YB Land DX Club DX-ing Is Our Life
T30PY & T30SIX Would Like To Thank…
16/09/12 | News
In one month, the first Dits and Dots will be transmitted from T30PY/T30SIX stations. We will always be grateful to all the help we have received so far from many individuals, clubs and companies, which contributed to this project. Even before we accomplish our goal, we would like to thank fellow friends who have not necessarily been displayed in the sponsors section of our website, but without whom, we would never get to where we are;
In alphabetic order
Atilano Oms, PP5EG – Bill Smith, W9VA – Erwin Hubsh, PY2QI – George Wallner, AA7JV – Gerben Menting, PG5M – John Manus, W1JJ – Jacek Kubiak, SP5DRH – Jacek Marczewski, SP5EAQ – Jose Carlos Marques, N4IS – Kaboterenga Romatoa, NoCall – Keetia U Yee-On, NoCall – Lance Collister, W7GJ – Max Laconca, IK8LOV – Mamiro Yoshizawa, PY2DM – Rocky Peters, 3D2DD – Steve Silverman, KB3SII – Tevita Rokobaro, 3D2TR – Thomas Carlsson, PY2ZXU
Thanks guys
T30PY/T30SIX Group
3rd Press Release – T30PY / T30SIX
16/09/12 | News
We are one month away from the start of our operation. PY2DM, Mamiro and PY5HSD, Herminio joined the group due to personal priorities of the former members.
We are working on the last minute logistic issues as well as on final preparation of our operation. Although Air Pacific has changed our flights schedule multiple times, we are confident that we can keep up with the announced schedule. The first station should be on the air in the first GMT hours of Oct 16th. Then we will gradually have all 4 stations running.
The quality and even the availability of local Internet need to be confirmed. Our goal is to upload logs in Clublog daily as well as send news to the community periodically.
The current DXpeditions in the Pacific area give us additional information about the likely local propagation behavior on HF. We emphasize that we plan to have Low Band stations in every SR/SS as well as the 6m station on EME on every MR/MS.
We are grateful for the support received from many individuals, clubs and companies. Support is key for the sucess of this enterprise.
73,
T30PY / T30SIX Team
http://www.mdxc.org/t30py
T30PY Group Gathers To Perform Field Testing On Stations And Antennas
24/08/12 | News
From August 17th thru August 20th the T30PY/T30SIX team gathered at PW2D contest station. We were hosted by PY2DM, Mamiro who made us feel home. The “freezing” 6 degrees Celsius min temperature was a warm day for PY3MM and an extinction of life for PY7XC and PY7ZY.
The team managed to assemble the five verticals that will be used in the Dxpedition, including the two low band ones. Four complete stations were assembled and successfully tested.
The 160m cap hat vertical with a customized tuner on the bottom, even with a relatively poor ground system, has performed extremely well. So did the quarter wave vertical for 80m. With the actual salt water mounting, the performance will be even better.
A strong point has been the opportunity for socializing. Old buddies met and new friendships were built.
The team will carry all the necessary material as checked baggage. So, each member returned home with its share of excess weight.
Our good friend and experimented ham Thomas, PY2ZXU/SM0CXU showed up as well to give us a hand.
Part of the countless challenges were overcome. Now, new challenges ahead.
Radiohaus Support
27/07/12 | News
We would like, again, to thank Radiohaus for the donations. We understand that amateur radio market is growing fast in Brazil, and this support is necessary from the major groups, in order to become part of it.
Congratulations to Radiohaus (a brazilian company) and, of course, all of our sponsors.
T30PY & T30SIX team
New Release From T30PY & T30SIX DXpedition
27/07/12 | News
Preparation of antennas and gear progress successfully. Between August 17 -19 the whole team will gather at PW2D contest station to test antennas and stations that will be used in the expedition. At this time each one will carry back home the items that will be transported as individual baggage in the airlines. Unfortunately excess baggage cost is a main concern mainly within the pacific islands flights and, consequently, any donation, even tiny ones, is highly regarded.
As previously announced the group is very committed to put a meaningful effort on Low Bands and Six meters.
We would like to thank Clubs, Companies and individuals for the donations we have received so far, making this Dxpedition possible.
Our QSL policy has also been improved to better match people’s needs. Six different QSO confirmation possibilities are available including a fast track for donors.
