Heard Island, VK0, this month ?

[K6UJ]

Can't find anything definitive, but heard that there might be a dxpedition to Heard Island this month.
Anyone know anything about this ?   My antenna is pointed to Heard Isl in anticipation  :-)

Bob
K6UJ

[W2IRT]

Can't find anything definitive, but heard that there might be a dxpedition to Heard Island this month.
Anyone know anything about this ?   My antenna is pointed to Heard Isl in anticipation  :-)

I think you're about a year early. It's scheduled for the spring of 2013.

[NI0C]

See: http://dx-world.net/2010/heard-island/

The 1997 expedition VK0IR was fun to work!  Let's hope the 2013 expedition will be successful.

73,
Chuck  NI0C

[N6PSE]

Chris-VK3FY tells me that he has cancelled his plans to activate Heard Island in 2013.


Paul N6PSE

[W2IRT]

What happened? That's pretty bad news.

[WG5G]

HELLO AGAIN, HAD TO COMMENT ON THIS DEVASTATING NEWS AS I MISSED THE LAST OPERATION THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SUNSPOT CYCLE, STILL WONDERING WHY THEY WENT AT THAT TIME. HOPEFULLY SOME OF THE MORE REPUTABLE GROUPS WILL PICK UP THE BALL AND MAKE IT A REALITY, HINT HINT PAUL, HI HI, ANYWAY WAS REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT OPERATION, SURELY ITS NEEDED BY MANY, WILL BE WAITING WITH THE REST OF YOU 73 DAN WG5G

[N6PSE]

Chris-VK3FY told me that he gathered costs and quickly found Heard just too costly to put on.

I've gathered some numbers and I have to agree. I don't think in today's economic climate that the DX Community would support a DXpedition to Heard Island. From my stand-point there is too much financial risk.

Paul N6PSE

[AF3Y]

Dont forget about George and Tomi..... They are overdue for another of their great expeditions! 

[NN3W]

Chris-VK3FY told me that he gathered costs and quickly found Heard just too costly to put on.

I've gathered some numbers and I have to agree. I don't think in today's economic climate that the DX Community would support a DXpedition to Heard Island. From my stand-point there is too much financial risk.

Paul N6PSE

Paul, are we in seven figure territory with this one?

[KY6R]

I learned why this is so expensive - from James, 9V1YC - who went to both Heard as well as Kerguelen.

There are very strict rules and regs from the Australian authorities - AQUOS (Australian Quaranteen) - which forces travel to and from Australia - which is very far, and going to Heard is a very rough ride - with rough currents and conditions. Plus, the ship has to be Australian.

I found out that the 1997 Heard DXpedition did not have these restrictions, and they left and returned from FR5, which I understand is still far, but not as costly as round trip from VK.

The FT5XO trip was possible because they travelled from ZS to FT5X, and then returned to VK, with the current in their favor - "at their backs".

Both of these avoided sailing from VK westward . . . . to get there.

So - now I am getting a much better sense why places like ZL9, VK0/H, etc are so very rarely activated.

[N5UD]

I learned why this is so expensive - from James, 9V1YC - who went to both Heard as well as Kerguelen.

There are very strict rules and regs from the Australian authorities - AQUOS (Australian Quaranteen) - which forces travel to and from Australia - which is very far, and going to Heard is a very rough ride - with rough currents and conditions. Plus, the ship has to be Australian.

I found out that the 1997 Heard DXpedition did not have these restrictions, and they left and returned from FR5, which I understand is still far, but not as costly as round trip from VK.

The FT5XO trip was possible because they travelled from ZS to FT5X, and then returned to VK, with the current in their favor - "at their backs".

Both of these avoided sailing from VK westward . . . . to get there.

So - now I am getting a much better sense why places like ZL9, VK0/H, etc are so very rarely activated.

A while back I found the shipping/flight schedule to Macquarie on the AAD website. It did include N.Z. ports. That may not help with Heard.

73 Tony N5UD

[N5UD]

Heard island link:
http://www.heardisland.aq/welcome

[KY6R]

So - maybe the new model to activate such places is along the lines of what KK6EK does:

http://www.cordell.org/KURE/KURE_pages/KURE_KK6EK.html

Combine ham radio with a scientific "expedition" . . . .

I'm saying this - for places that don't have scientific "outposts" in place (like Marion and Macquarie).

[WA2VUY]

Just think that in 1983 there were two separate dxpeditions here at the same time.

[K9NW]

Just think that in 1983 there were two separate dxpeditions here at the same time.

And I piggishly worked both of them!