Small Film

I made a short film.

It will document highlights and provide an essence of the experience on Lord Howe Island.

Please enjoy.

Until Next Time

The last morning I was on the island I took a bike ride to the lagoon.  I had to return the bicycle that I had rented for the duration of the trip.

The outcrop of volcanic rock is easily accessed from the beach.   It wasn't too clear that the weather would cooperate that morning.   A grey morning sometimes means a windy and troubled weather day.  But it cleared up nicely.  I still cannot get over the shades of green and blue in the lagoon.

The flights from Lord Howe Island are over and I touched down in Seattle around midnight on August 2nd.

Glad to be back on in the US and waking up to the sound of nothing.  No wind, no rain, no surf.  It is strange not hearing the island.  

I didn't have time to get the last batch of QSO logs sent up to M0URX, the QSL Manager and that will be taken care of soon.

QSL Route -- the plan is still the same.  Go to M0URX (Link in the QRZ Page for VK2/W7BRS).  Make the OQRS request and the card(s) will be scheduled to dispatch.   (We just need to get the cards printed.. Tim is waiting for me to deliver a set of photos and have the cards produced).

I won't have any cards to send for a while.  It would be ideal to NOT send me requests for QSL, but if you already have, then that's fine.  Just try to use the OQRS system that Tim (M0URX) setup for this, please.

Log errors (broken call signs or questions about QSO) -- those you can send to me.   I'll work with Tim to get the data fixed and the LoTW updated accordingly.

I wasn't aware at first that LoTW confirmations were going to happen immediately so I will address those confirmations as much as I can -- as quickly as I can.  The cards planned are going to be very special so if you do collect the paper, you might want to check back with the QSL Manager in 4-6 weeks when we hope to have those prepared.

Aside from missing bags that the airlines seem to have lost track of, I am back at the home QTH.

I want to thank again all of the people who were involved in support of this -- and who continue to support.

Let me first say again how much I thank and appreciate the help from the host at the Lodge.  Gary Payten (left) and his sidekick Paul (right) made so many accommodations for me while I was on the island.  Here we are, saying goodbye the day I left the Island.  Minutes after this photo was taken I was at the LHI airport waiting for the arrival of my plane off the island.

My last view of the island was through the port side window of the DASH-8, climbing away from the island.  We had a perfect take-off and the pilot was flawless in the handling of the aircraft.

I had more airports and queues to follow for the hours ahead (25-30 hours in total) from this point, but it was OK.  I knew I was heading "downhill" (going home) at this point and so the trouble with bags, or whatever would happen with my stuff was irrelevant at this point.

My DX'p to Lord Howe Island is over.   The DX'p may never really be over though -- I already have found a stack of QSL cards to handle when I arrived at home last night.   Give me a few days (or weeks) to absorb all that has happened and I'll be ready to talk about it.   

I'm very thankful for the patience and cooperation of the amateur radio community.   This is why we do DX'p -- to make it possible to meet interesting people, go to interesting places and help other amateurs get a chance to log a new one in the log.  I'm fortunate to be part of that and if the QSO(s) you had with LHI were new ones to you, congratulations.

Thanks.

VK2/W7BRS QRT

That's all there is.

The bags are mostly packed now.  The antenna came down this morning.  Coiled up all the radials (that took a good while to complete).   Gear set aside drying out before packing into duffle.

I don't think I lost any parts or cables or tools.  Everything checked in the bags by the lists.  My roll of Duct-Tape may be a bit smaller than when I arrived, but for the most part everything is back where it belongs.

It was a surreal moment when the fiberglass mast came away from the ground and collapsed back into the tube for packing.   Those SpiderBeam fiberglass masts are pretty incredible.   My homebrew "DX Commander" clone worked just fine despite the conditions and proximity to other metal that made some directions a lost cause.   I'm fully aware of of the issue.  No more needs to be said about it.

A few of the last calls worked.. (15m  CW)

VK2KJJ

WK2K

JH1XEF

JK1CHY

and the last call in the log JH7XVB.

Once at the QTH, the situation ruled out use of 80m, let alone 160m.    I was glad that even 40m was able to work.

I don't really have much more to say about the DX'p to Lord Howe Island.   It was an experience unlike any other.

I can check off a lot of boxes with respect to the goals of the trip.  I'm not disappointed at all.   I came here to do what I needed to do.  And, it was done.

All that's left to do now is return the bicycle to the rental and then re-pack my stuff down to the same bag-count I arrived with.    All there is to hope for now is the flight is not canceled over weather.

For those who worked and in the log -- thanks.  It was fun.   Your patience was helpful and appreciated.

For those who tried to get in the log -- every effort was made beyond the norm in order to help you achieve that.  On FT-8 I would sometimes just single out a station to one stream just to be sure --- but it didn't work all the time.  On CW, I moved around up the band hoping to find a weak signal and get them in the log.   The log speaks for itself.  The Club Log data will be left as-is, but I (again) stress the point that the ClubLog system is not authoritative -- only M0URX (the QSL manager) has the official records that go into Logbook of the World. (LOTW).

Last few bits of advice -- if you are missing a log entry, then reach out to me directly.  I cannot guarantee that I can fix every problem but I will look into every possible option.

Thanks again.  Hope to see you on the bands at another time.  Good DX, 73 from Lord Howe Island.

E E