T30PY & T30SIX team
Another Day Of Work: 80 And 160m Antennas
09/07/12 | News
On July 8th, 2012, PY2XB, PY2PT and PY2WAS have met at PY2XB’s to evaluate the antennas for 80 and 160m. Two 18m fiberglass master poles from Spiderbeam will be used for both the antennas with two fixed antenna couplers in their basis.
There will be also 2 antennas dedicated to reception only, which will improve the chances of the team in the low bands. All arrangements have been followed to enhance the performance of the team in Tarawa, next October. In August, all members of the team will be meeting in the countryside of Sao Paulo at PY2DM – Mamiro’s contest station so that all gears, antennas, linear amps and accessories may be exhaustively tested during an entire weekend. We will be back soon with more news…
A Lot Of Work!
01/07/12 | News
Alex, PY2WAS, Fred, PY2XB and Ricardo, PY2PT have assembled, wired and tested the two SteppIR BigIRs antennas which will be used in the expedition. The one with the 80m Kit will be used at Site A and the regular one at Site B.
Members will keep on preparing the antennas and material for the Dxpedition which includes an additional S9 vertical, a 80m vertical, a TB vertical and two crossed pennants RX antennas. It is a very time consuming operation once one of our main goals is to keep overall weight to a minimum.
50MHZ EME Confirmed !
05/06/12 | News
We are glad to announce that we will work 50MHz EME from Western Kiribati. We would like to thank Mick, W1JJ for the appropriate antenna donation and Lance, W7GJ for the technical support.
Mick is sending to PY7XC/ PY7ZY a M2 6M7JHV antenna. The 7th area call folks will do the testing, tuning, packing and taking the antenna to Tarawa.
There will be no elevation, so we will profit from moonset and moonrise periods. Power level will be around 500W. Skeds for these periods will be welcome.
AA7JV Meeting-News
13/05/12 | News
George, AA7JV meets at his house in Miami with Fred, PY2XB and N4IS, Carlos. George and Carlos are experienced low band operators. Carlos has developed the RX Waller Flag Antenna and George has developed a series of successful Low Band antennas mounted on the water in DXpeditions. DXers may remember George’s operations from VK9GMW, TX3A, 5K0T, VK9WWI and others where George put an outstanding signal on 160/80m. George and Carlos became our advisors for low band antennas. Thanks guys!
T30PY Is The Logo Of The Month In The URE Magazine
20/04/12 | News
Radioaficionados is the official Magazine of URE (Unión de Radioaficionados Españoles), the Spanish Amateur Radio Association. Each month is choosen the nicest logo used among the most important DXpeditions and mentioned as The Logo Of The Month.
The Logo of the Month in the last issue of Radioaficionados is the T30PY one!
T30PY Team is very grateful for this nice award to the Spanish Amateur Radios and URE.
To download the full page showing the logo of the month click on the Radioaficionados Magazine cover, below.(more…)
Breaking News Of Apr 17, 2012
17/04/12 | News
We are proud to announce that PY2AAZ Fabio has joined the team in the last weekend.
Now, the T30PY / T30SIX team has 10 members and according to our bi-weekly teleconferences and planning program, we are confident that there will be a great job in Tarawa Island. Actually T30PY / T30SIX members are: PP1CZ – Leo, PT2OP – Orlando, PY2AAZ – Fabio, PY2PT – Rick, PY2WAS – Alex, PY2XB – Fred, PY3MM – Miguel, PY4BZ – Fernando, PY7XC – Jim and PY7ZY – Xavier
T30PY / T30SIX – W. Kiribati DXpedition
13/03/12 | News
We proudly announce a DXpedition to Tarawa Island, Western Kiribati, from Oct 16 to 25, 2012, when two call signs will be used: T30PY for use from 10 to 160m and T30SIX on 6m. It is expected to have 3 stations running simultaneously on HF and one on six meters. The following modes will be used: SSB, CW and RTTY. EME on six meters may be possible, but not yet confirmed.
The team, at this time, is formed by the following Brazilian ham ops: PT2OP – Orlando, PY2PT – Rick, PY2XB – Fred, PY2WAS – Alex, PY4BZ – Fernando, PY7XC – Jim, PY7ZY – Ciro, PY3MM – Miguel and PY1KN – Marcelo.
