VI5PN Operation - A Great Success, 7220 contacts and 104 countries worked.

Four Victorian hams, Peter VK3QI, Keith VK3FT, Max VK3WT and Jack VK3WWW, successfully activated St Peter Island. Nuyt’s Archipelago, IOTA OC-220 off the coast from Ceduna in far west South Australia the weekend of the 8, 9, 10 th April.

After completing the 20 hour drive to Ceduna with equipment, water and fuel, the boat from Ceduna Boat Charters, a 7.5 metre Shark Cat was able to ferry them right to the operating site on the north west side of the island. Arriving at 10 am, and working in quite hot and sunny conditions, everything was setup and ready to go by 6 pm Thursday 7 th .

Radio conditions were quite good over the ensuing 105 hours of operation, finishing at 6 am local time on Tuesday 12 th April. Pack-up and departure is always quicker and the group were back in Ceduna by 11 am . After staying the night at Ceduna, to clean up and gain some well earned sleep, the group drove the 22 hour trip back to Melbourne arriving 5 am Thursday.

The two main operating positions were as follows: For SSB, a IC706 and a Emtron DX1 amplifier to a rotatable TH3MK3 beam mounted on a sand hill about 8 metres ASL. For CW, a FT100D and a Metron MA1000 amplifier to a Hygain AV640, 40 to 6 metre vertical, actually mounted in the ocean.

All power was obtained from a Honda EU20i with two EU10i units as backup (but not needed).

A third setup, using an IC706 to a variety of wire dipoles on fibreglass support poles at 40 feet, was used mainly for VK contacts on 40, 80 and 160mx.

Weather conditions were fine for the entire time, but very hot and windy conditions on the Saturday, tested out the groups’ capabilities at setting up tents and antennas that could withstand the 50 knot winds blowing from the north straight onto the beach where they were camped. Incidentally, at 41 degrees, Ceduna, some 16 kms north of the island had its hottest ever recorded April day. The dust over Ceduna could be seen from the island, but the particular problem on the island, was the high level of fine sand blown off the beach into the operating positions. Needless to say, with 4 island operation experiences under their belt now, the group were able to proceed with minimal interruption.

Now that the computerised logs have been completed, contact statistics can be announced.

COUNTRIES WORKED 3D2, 4K, 4S, 4X, 5B, 6Y, 8Q, 9A, 9H, 9K, 9M2, 9M6, 9V, A3, A7, BV, BY, CE, CO, CT, CT3, CU, DJ, DU, EA, EA6, EA8, EI, EK, EL, ER, ES, EU, EX, EY, F, FK, FO, G, GI, GJ, GM, GW, HA, HB, HB0, HC, HK, HL, HR, HS, I, IS0, JA, JT, JW, K, KH0, KH6, KL7, KP4, LA, LX, LY, LZ, OA, OE, OH, OK, OM, ON, OZ, P2, P4, PA, PY, R1, S5, SM, SP, SV, T9, TF, TK, UA1, UA0,UL, UN, UR, V85, VE, VK, VR2, VU, XE, YB, YL, YO, YU, YV, Z3, ZL, ZP, ZS

104 COUNTRIES

The special callsign was in honour of the 350th anniversary of the death of the Dutch explorer and VOC man, Pieter Nuyts, who died in 1655. Nuyts was present on 't Gulden Seepaert, captained by Francois Thijssen, which accidentally discovered the Australian south coast in 1627 on its way to Batavia, after being carried too far south by the strong westerlies.

For those in Australia who worked the group and wish a special commemorative qsl card, you may qsl via the VK3 buro or direct to VK3QI, QTHR.

Click Here To Return To Previous Page