3y0c.htm

3Y0C Bouvet Island Page

Chuck Brady (N4BQW) is now on Bouvet Island. This is a trip he has been thinking about for some time and finally everything fell into place to make it happen.

Chuck arrived on the Island December 11, 2000 and will be staying until about the first week of March 2001. It did not take him long to get his first antenna up. Although it was only an inverted Vee dipole about 5 feet off the ground, using this antenna he was putting S-5 to S-7 signals into Virginia and North Carolina where our excited Dx-group was awaiting. I made my first qso with Chuck at 23:39z on Dec. 11, 2000. And before you ask, yes the time and the date are acurate. Myself, Harold K4AU and several of the U.S.A. Primary Pilot Stations were on frequency including Joe Young N4OL (ex N4DAZ) and Gene Turner WJ4T and Mac McIntyre, WA4FFW. Mac is also the QSL manager. He will be responsible for all of the qsling for the entire expedition on all bands and modes. Joe, N4OL made the first contact with Chuck. Joe was our " Chief of operations". He is the guy who kept it all together when it looked like it would fall apart. He was the major player from stateside and he did a magnificient job. Hats off to Joe!

Joe`s contact was followed by Gene, WJ4T who made a CW contact with Chuck. This was Chuck`s very first "CW" contact from Bouvet Island which was a very important one for Gene,,,it leaves him only needing 2 more countries to have them all on CW ! We are still working on the swelling of Gene`s head,,hihi

On most of the high frequency bands, Chuck was good copy,,but the low bands were another story indeed. Chuck worked very hard trying to get a signal out on 80 and 160 meters. He was very successful on 80 meters and worked several new ones there, but on TOP BAND,,,it was Tuff ! To my knowledge right now, from just chatting with Chuck,(I haven`t seen the LOGS yet) Mac WA4FFW, is the very first contact in the log on 160 meters! He was followed by K3RR and W3UR. The Top Band proved to be a very notorious opponet to the other side of the world,(as usual), but a deserving few made the trip! Congrats guys,,,good job!

Many thanks to many friends!!!!!!!!!

We had several friends on our end, here in southern Virginia, and northern North Carolina, that assisted this operation on a daily basis, over the 2 1/2 months. I will name just a few of the guys other than the ones mentioned above. (AB4KO Bonnie Manasco), (KQ4AV Gene Schmig), (KQ4NW Woody Thompson), (KB4XK Jim Thomas), (AA4JM Jerry McNeill), and there were several others locally, too numerous to list.

And to name just a couple of other guys from out of state who were a lot of moral support, and any other thing that needed doing ,,,(WA0SXV Mike Millinger, New Orleans La),,(WI5A Larry Burke, Texas) and (K4FNA, Smokey from Baton Rouge La.) Thanks guys !!

*****Qsl INFO*****

QSl Info: *********Mark D. McIntyre Sr.-----------WA4FFW----------

*** For **************2903 Maple Ave.

*** 3Y0C ************Burlington N.C. 27215

**********************U.S.A.

For those of you who may not be aware , Chuck is an Astronaut when he is not running around the world playing Ham Radio. He flew the recent space shuttle misson STS-78. Chuck is also a Doctor of Medicine and a Captain in the Navy. But first and foremost he is just a great guy to have the honor of calling a friend.

Here is Chucks biographical data,,this tells it quicker than I can,,Click here

Chuck`s beam antenna on the Island was a Hexbeam. This antenna was designed and built by N1HXA Mike Traffie. This antenna proved to be a real workhorse for the Dxpedition! This beam was capable of staying operationable under the extreme weather conditions of Bouvet Island. Although the vertical support mast was broken several times by the 120 knot winds, Chuck was able to replace the HexBeam the next day, just a little lower each time on the broken mast. The beam ended up at only about 8 feet above the roof of the operating shack, but was still putting out S-7 to S-9 signals around the world with only 100 watts of exciter power.

Chuck has sent several pictures back to us via satellite since his arrival on the island. If you would like to view some of the pictures just click on the text.

Here is picture of Chuck shortly after arrival,Chuck is the one on the right.(12-18-2000)

Here is some of the local guys on the Island.(12-18-2000)

This one is of the Hut, and a great shot of the Hex Beam

The one is of one of the local birds

Living/Sleeping quarters are in the small yellow tents--hut and beam after storm

Bjorn seperating some of the guys , so they dont hurt each other or himself

Icebergs floating past the Island

Picture from up on the ridge above the camp. A beautiful Icecap on the mountain

Chuck is here with the group N.A.R.E. **Norwegian Antartic Research Expedition**

Picture of Chucks operation Position. Icom 756pro and matching PW1 amp

Vertical for low bands,,which was designed,built and donated by Joe, N4OL

Brand New Penguin babies welcome to the Island