The DXpedition website will be launched in a couple of days at http://www.mdxc.org/t30py/, supported by the Mediterraneo DX Club. Considering the high cost of logistics, donations are welcome to help the team to support all related costs. There will be a donation button in the site, for which the donor may click and use Paypal to accomplish it.
T30PY/T30SIX Team
T30PY & T30SIX – A Dream Comes True
10/03/12 | News
We, all the team, believes that Dxpedition was already in our hearts since we became hams. Not only for the wonderful, distant and friendly country, but for the wonderful, distant and friendly country where a large group of Brazilian hams will provide contacts to friends around the world on all HF bands and 6 meters, and different modes.
This is a great achievement!
In fact, the Dxpedition started to be built last year, after the return of the team leader (Alex – PY2WAS) and the team members (Ric – PY2PT and Fernando – PY4BZ) from the Dxpedition to Mayotte Island (TO2FH). In that Dxpedition we everytime asking each other: “which would be the next…?”
After a couple of weeks that the guys above came, the friends Anderson (PY2TNT), Fabio (PY2AAZ) and the great and experienced Fred (PY2XB) enjoyed the group. So, we started to discuss the places to go: Eritrea, Laos, Camboja, etc.
In the beginning of the process, after a lot of conferences, we have found some difficulties with dates, licenses, and other personal issues but we did not give up and kept the conversation to find a great place the share with the ham world.
During these days, specifically on a beautiful Friday evening, the teal leader (Alex – PY2WAS) called Ricardo (PY2PT) and said: “Ric, I talked all afternoon with Fred (PY2XB) and the other team guys and we have a place – the beautiful Tarawa, in Western Kiribati (T30)!”
“Oh my God”, said Ric (PY2PT). The location was defined! Alex (PY2WAS) and Fred (PY2XB) explained that would be fantastic about the location, the propagation conditions, the period of dxpedition and the possibility to explore 6 meters and to form a large group of Brazilian hams.
And the saga began…We started to invite different brazilian operators, from different parts of the country. Unfortunately, for personal issues, Anderson (PY2TNT) had to give up of the project.
Great friends joined the team: PT2OP (Orlando); PY7XC (Jim); PY7ZY (Ciro); PY3MM (Miguel); and, PP1CZ (Léo). After that all the guys, led by Alex (PY2WAS), been focused to provide a brilliant Dxpedition to the ham world.
Thanks to all and will be an honor to talk with each ham around the world.
T30PY and T30SIX team
Kiribati
Kiribati (pronounced Kiribas) is an independent republic within the Commonwealth of Nations, located in the central Pacific Ocean, about 4,000 km (about 2,500 mi) southwest of Hawaii, and his permanent population is just over 100.000 (2011).
It is part of the division of the Pacific islands that is known as Micronesia. Kiribati consists of 33 coral islands divided among three island groups: the Gilbert Islands, the Phoenix Islands, and the Line Islands.
The area now called Kiribati has been inhabited by Micronesians speaking the same Oceanic language since sometime between 3000 BC and AD 1300. The area was not isolated; invaders from Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji later introduced Polynesian and Melanesian cultural aspects, respectively. Intermarriage tended to blur cultural differences and resulted in a significant degree of cultural homogenization.
The islands were first sighted by British and American ships in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The main island chain was named the Gilbert Islands in 1820 by a Russian admiral, Adam von Krusenstern, and French captain Louis Duperrey, after a British captain named Thomas Gilbert, who crossed the archipelago in 1788 when sailing from Australia to China.
In 1892 the Gilbert Islands consented to become a British protectorate together with the nearby Ellice Islands. They were administered by the Western Pacific High Commission based in Fiji. Together they became the crown colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands in 1916. Christmas Island (or Kiritimati) became part of the colony in 1919 and the Phoenix Islands were added in 1937.
The Gilbert and Ellice Islands gained self-rule in 1971, and were separated in 1975 and granted internal self-government by Britain. In 1978 the Ellice Islands became the independent nation of Tuvalu. The Gilbert Islands became independent as Kiribati on 12 July 1979.
All of the islands of Kiribati are atolls (ring-shaped islands with central lagoons) except for the island of Banaba in the Gilbert Islands, which is a raised limestone Island. Of the 33 islands of Kiribati, 21 are inhabited. Most of the population is concentrated in the capital of Kiribati, Tarawa, an atoll in the Gilbert Islands (west part of the island).
