IOTA DXpeditions June 2011

During the month of June the United Radio QSL Bureau will have teams QRV from Scotland and Wales IOTA groups. Here are the details. Please follow my QSL information page VERY carefully please!

Please also be aware that for several weeks now high wind and gales have affected the Wales and Scotland coastline  and this could affect the IOTA operations below. Please check the website links for updated information.
For each of the IOTA’s below will be a seperate QSL card, without the correct postal costs your QSL may be sent Via Bureau so please read my QSL information.

MS0RSD Isle of Skye EU-008
First off is the Dudley & District Amateur Radio Society IOTA week on the Isle of Skye EU-008 and QRV as MS0RSD, Simon M0VKY, Brian G0JKY, Drew G7DMO and Graham 2E0VPT will be activating the isle of skye in June 2011, 4th june to 11th June for 6 days.
Simon reports “we will be QRV on the HF bands mainly SSB and PSK31. Bands will be 80, 40, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 mtrs. we are also planning 2mtr SSB on the tuesday evening in the UKAC contest” Completed with 2,700 Q’s

MC0SHL Ramsey Island EU-124
GW/IOTA EU-124 – The Strumblehead DX and Contest Group once again have the necessary permission to activate Ramsey Island (EU-124), off the West Wales coast, from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds who own the island. This year will be a little earlier and will not be in the IOTA contest.

The team will be active using the club call MC0SHL 9th – 13th June. All bands from 80M through to 10M SSB will be used and again some RTTY is planned by G1VDP and M0OXO if the other guys allow them using MC0SHL.

Once more the operation will be using generators as power, although there may be mains power if the project is complete by the RSPB. Again radios used will consist of 2 Elekraft K3’s and a Yaesu FT2000 with Acom 1000 amplifiers. Antennas will consist of 2 x G3TXQ Hexbeams by ANT MW0JZE, 40M Vertical and 80M Vertical.

The activation is for the IOTA award and WFF award schemes. The team will be on from the farm for a few days before and after using  MC0SHL for the World Flora and Fauna award (see http://www.wff44.com for award details). We have a special QSL card printed for both the HQ at the farm and for Ramsey Island – QSL via M0URX – and will be uploading the logs to ARRL Logbook of the World when we get back on the mainland.

World Flora and Fauna Reference for Ramsey Island is GWFF-072 and for the Club house on the Pembrokeshire Coast (Farm) is GFF-015. Completed with 6,024 Q’s

MS0INT/P Monach Isles EU-111
Again led by MM0NDX Col, the 2011 IOTA team includes EA3NT Christian, EA3OR Ramon, EA5KA Raul, EI6DX Stan, F4BKV Vincent and IZ7ATN Simon.

June 16: Depart Grimsay for Monach Isles, EU-111. Spend approx 24 hours on Monachs. Callsign: MS0INT/P.

Monach Isles are a small group of five low-lying Scottish islands lying about 4miles (6km) to the west of North Uist. They lie wild and exposed to the full force of the North Atlantic and experience gale-force winds on around 160 days of the year. The highest point of the islands is only 19 metres above sea level. This beautiful and remote location is home to a very special nature spectacle – 9000 Atlantic grey seal pups are born here every year. In progress “On Air Live”.

MS0INT St Kilda EU-059
June 17-20: St Kilda Archipelago, EU-059 activity until latest 0800UTC on June 20th. Callsign: MS0INT.
Three HF stations CW/SSB + 50Mhz (50MHz Trophy Contest included)

St Kilda Is an isolated archipelago 64 kilometres (40 mi) west-northwest of North Uist in the North Atlantic Ocean. It contains the westernmost islands of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The largest island is Hirta, whose sea cliffs are the highest in the United Kingdom. St Kilda was awarded Dual World Heritage Status in 2005 making it one of only a few places in the world in recognition of its natural and cultural significance. Getting to St Kilda is not easy.

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Tim Beaumont