E51AND will QRT in two weeks and move off-island in December.

Logs from October 2013 onwards have been uploaded to Club Log and LoTW, but requests for DIRECT QSLs need to be received by the end of November 2017. With up to 30 days transit time for mail, requests should be sent by 1st NOVEMBER 2017 — after December we will no longer be able to receive mail and it will NOT be forwarded — so if you are looking for a card from us — please request it ASAP. We will post a new mailing address on QRZ and here as soon as we have one — that will not happen until at least February 2018.

E51AND operations:

  • Rarotonga OC-013 1996 (as ZK1AND) through October 2017
  • Palmerston Island OC-124: August and September 2012
  • Mangaiia Island OC-159 2013
  • Mauke and Mitiaro Islands OC-083 2014
  • E50A — Rarotonga OC-013 — special call for the 50th Anniversary of Self Governance. Jan 1 – Dec 31 2015

When Kathy E51CK and I [E51AND] first moved to the Cook Islands, it was our intent to stay. We sold our home and moved to Rarotonga knowing that we would have to wait five years, but that we could apply for residency — at which time we could buy a home outright and settle there.

Sadly, things have changed. In response to “public pressure” the government has placed a moratorium on new residency applications. So in spite of the fact that the Ministry of Education for whom Kathy works, many teachers, and many, many others would like us to stay on, without residency we are facing a substantial pay cut, and more importantly the loss of important medical benefits as Kathy’s current contract expires . . . . . . so life is at a crossroads . . . . we have no desire to leave paradise . . . . . . but we DO need a place we can call home.

Last month we went on a “road trip” visiting Alberta, British Columbia and New Brunswick in Canada in search of a new place to live. We found it Fredericton, New Brunswick and will be moving there in the early New Year.

Fredericton is a lovely city of around 60,000 people situated on the banks of the St. John river in Central New Brunswick. We found the people friendly, the community vibrant and healthy, and house prices affordable, so, while we are saddened at having to leave the tropical paradise that has been our home for the last five years, we are looking forward to the next great adventure in our lives. So listen for us from VE9 land! Sadly VE9AND is already allocated LOL!

We will post a new QSL DIRECT address as soon as we are settled in Brunswick.

73, Andy E51AND.