyone works him would you please post here. I'm probably too close to hear him but I'll listen for others that might be communicating with him. I could probably work him easier on two meters.

[Andy N1ORK]

Listening and calling Wade on 14.260, don't hear a thing above the noise level. Using 100w into g5rvJR inverted V in the attic.

[One Country Boy]

I'm listening to 14.260 ... I occassionally hear a WA1 station very weak. Sounds like he may be working Wade....

There's a W1OW in Mass giving Wade a 5 X 7 ... Can't hear Wade at all. It's 7:10 AM CT (12-27-08). He was about 5 X 7 here as well.

[Andy N1ORK]

I take it Wade is not www connected? I hear a rag chew on 14.262, but nothing on 14.260. I just gave a couple more calls and nothing.
Just thought I heard my call, but I couldn't read the far end. Maybe it'll get better before I have to leave at 0900 est.

[One Country Boy]

I have a one sided QSO here on 14.260 Andy.... I called you a couple of times before this QSO started. Have a net to check into at 8AM CT on 3950, so will be down there about 20 minutes, then come back to listen.

[Andy N1ORK]

Ok Jim, I gotta get going. I volunteer to build scenery for the local theater company here. Should be back at about 1230 est, will try then again. Maybe it was you when I said I heard my call.
73
Andy - n1ork

[k8zfj]

i'm listening & dont hear u !

[One Country Boy]

I had probably shut down by the time you posted Randy. I just found your post, Sunday morning, 8:12 ET (following day). I'm sorry. I hear some stations on 14260 this morning. Several Rhode Island stations coming in here "big guns" ablazing. Sounds as though they are working a South American station. I don't work 20 meters. Do a little occassional listening on that band. I can't hang around long this morning, several things to do before we head out to church.

I'm setting up my new station and positioned my laptop on the desk. Getting a lot of RFI into the receiver on 20 meters. Noise does not appear to be from the computer itself but the little AC power supply and charger. Only one AC circuit in the room, so that's a problem.

Anyone heard "Radio" on the Dolphin Island Expedition yet ?

[k8zfj]

14.260 is vry active at moment here in RI

[Radio]

OK we're here and all set up. Had a bad cable that had us befuddled for about an hour, and the new vertical dipole is stuck under a HUGE live oak tree. I think all I may be doing is warming up acorns for the squirrels. The acorns sure make a racket when they land on the trailer and roll down the slope of the roof! :eek:

Only made a few contacts so far, plenty of QRM on/near 14.260 so I may be a little up/down from there. Will be as close as I can. Propigation seems to suck, will be back at it about 5:00 local time and again in the morning, as I have slept in since we got here!

There is no internet available at the campground, have to drive into town and park at the welcome center.

Ya'll keep listening for me, OK?

:radio:

[k8zfj]

yep. i'll keep on listening & tuning around ... and with those acorns poppingon roof, u can practice some cw !

[One Country Boy]

OK Wade.... We'll be listening. I'll be listening for someone talking to you. I'm probably too close to here you.

Can you imagine that ? Wade's been sleeping in while we've been straining to hear him.:poke:

I don't know why, but we have had a huge supply of acorns here in the south this year. Much more than the previous 6 or 7 years. The deer and squirrel should not go hungry.:)

[k8zfj]

wade just worked anorher RI station! 'been listening to his cq's, but seems my 50w & g5rv isnt making the trip :(

[Andy N1ORK]

Just made contact with Wade. 55 both ways and lots of QRN. Just above the noise level here in CT.
Andy - n1ork

[aintgotnun]

Just made contact with Wade. 55 both ways and lots of QRN. Just above the noise level here in CT.
Andy - n1ork

groovy :D

[One Country Boy]

A little after 0800 CT. I've heard a couple of stations work Wade but can't hear him at all. Maybe I should get someone to relay me in. :) I didn't think I would be able to hear him, we are probably only a couple of hundred miles apart.

Glad to hear you were able to work him with your attic antenna Andy. Sorry I didn't hear you.

[k8zfj]

'finally worked him at 1554 hrs this am....both of our signals were down in the mud or sand?

[Radio]

OK, worked Andy 'n' Randy!

I'm at the library/book lend place where they have wi-fi and classical music, and a whole lot of popular fiction books. As I said I'm under a huge live oak tree and only seem to be able to hit New England and out west, AZ, NM, WY and CO. The 20m band is in awful shape. Just can't hear anything. COME ON CYCLE 23! or is it 24? :bag:

Went over to see the Battleship USS Alabama. Found some interesting radio gear that I'll put up under a different post. Listen mornings about 7:30 on 14.260. More later.

[Radio]

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Noticed a few of the folks I worked on Dauphin have joined the ORR.net forum. :hello:
Guess I'd better get on with the QSL'ing...some of the SASE have arrived today.

I rained here today, made a lovely mess in the yard trying to get the trailer parked. :(

[One Country Boy]

Glad you had a safe return trip Wade. Have you tallyed up the number of contacts yet ? Any good DX ?

[Radio]

Glad you had a safe return trip Wade. Have you tallyed up the number of contacts yet ? Any good DX ?

I got a total of 26 contacts...a bit down from the 525 or so I got on Ocracoke back when we had good sunspots. Now mind you, I still had fun, but between the lousy propagation, the huge live oak tree I was under and I think most folks were still holiday-ing and not on the radio...well, I just didn't get a good yeild at all. All stateside, no DX.

Good thing there was other stuff to do besides radio...like eat! Man alive what good seafood we had! Wow!

I shall return! Just need a few more sunspots!

[Radio]

Combining the hobbies of ham radio, photography and screwing around with computers...plus some quality time spent with my son, (screen name Atlas) here's the QSL card the contacts from Dauphin will be gettting.

The photo was made on the island of some beachfront trees damaged by the huricanes. This should not be taken as anything but an interesting image. The island is just about recovered 100% (many houses yet to be rebuilt but the mess is cleaned up) all the businesses and services are back and the camp ground shows no ill efects of the huricanes at all.

[Andy N1ORK]

Cool Tic-Tac-Toe in the sky! Where are the X's and O's? Really nice looking card!
73
Andy - n1ork

[Radio]

Contrails from jets. They bugged me at first, but I decided they added to the overall weirdness of the picture.

[Radio]

Andy and Randy...I need your QSL/SASE if you want one of those rare Dauphin Island QSL cards!

[Andy N1ORK]

Will be on it's way soon Wade, just need to know is it 5.5 X 3.5 or 4X6? Need to make sure I get the right size envelope so you don't have to fold it! Hi HI!
Andy - n1ork

[Radio]

4x6

yeah it would be a shame to fold it. It's printed on Kodak photo paper, which really doesn't take well to folding