Having secured permission from the owner, NCRC Bay Island Activators will activate Gardner Island for the first time this Saturday, August 20th. We’ll start on 40 meters, around 7.235 MHz, at 10:30 (or perhaps a bit earlier due to the tides), then move up to 20 meters, around 14.260 MHz. Why not give us a call and put US Islands RI-016S in your log book?
Gardner Island is in Point Judith Pond.
The following comes in from Jim WA1ZOU, reporting on the Gooseberry (West Passage, off Hope Island) activation of RI002S (Note, RI002S was originally listed as Gooseberry off of Hazard’s Beach in Newport, for indeed there are two, that second Gooseberry Island will be renumbered in the future):
The NCRC Bay Activators were finally able to activate Gooseberry Island (West Passage) on August 7th. An earlier attempt was abandoned when it became evident that several species of gulls were actively nesting. This activation was our Scarborough Reef—steep rocky flanks with very little surface for our station setup. With clever engineering by Willy, W1LY, we were on the air by 11:00 AM. In response to requests from local hams, we started on 40 meters and it quickly became clear that we were on the downhill side of solar cycle 24. Contacts were slow in coming, but picked up in mid-afternoon on 20 meters with strong QSB. The final log shows 75 contacts and 4 DXCC entities.
Thanks to Pete, W1LAB, who is behind the lens in these photos, and provided transportation for the crew as well as on-air talent.
Rocky shoreline of Gooseberry Island is evident
Wily, W1LY, sets up the 4BTV
Willy, W1LY (on left), and Jim, WA1ZOU (on right), on the air
Two wild and crazy guys enjoying a rocky activation!
Officially RI027S as of 15:14 UTC, (VE5XU happened to be the 25th contact), Evan, K1GEA, is still busy adding contacts to the log, having started at 14:47 UTC.
Their operation will be on 20 meters ONLY today, 14.260 +/-
Evan, K1GEA, rowing onto Rabbit Island with all the gear
Rabbit Island Operating Position — Could the antenna be more in salt water?
Evan, K1GEA, operating W1SYE from Rabbit Island
Log shows 25th contact about 27 minutes after the first contact.
Goblin, Pete’s (W1LAB) hard-bottomed inflatable support boat
Hazard of operating near the shore — rising tide! (Evan had to move the coax a bit shortly after this)
Today’s activation of RI026, Cornelius Island, is on the air as of 14:34 UTC.
Evan, K1GEA, and Jim, KA1ZOU, are today’s operators. They are starting out on 7.235 MHz as there been feedback from near-by states that 20-meter copy is challenging so close by. They will shift to 14.260-265 at some point in the future.
To hit 40-meters, they are using a new Hustler 4-BTV vertical today — it does 20 meters as well. This is unlike the R6000 which does 20 but not 40-meters.
As of 15:14 UTC, Cornelius Island was officially activated and became RI-026S. And as of 16:00:00 UTC they have moved to 14.260 MHz.
Tune in tomorrow for an activation of Rabbit Island (not qualified but hopefully soon to be RI027S). Will start on 40m and move to 20m starting about 14:00 UTC.
Jim, KA1ZOU, on left, Evan, K1GEA, on right. 4BTV on the left, and R6000 on the right
KA1ZOU, Jim, at the controls
Operating at the edge of the water is the key — the antennas should be less than 1/2 wave from the water’s edge
Propagation is NOT stellar for sure, but the pileups are persistent:
As the winds were picking up, operation was shut down around 2 PM. But not before putting 63 40-meter QSOs in the log along with 78 20-meter QSOs.
Although the details are a bit up in the air, there is a plan afoot to activate Cornelius Island on Saturday (RI026), and Rabbit Island on Sunday (RI027), both in the Wickford area, weather permitting (both days have a 30% chance of rain).
Contact Evan Bowen, K1GEA, for details
Rabbit Island (RI027) is marked, and Cornelius (RI026) is the larger right-most island. Neither have been officially activated