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 Previous: President Haynie on hand for Tropical Hamboree |  Next: $1 Million Gift Funds New Scholarship |
NEWINGTON, CT, Jan 27, 2003--QST "How's DX" Editor Bernie McClenny, W3UR, and Finnish operators, Martti Laine, OH2BH, and Pertti Simovaara, OH2PM, have obtained permission to visit, document and operate from Johnston Island (KH3). The DXpedition is scheduled to start today and continue until February 4. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) soon will be in charge of administering the US Pacific atoll, and, McClenny says, future DXpeditions to Johnston Island may be much more difficult. The Johnston Island Military Radio Club's KJ6BZ station also will be dismantled.
The three-man team will operate from the KJ6BZ site using the call sign AH3D and, McClenny said, will do its best to clean up demand for KH3 for Europe, on the low bands and on 30, 17 and 12 meters. AH3D also plans to operate 6 meters. Operation will be on SSB, CW and RTTY.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a US Army plan to permanently close a chemical weapons disposal facility on Johnston. Four million pounds of weaponry have been disposed there since the facility opened in 1990, and the task of destroying the stockpile was completed two years ago. With the closure of the Army facility, the atoll will continue as a wildlife refuge, and administration will be turned over to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Johnston became a wildlife refugee in 1926. The unincorporated US territory is 825 miles southwest of Hawaii. The closure will mean fewer personnel present and fewer flights to and from Johnston Island.
The AH3D team meet with John Peters, K1ER, and his wife, Joan, KA4DPW, in Hawaii, before heading for Johnston Island. (L-R) Bernie McClenny, W3UR; Martti Laine, OH2BH; John Peters, K1ER; Joan Peters, KA4DPW; and Pertti Simovaara, OH2PM. Look for activity starting late January 27 and continuing through February 4. |
The AH3D team spent the past weekend in Honolulu en route to Johnston. Just when they expect to be on the air is not certain, but, according to The Daily DX which McClenny edits, they do plan to have a station available for each operator.
AH3D pilot duties will go to Bill "Dr Bill" Avery, K6GNX. "He will act as a point person to relay news between the operating crew and the DX community," McClenny said. "This may very well be the last big sweep from Johnston Island for a long time."
Expected operating frequencies include 1827.5, 3506, 7006, 10,106, 14,024, 18,075, 21,024, 24,895, 28,024 and 50,105 kHz on CW; 3795, 7082, 14,195, 18,145, 21,295, 24,945, 28,495 and 50,105 kHz on SSB and 14,085 or 21,085 on RTTY.
QSL via OH2BH, 2003 Johnston Atoll DXpedition, PO Box 73, 02380 Espoo, FINLAND.
| Previous: President Haynie on hand for Tropical Hamboree | Next: $1 Million Gift Funds New Scholarship |
