 The
April 2007 DXpedition to Scarborough Reef
DXCC ENTITY: BS7H
Station building complete - 4 stations now QRV
An update from James Brooks was received at 0300 local our time this
morning where he attempted to provide us insight on the overall situation
and ended it with: "It's just that hard"
It is now day 3 on Scarborough with operations going for 48 hours.
All 4 operating positions are built and the team has gone from survival
in route, to survival while building, to survival while in QSO mode.
Everyone on the team has cuts from the coral. The closest access to any
of the rocks is over coral and no one has been spared coral scrapes and
cuts. Add to that over 100 degree heat and sunburn and you have a dangerous
environment for all.
During the day each shift is 6 hours in heat and a dry wind under a small
umbrella. If you are lucky enough you get to operate at night. You are
left on a rock for 13 hours barely 4 feet above the water in pitch black
sitting in a folding chair, no where to walk and stretch and getting a
constant salt spray. You can't see the other rocks nor the ship and if
something goes wrong there is no chance of rescue.
The steppIR verticals and one Yagi are up. Two stations will stay on
20 mtrs while the other two will search 15, 17, 30 and 40 for openings.
So as you sit there in your comfy shack complaining on the cluster and
sending us emails about your lack of a QSO and the do's and don'ts, think
what our team is going through to bring you "the chance of a QSO".
Here is just a sampling of our fan mail received today:
"fIVE YEARS PLAnning you did a shitty job we cant hear you on
the east coast you shoud have gotton info from n8s they did a great job
at least you heard them you guys keep working ja's and w6's thats all
your going to get the east coast i guess is off limmits you wount get
any donation from me or any one else on the east coast you guys are the
worst go to 11 meters you might have better lush"
GL and we wish you the best in the upcoming days.
N4XP and N1DG
for the 2007 Scarborough Reef DXpedition
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