ZD7XF - St Helena - March 2012
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Nigel G3TXF made 16,000 CW QSOs operating from St Helena as ZD7XF in March 2012. A further 12,000 CW QSOs had been made during an earlier visit to St Helena in June 2011.
There were two main purposes of the March 2012 trip:
1. To operate in the 2012 Commonwealth Contest (BERU).
2. To operate as much as possible on CW on 160m and 80m: Some 400 QSOs were made on 160m and 1,300 QSOs on 80m.
The journey to St Helena (ZD7) included a flight from Brize Norton in the UK to Ascension, from where there was short operation as ZD8XF. From Ascension island it's a three day sail to Jamestown on the cargo/passenger ship RMS St Helena.
QSL via G3TXF
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| Bruce ZD7VC at the location used for the two ZD7XF operations. The RMS St Helena can be seen moored off-shore Jamestown. |
Several verticals (on DX-Wire poles) were used at the hill-side location with a steep drop-off and a good take-off to the North. |
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| Work has commenced on building an airport on St Helena, due to open in early 2015. Their office announces it's "Now boarding!" |
Bruce ZD7VC's "444" Land Rover parked in the main street in Jamestown, the capital of St Helena. |
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| The Governor's car in Jamestown. No number plate, just a Union Jack and a crown! |
One of several poles used to support 160m to 10m wire antennas at ZD7XF. |
Quad antenna at John ZD7JC's downtown QTH in Jamestown. |
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| The excellent sea take-off from Bruce ZD7VC's QTH in Half Tree Hollow high above Jamestown. Ground slopes down to a cliff-top. |
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Bruce ZD7VC in his shack. |
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| The steepness of the gradient at ZD7VC's QTH can be seen from the wall behind. |
A home constructed multi-section cantilever tower supports ZD7VC's impressive HF beam. |
Nigel G3TXF (ZD7XF), Peter ZD7FT and Bruce ZD7VC at Peter ZD7FT's QTH. |
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| South African contractors Basil Read are building the UK government funded (£250m) St Helena Airport. |
The new St Helena Airport is to be built in a remote (and moon-like) area of the island called Prosperous Plain. |
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| Bruce ZD7VC and XYL Charmaine with their Land Rover at Prosperous Plain, the proposed location of the new airport. |
The 6,000 ton cargo and passenger vessel RMS St Helena seen moored off-shore at Jamestown. |
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| Broadcast receiver on the RMS St Helena used to feed the BBC's World Service on 17640 kHz around the ship. |
The RMS St Helena, the only means of public transport to St Helena, shuttles between Cape Town, St Helena and Ascension. |
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| Peter ZD7FT and Bruce ZD7VC in ZD7FT's shack. |
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| An antenna insulator enjoying the magnificent view to the North. |
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