Ducie Island, VP6, DXpedition update

The Daily DX reports that the Ducie Island DXpedition Team, VP6DX, has been busy behind the scenes preparing for the much anticipated February 2008 DXpedition.

It was also announced that the VP6DX team decided to extend the duration of the DXpedition. Plans are to depart Mangareva Island, part of the Gambier Islands in French Polinesia, via ship on February 5, 2008 and head for Pitcairn Island; this trip normally takes about 36 hours.

The operators will spend a few hours on Pitcairn before taking another 36 hour trip boat ride to Ducie Island; they plan to arrive at sunrise on February 9, and hope to be up and running within 24 hours. The team needs to be back on Mangareva by March 3.

If all goes well, including the weather, they will have VP6 on the air for as long as 19 days. There is a slight chance of a short visit to another uninhabited island if things on Ducie slow down. Henderson Island (also VP6, not a separate DXCC entity) is the only island on the way to and from Ducie Island.

The team is planning to set up 7 stations, 5 of them will have a kilowatt amplifier, two of them will be used at 100 watts.

All amplifiers are made by the Bulgarian company ACOM. Operation is not planned on 60 meters and on 2 meters and above. Also, there will probably be no SSTV operation and no EME on 6 meters. The team expresses thanks for your understanding.

QSL information will be announced later.

Source: Radio Bulgaria DX programme