[amsat-bb] St Barts expedition April 18

[Jim White]

FJ, St. Barthelemy
AI5P, N0KV, W0ZA and WD0E plan to operate from Pointe Milou, St. Barthelemy
Island (IOTA NA-146/Grid Square FK87) from April 19-27. Operation will be on
80-10 meters (SSB/CW/RTTY) with satellite operation by WD0E. Conditions may
largely limit most activity to 20 meters and down. Operating 160 meters 
is being
considered; however, no antenna option is yet finalized.

Satellite operation will take place on several satellites. A satellite 
and  pass
schedule will be announced on the AMSAT-bb in advance.

Equipment includes three Elecraft K3's and two 500 watt Elecraft amps. 
Antennas
include a SteppIR crank IR vertical for 80-10 meters, a folding hexbeam by
Folding Antennas (Germany) on 20-10 meters, LPDA's on 20 and 17 meters and
verticals on 30 and 40 meters.

Operation will be as continuous as conditions warrant.  The Colorado 
operators have
decided to use FJ/N0KV as their callsign while AI5P will be active as 
FJ/AI5P.

FJ/N0KV logs will be updated to LOTW while Rick's logs (FJ/AI5P) will 
not since
he continues to be an analog guy with an actual key and pen/paper log.

Paper QSLs will be available from both N0KV and AI5P direct and via the 
bureau.

Further:
For satellite operation we plan to be on as many passes of as many 
satellites as possible focusing on the evening hours.  Equipment will be 
an IC 910 and Arrow.  On Montserrat in 2015 we were on FO-29 only.  For 
St. Barts we will also operate some FM satellites.  We will assemble a 
pass plan before we go and post it to this -bb.  We will stick to that 
plan as much as possible but of course conditions may cause us adjust on 
the fly.  The operating location has good visibility to the horizon from 
about the NW through N and E to the SE.  Other directions are somewhat 
obscured.  QSLs handled as written above.