CY0 DXpedition

CY0 News Release – June 2013

2013 CY0P Sable Island DXpedition

Gary VE1RGB, Rick AI5P and Murray WA4DAN, are pleased to announce a DXpedition to Sable Island from October 1- October 11, 2013. Approvals are in hand from Parks Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard. We have chartered with Maritime Air Charter LTD to provide the Britten Norman Islander aircraft for landing on the beach. The call CY0P has been issued for the October DXpedition. The CY0P (Parks) call was chosen in recognition of one of the newest National Parks in Canada. VE1RGB is a veteran of two previous CY0 DXpeditions and is a top CW contester. AI5P has operated from over 70 DXCC countries and is a CW op. WA4DAN has coordinated two previous CY0 DXpeditions, including the October 2012 DXpedition that was cut short due to Hurricane Sandy. An all-band, 160-10 meter, CW/SSB/RTTY operation is planned. Monoband yagi antennas are planned for 10, 12, 15, 17 and 20 meters. Currently, we are assembling and testing the monoband yagi antennas. When the testing is completed, the yagi antennas will be packed and shipped to Gary in the Halifax, NS area. More details to follow in the coming weeks.

Sable Island – Wild Horses

Sable Island: Located off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada

Latitude 43.95 N; Longitude 59.92 W.

Nova Scotia WebCams

We would like to express our appreciation to Parks Canada, Officer-in-Charge Sable Island, and the Director of Marine Programs, Canadian Coast Guard for granting permission for the 2013 Sable Island DXpedition, and for the unique opportunity to experience the beauty and charm of this environmentally sensitive island and “Graveyard of the Atlantic”.

Sable Island is located off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada at Latitude 43.95 N; Longitude 59.92 W. about 300 km east-southeast of Halifax, NS.

Access to Sable Island will be by Britten-Norman Islander aircraft. Since there is no runway on Sable Island, landing will be on the beach on the south side of the island which has the best conditions for landing. 

Weather conditions in October can be unpredictable due to fog or flooded beach conditions on Sable Island. We learned this first hand in December 2010 and again in December 2011, due to extended bad weather at Sable Island. 

Another factor that could affect our scheduled arrival could be “beach conditions”. If the beach is wet, that could impact the ability to safely land the aircraft which could result in delay.

Sable Island is an environmentally sensitive island. Our team is very appreciative for this opportunity and will always put the environment and wildlife (Grey Seal, wild horses, protected bird species, etc.) of Sable Island ahead of our operation.

Satellite View Above Sable Island

Sable Island is located approximately 300 km east-southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia. It’s approximately 45 kilometers long and 1 kilometer wide and composed entirely of sand.

The Meteorological Service of Canada, a branch of Environmental Canada, maintains a continuous presence on the island. There are also seasonally occupied facilities belonging to Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Coast Guard and these include a number of buildings, two lighthouses, two helicopters landing pads and a navigation beacon.

Island access and activities are administered by the Canadian Coast Guard on behalf of the Government of Canada pursuant to the Sable Island Regulations of the Canada Shipping Act.

Sable Island is renowned for its wild horses and shipwrecks. It is also an island with a fascinating geology and natural history.

Few people have the chance to visit Sable Island because of its protected status. Those who have set foot on the fine white sand find themselves subtly changed forever.

Sable Island Informational Websites