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HOWS DX?  DUCIE ISLAND RIB DXPEDITION, VP6A, 2023 IN THIS MONTHS COLUMN,
GUEST AUTHOR GEORGE WALLNER, AA7JV, WRITES ABOUT HOW THE VP6A TEAM BROKE
NEW GROUND WITH A REMOTE OPERATION ON THE 56TH MOST WANTED DXCC ENTITY.
THE VP6A TEAM WENT TO DUCIE ISLAND, VP6/D, ON JUNE 11 24, 2023, TO PROVE
THAT WE CAN EFFECTIVELY CONDUCT A DXPEDITION WITH REDUCED LOGISTICS AND
MINIMAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.  DUCIE ISLAND IS A SMALL, REMOTE ATOLL
LOCATED IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC, ABOUT 300 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF PITCAIRN
ISLAND, VP6.  WE TRAVELED TO DUCIE ON BOARD THE MOTOR CATAMARAN, MAGNET.
THERE WERE TWO IMPORTANT INNOVATIONS THAT ENABLED US TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS
ON DUCIE THE RADIO IN A BOX RIB, WHICH LET US OPERATE WITHOUT CAMPING ON
THE ISLAND, AND THE STARLINK SATELLITE SERVICE, WHICH ALLOWED US TO HAVE
REMOTE OPERATORS.  A RIB IS A COMPLETE STATION IN A WEATHERTIGHT BOX.  OURS
WERE CONTROLLED VIA A UHF DATA LINK FROM THE BOAT, WHERE THE LOCAL
OPERATORS WERE.  THE RIBS WERE WATER COOLED, AND THEY CONTAINED FLEX 6700
SOFTWARE DEFINED RADIOS SDRS, POWER SUPPLIES, AND REMOTE MONITORING AND
CONTROL SYSTEMS.  THIS ARRANGEMENT NOT ONLY ELIMINATED THE NEED FOR
CAMPING, BUT IT ALSO SHORTENED THE ASSEMBLY AND DISASSEMBLY TIME.  FOR MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT RIBS, READ THE JANUARY 2022 HOWS DX? COLUMN.  ONLY MIKE
SNOW, KN4EEI GREGG MARCO, W6IZT, AND I, AA7JV, WENT TO DUCIE.  OUR ORIGINAL
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