Kiribati has a total land area of 811km2. The islands extend about 3,900 km (about 2,400 mi) from east to west. From north to south they extend about 2,100 km (about 1,300 mi), straddling the equator. Kiritimati (also called Christmas Island), one of the Line Islands, occupies 609km2 and has the largest land area of any atoll in the world.
The majority of tolls is barely more than six meters above sea level and surrounded by barrier reefs creating picturesque lagoons for fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming and other water sports.
Kiribati is 12 hours ahead of GMT – 2 hours ahead of Tokyo and 22 hours ahead of Honolulu, on the other side of the international dateline.
Some of the islands of Kiribati, especially in the remote Line Islands, were formerly used by the United States and United Kingdom for nuclear weapons testing including hydrogen bombs in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Tarawa Atoll and others of the Gilbert group were occupied by Japan during World War II. Tarawa was the site of one of the bloodiest battles in US Marine Corps history. Marines landed in November 1943; the Battle of Tarawa was fought at Kiribati’s former capital Betio on Tarawa Atoll.
Even with all the beauties, Kiribati is expected to be the first country in which all land territory disappears due the global warming. In June 2008, the Kiribati president Anote Tong said that the country has reached “the point of no return”; he added: “To plan for the day when you no longer have a country is indeed painful but I think we have to do that.”
As sea levels continue to rise, the government of Kiribati is negotiating a deal with Fiji to evacuate the entire population to areas of Fiji that the Kiribati government would buy. The area of Fiji proposed for resettlement is the second largest Fijian island of Vanua Levu. The mass migration is expected to include younger, skilled workers first, and then the rest of the population would follow over a period of years.
Kiribati High Definition Teaser from ThriveHD on Vimeo.
Setup
T30PY/T30SIX will be active from two different sites.
Here are the equipments of each location:
Site A
100w HF transceiver
Tokyo Hy-Power HL-550Fx
RigExpert Interface
Big IR SteppIR 6-80m mounted near the water
Site B
3x 100w HF transceivers
3x Tokyo Hy-Power HL-550Fx
3x RigExpert interfaces
Big IR SteppIR 6-40m mounted near the water
43 Ft S9 Vertical mounted near the water
160m vertical mounted inside the lagoon
80m vertical mounted inside the lagoon
2x Crossed Pennants RX antennas
8 ele 6m Yagi
Note 1
The CW listening frequency will always be up (except on 160m), starting at just 1kHz or 2kHz up depending on the pile-up size.
On 160m we will be listening 5 down for WW and 10 down for Japan. QSX will be announced.
Note 2
We may use alternative frequencies depending on QRM, if necessary.
Note 3
6M : 50110 will be used for propagation checking calls. We will move to 50120 SSB and 50102 CW as soons as activity peeks up. EME: the frequency will be 50.198 MHZ WSJT-JT65A. T30SIX will transmitt the first sequence.
QSL Policy
Confirmations may be obtained in 6 ways:
DONATION EQUAL OR GREATER THAN 20.00 US$ – Donors in this category will have QSOs uploaded in LOTW within 15 days after the end of the DXpedition. Also if paper QSL is needed please email QSO data and mailing address to T30PY.QSL.FOR.DONORS@gmail.com. Cards will be mailed with priority for donors without any additional cost. Expectation to mail the cards is early December 2012.
OQRS paper card direct – The online request at the bottom of this page will enable an estimation to reply of about 2-3 months. DXers are encouraged to request QSLs through OQRS. OQRS guidance is described below. If you just need LOTW confirmation, please let us Know in the comments. We will upload your QSOs within 2 months after the end of DXpedition.
DIRECT – Please enclose US$ 2.00 or 1 IRC, plus SAE (Self-Addressed Envelope). Estimation to reply: at least, 3 months.
BUREAU – Estimation to reply: at least, 2 years.
LOTW – Logs will uploaded in 6 months after the end of the DXpedition.MDXC Members – QSL VIA H.Q.
QSLs shall be sent to PY2PT, the DXpedition Manager:
PY2PT
RICARDO RODRIGUES
P.O. Box: 42066
SÃO PAULO, SP 04082970
Brazil
All QSLs with valid QSOs in log will be replied, independently of the way …
OQRS – ONLINE QSL REQUEST SYSTEM
AVAILABLE JUST AFTER THE END OF T30PY DXpedition
