DX ADVENTURE:
3D2IZ QRP OPERATION ON NAMOTU

A small Pacific Island off the coast of the Fijian island of Viti Levu will be my temporary QTH for about a week at the end of March and the beginning of April.

The island is about 2 acres in size and surrounded by a reef and crystalline 80 degree water. This little patch in the Pacific is known through out the surfing community (that would be with a surf board, not a mouse attached to the internet) as one of the best waves in the world.

I’ll be there from March 26 through April 2.

An enterprising Aussie, Scott, saw an opportunity, rented the sand pile in the center of the reef for 99 years, added a few grass shacks, a generator, and a bar with cooking facilities and created a rustic resort where Californians, Aussies and Japanese surfers flock to escape the now crowded surfing destinations in their native areas. The island is limited to 20 guests. I’m attending with 19 of my closest surfing buddies from Santa Cruz, Ca.

The island is manned by a few local staff who cook native and non native dishes for each meal. The local reef is a great source of protein so many meals are comprised of game fish served in wonderful spices with a variety of salads from local farms. The food is really great, but then the appetites are large after 6 hours of surfing each day and the local beverage, Kava, seems to enhance the food and numb the sore shoulders and reef rash from the days events.

For a look at the surf:

http://www.wavehunters.com/fiji/musket_surf.asp

http://www.namotuisland.net/

Since there is lots of time at hand, carrying along an IC-706 transceiver and a 20’ fishing pole seemed like a perfect way to spend down time on the island. This will be the third mini DXpedition to Namotu.

The earlier trips have shown what works and what doesn’t. While the 20’ fishing pole antenna has been wonderful from 40 through 10 meters, the addition of kites in 2003 proved to be an added thrill to the excursion.

For 2005, in order to overcome a severe wind shortage on some evenings, a balloon / kite is being included. Helium has been arranged from a welding supply on the main island. The hope is that 160 meters can be illuminated from this tiny isle and a few folks in other parts of the globe can have a shot at a new Topband country or IOTA region.

QRP contacts are also a goal. Operating in the QRP segments will be attempted whenever time permits. In past years the pile ups have been quite large when running QRO, somewhat surprising given Fiji is not all that rare.

Now to test the QRP segments to see what can really be heard and to see if all those ATS-III’s, K2’s, KX1’s, etc. tied four squares, curtains, and yagis can muster a signal across a large pond.

In summary this is what the station consists of :

Transceiver:
IC-706 operating QRO and QRP as time permits.

Antennas:
40 – 10 using N6IZ transmission line loaded vertical on a 20’ fishing pole (no tuner required).
160 – 40 balloon or kite born _ wave to _ wave verticals dependent upon weather conditions (high winds prevent flight, see web page for weather fax indicating wind)

Ground Plane:
Elevated radial system with 4 radials on each band 160 thru 20, laced through grass shacks at a 5’ to 10’ elevation.

Location: 17.9 South, 177.0 E IOTA OC-121

Visit www.n6iz.com for a schedule of operating times.
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Brian Boschma, N6IZ, is an avid QRP operator and surfer living in Los Gatos, CA.