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This First-Time Activation of IOTA NA-242 is on schedule, and we are in the 30 day countdown period. All airfare bookings are in place, and advance shipments underway to help offset the extremely high equipment baggage costs on the small plane we must take to get from Barrow to Point Lay, Alaska.

Our objective is at least 3 days QRV between 22 July and 26 July (2011) on 40/30/20/17m depending upon WX and North Latitude propagation.

http://www.k6vva.com/iota/na242/news.html

FIRST TIME IOTA ACTIVATION ADVISORY ***

IOTA: NA-242 (Point Lay Barrier Island)

DATES: 22 July - 26 July (2011)

CALLSIGN: K6VVA/KL7

OPERATORS: Rick, K6VVA & Mike, K9AJ

DATES: 22 July - 26 July (2011)

QSL ROUTE: ONLY via N6AWD (Direct or Bureau) - Do NOT send QSLs to K6VVA !!!

WEBSITE: http://www.k6vva.com/iota/na242

EMAIL: na242x@k6vva.com

Primarily CW on 40/30/20/17m. Dates may change slightly depending upon local WX.
The objective is a minimum QRV of 3 days within the indicated date range.
There is a slight possibility for a brief NA-172 activation as K9AJ/KL7 right after NA-242 before we leave the North Slope of Alaska. Info updates will be posted to Latest News section of the NA-242 Expedition website.

Due to the possibility of polar bears at NA-242, we have purchased electric bear fences, bear spray, and must hire one or more local "Bear Guards" with heavy firepower for 24/7 protection.
This will be a dangerous and extremely costly IOTA expedition also due to the mostly air transportation of equipment.

NA-242 in July is "The Main Event" after K6VVA warmup expeditions to NA-184 (April), NA-066 (May with NI6T) and NA-091 (June with W6NV).

FYI & 73...

Rick, K6VVA * The Locust

UPDATE By Rick, K6VVA

Mike/K9AJ and I will be leaving today and rendezvous in Seattle for the rest of the journey to Barrow, Alaska. We will be spending the 20th there to try and facilitate doing NA-172 after we return to Barrow from NA-242.Keep your fingers crossed!

We leave for mainland NA-242 on July 21st and hope to be QRV on the Island the next day depending upon WX and logistics.