With just a few weeks remaining until K1N hits the airwaves, the Navassa team would like to emphasize how much work and effort has gone into securing an almost perfect take-off to EU.
Logistically, Navassa is a challenge especially with helicopter transport needed. Winter sea conditions make any boat based operation all but impossible. The team has extensively planned to end up with what they think is a very viable, workable and efficient logistical plan for operations with 8-9 stations continuously on the air.
Funding efforts have come along fairly well. NA and JA, in particular, have been very generous in donating to the Navassaa Dxpedition. However, Europe, with only 19% of the donations, has been less so. The team is committed to this operation and has put up half of the cost themselves.
Navassa Island is ranked #1 most-needed DXCC entity in Europe and will be a New One for so many DXers. One generation has passed since the last Navassa operation. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has stated that it will be at least another 10 years or more before another operation is permitted. For many, this is your one and only chance in 32 years to work this extremely rare entity.
The team respectfully asks DXers in Europe to consider a generous donation to K1N. No amount is too small. Click on the “Donate” button on the home page. All donors are recognized on our website.
Team member, Ralph K0IR, has compiled propagation prediction charts titled: “Excellent Propagation Predicted Between Europe and Navassa_Final” – you can also see just how well placed Europe is when it comes to working Navassa.
There will be propagation for many hours each day on many bands, including the low bands. Emphasis will be on “working the bands dry” down to the last little pistol, so everyone will have a chance for a new one.
Deliberate QRM has been a problem with recent DXpeditions. On the K1N website is a page to report deliberate QRM and with enough help from DXer’s, we should be able to identify the source of QRM within a few kilometers of area.
The KP1-5 Project has been working on activating KP5 and KP1 for 14 years. The K5D operation in 2009 resulted in 117,000 QSOs with many, many EU contacts. We hope to do as well or better from K1N.
73 Col MM0NDX
EU Pilot, K1N
