T2T Funafuti Island Tuvalu 11/11-8/12/2011

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VK4AN , VK4FW , VK4NEF , NL8F , K4ZLE e W5SL saranno attivi da Funafuti Island , Tuvalu 11 Novembre - 8 Dicembre 2011 come T2T
Trasmetteranno dai 160-6m CW , SSB , RTTY , PSK31
QSL via VK4FW

Info: http://t2t.pacific-dxers.com/T2T.html

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From Bill VK4FW:

" Today I received some disturbing emails being circulated from an Eu operator. So before this all gets out of hand I want to set the record straight.

The operators and equipment is ready to go. The entire team will be concerntrating in getting as many individual callsigns in the log especially from EU and AF where Tuvulu is wanted the most. Logs WILL be uploaded to LOTW and EQSL within 12 months of the dxpedition. Qsl Manager is VK4FW.

I am personally disgusted that persons who have nil to do with this dxpedition have seen fit to try to interfere and cause major problems.
Following the cancellation of the C21A Nauru expediton, Pacific DXers team members VK4AN, VK4FW, VK4NEF, NL8F, K4ZLE and W5SL now plan to be active from Tuvalu as T2T between November 11 to December 8, 2011. "

Full details here: http://t2t.pacific-dxers.com/T2T.html

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UPDATE from Bill VK4FW:

Over the last several weeks, as many know, there have been numerous problems on some Pacific islands with water shortages. When we came to Fiji we immediately saw the necessary persons to get assurance that all our equipment would be able to go to Tuvulu. We were assured as best we could get, and told to come back on November 1 to book it all in. Well, that day came and MURPHY struck yet again..

Because of major backlogs of very urgent freight (especially water) there are some 600kgs currently waiting to go. This continually rises daily. We immediately searched for shipping by boat with no joy, then tried to charter a vessel and again with no joy. So here is what will now take place..

All operators are permitted just 23kgs of luggage and nil oversize so we will take as many antennas as possible and only two complete Elecraft K3 and KPA500 stations. If there are any positive changes then we will, of course, send more equipment as it is all in Fiji with us.

We would request the DX community have patience and try to understand that we have absolutely no choice unless we cancel the operation totally.

Meantime 3D2A by Eddie, VK4AN did a single op low power 10m in the CQWW with some 2822 QSO’s. We have also amassed over 5,500 QSO’s as 3D2T. Eric, VK4NEF arrived today so that gives us 3 ops to continue here. We have been very surprised at the 10m opening, but extremely disappointed with nil on 160 and very little on 80.

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UPDATE: Bill VK4FW informs he and others have been very ill recently and are now slowly recovering. They expect to have internet access tomorrow so logs might be online shortly after. The 160m antenna will be up by tomorrow too. Bill asks for patience, as he states some behaviour from EU ops is a disgrace, therefore slowing down T2T operations.

Following the cancellation of the C21A Nauru expediton, Pacific DXers team members VK4AN, VK4FW, VK4NEF, NL8F, K4ZLE and W5SL now plan to be active from Tuvalu as T2T between November 11 to December 8, 2011.

Full details here: http://t2t.pacific-dxers.com/T2T.html

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Bill VK4FW has sent the first batch of T2T logs to Max IK8LOV who has now uploaded.

T2T ONLINE LOGBOOK
http://t2t.pacific-dxers.com/log.html

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UPDATE: We now have 20,000+ QSO’s in the log using two stations.

All the team has suffered to varying degrees with “travellers” illnesses, but are all coming back up to some semblence of normailty…which has affected our QSO rate to some degree.”Murphy” has been our constant companion…but we have met the challenge!

So far we have concentrated on SSB & CW, but still have over 400 Q’s on RTTY. Will focus more on digital next week. European pileups have been bigger and more challenging than expected.

Due to extremely slow internet access, we have had a lot of diffiulty uploading the log, but will try some alternatives tomorrow.

We had to leave over 100kg of equipment in Fiji due to not being able to get any excess baggage on our flight. All excess weight was used to carry drinking water due to 3-yr drought. The irony is, on the day we arrived it started to rain and kept raining heavily for 3 days!! …and the drought was lifted!! So be it for “timing”!

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UPDATE: We now have 26,600+ QSO’s in the log including 160m now that the antenna is up! Our log statistics reflect the true propagation we have experienced so far.

The few complaints received may seem justified from their side, but they should really try and understand the situation from our side before complaining! We are doing our very best to work Europe, and we could probably get twice as many in the log if..

Low bands have been very noisey and signals very weak. We have the 160m antenna up a coconut tree and made 173 QSO’s last night. We still only have 4 operators until next week but will do our best to keep the two rigs on-air 24/7.

So far, we have been 74% on CW, but willl now focus more on SSB and digital modes except on 160 & 80m.

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UPDATE: We are now experiencing major power problems, due to several rain storms, and will be severly limited in our abilitiy to keep the amplifiers on the air, but will continue to operate the K3′s barefoot whenever possible.