my DX Vacation

Updated on 2014/6/14

Year	Date	Callsign	Island	IOTA	Log search
2007	11/5 – 11/9	FK/JA1NLX	New Caledonia Island	OC-032	ClubLog
2008	11/21 – 11/27	3D2YA	Mana Island	OC-121	ClubLog
2009	6/29 – 7/3	3D2YA	Mana Island	OC-121	ClubLog
2009	11/19 – 11/23	FK/JA1NLX	Ouvea Island	OC-033	ClubLog
2010	9/17 – 9/24	JA1NLX/VK4	Dunk Island	OC-171	ClubLog
2011	2/4 – 2/9	A35AY	Fafa Island	OC-049	ClubLog
2011	8/19 – 8/23	JA1NLX/VK4	Lizard Island	OC-187	ClubLog
2012	3/15 – 3/21	3D2YA	Yangeta Island	OC-156	ClubLog
2012	10/18 – 10/23	JA1NLX/VK4	Hamilton Island	OC-160	ClubLog
2013	12/1 – 12/6	P29VNX	Lissenung Island	OC-008	ClubLog
2014	10/3 – 10/9	3D2YA	Mana Island	OC-121	ClubLog
2015
2016

Click callsign to see details and daily topics. Click ClubLog to move Log search and QSL request page.

QSLing policy

LoTW log will be uploaded as soon as I return home and finish final check.

If you really want my QSL then

a) Send me SASE. $2.00 please. I will send you QSL as soon as I receive your SASE. It is always in a few days. Do not send me IRC please.

b) or request Direct QSL on my Log search page. You need not send QSL, however pay at least $3.00 by PayPal. Give me your mailing address clearly so that I send you QSL easily. It may take a few weeks to send you QSL.

c) or request Buro QSL on my Log search page. You need not send QSL. No payment needed. It may take 1 - 2 years for you to receive my QSL. QSL will be sent from GlobalQSL.

Note

Do not send your QSL via Buro please. I am not a member of JARL.

Transceiver, Antenna etc

Equipment must be small and light for One Man Pedition. All equipment and clothes etc are packed in medium size suitcase (under 20Kg)

and hand-carry bag (under 10Kg). This is max weight in most international air fright (economy class). This will be much lower in local air fright.

It was 20Kg suitcase and ONLY 3Kg bag in Numea - Ouvea Island fright (New Caledonia in 2009)

My team consists of following members...........I always call best member for each DX Vacation.

Transceivers, PSU and Small amp

Total weight should be under 5Kg for me.

Transceiver	Power (W)	Weight (Kg)
FT857	100	2.2
TS480HX	200	3.7
~~Eagle~~	100	3.2
K2/100	100	2.6
KX3	10	0.7
TS590	100	7.4
K3/100	100	3.9

PSU	Max current (A)	Weight (Kg)
MFJ4230MV	25	1.4
SS-30DV	30	1.4
PowerMax 45NF	40	1.9

Amp for KX3	Power (W)	Weight (Kg)
~~PA100D~~	100	1.2
HL100BDX	100	2.4
HF SuperPackerPro V2	100	1.4
KXPA100	100	2.4
HLA-150V plus	150	2.1

Note: PA100D is not good for 24/28MHz due to high current and high temperature.

KXPA100 arrived 2013/12/26

RF input, PTT input connected. No ALC return and Band data. ATU in Bypass mode.
I have 100-110 Watts output with 5 Watts drive. Max DC current is 17A. It looks very good.

HLA-150V plus Test 2013/10/25

This is 150W amp with 2 FANs by RMItaly. Temperature is relatively low thanks to large heatsink and FANs.

HF SuperPacker Pro V2　Test

This is Kit by Virgil, K5OOR. I assembled in July and August in 2013. Some pictures and data below.

Antennas

Sigma-5 1/4 wave vertical with elevated radials 　　　　　　　　 Random wire and radials with ATU

Bravo-5 Buddistick (1/4 wave) and radials

Sigma-5: 3.2Kg
Bravo-5: 3.4Kg (including dedicated Tripod)
Coax cable 40m: 1.6Kg
Tripod for other vertical antenna: 1.1Kg

Bravo-5 testing
2014/6/16

I used Bravo-5 in 2013 3D2YA. It worked as expected except 20m. I experienced that resonance frequency suddenly moved down about 500KHz-1MHz.
It showed very good characteristic with no re-adjustment today, however need more checking if I take Bravo-5 again.

Sigma-5 modification
2014/4/14

It is very important to reduce total weight. This modification is expected to change Band manually with short jumper wire. It no longer requires control box and
cable. Existing loading coils (for each Band) are replaced with newly wounded coils. Resonance frequency can be adjusted by each coil.
I have very good SWR characteristic on all Bands from 14MHz to 28MHz. SWR is below 1.5 on 28/24MHz Bands and below 2.0 on 21/17/14MHz Bands. Center frequency
and minimum SWR are 28.5MHz/1.3, 25.0MHz/1.1, 21.1MHz/1.1, 18.1MHz/1.1 and 14.1MHz/1.4.

This is modified board. Removed coils are shown at the bottom. 2 short wires are used to change Band.

Testing modified Sigma-5

Others

~~Z11Pro ATU~~
MFJ-904 Antenna Tuner
microHAM CW Keyer
SignaLink

License

FK/JA1NLX

It was 2007 and 2009 when I got FK/JA1NLX license. I asked travel agency to receive my license because they do not send copy of license via e-mail. License was only valid during stay !!! The first step is to fix travel schedule and reserve accommodation. Next step is to apply license.

3D2YA

They now ask us to submit "Police Clearance Report" together with application form. TAF (Telecommunicaton Authority of Fiji) issue each license only if Ministry of Defense give credit. Someone tell that he has not received license for a year or so. I know big DX Pedition team operated a few months ago. I do not know they have submitted "Police Clearance Report"

I sent application form, police clearance report and application fee by EMS for my renewal license on Dec 25, 2012. They received it on Dec 31, 2012. I do not know when I get license. Only God know when !!!

Finally I got 4.5 years renewal license on Jan 16, 2013.

A35AY

It was 2009 and 2010 when I got A35AY license. They were very kind and issued one year license. They sent me copy of license via e-mail.

JA1NLX/VK4

If we plan to stay within 90 days then we can operate with our license issued by our country. They suggest that we use callsign like JA1NLX/VK4 not VK4/JA1NLX

P29VNX

I sent application form and application fee by registered mail on Dec 21, 2012. The Post Office gave me a notification that they received it on Jan 17, 2013. I received copy of P29VNX license by email on Feb 7, 2013. Very good callsign !!!　　Original license has been sent by mail. It took about 1.5 month.
This is 1 year license.

Picture gallery

P29VNX at Lissenung Island in 2013