UPDATE – website here

Hello! I am planning another holiday style DXPedition for 2018. This time me and my family are off to Vanuatu, staying on Efate (IOTA OC-035) about 20min from Port Vila. We depart Australia on the 16th of April 2018 and should be on air by sometime on the 17th. The operation will end on the 29th. I will be active with QRO on 80-10m with a digital modes focus. I am looking to particularly work unique stations and will be where possible targetting Europe Short Path where YJ is high on the ClubLog most wanted list. Operation will of course be intermittent as again family comes first but I will attempt to operate during the main openings (EU SP at night will be a feature).

The station will be a K3/KPA500 combination with a G3TXQ UltraLight HexBeam for 20-10m plus a multi-band vertical for 80-10m (with water access along the EU SP and NA LP paths). Operation will be on RTTY, FT8, PSK, Olivia and SSB. An SSTV activity day will be planned (details TBA). Some CW operation may occur (depends how I am going wih my CW training). I also hope to operate in the SPDX RTTY Contest.

QSL will again be managed for me by Charles M0OXO through his OQRS service for electronically requested cards delivered to you either direct or via bureau. If you do want to send me a card via the bureau however do not send it via M0OXO as it wont reach me. To send me a bureau card, mark it via VK5GR so that it is routed via the VK QSL bureau.

NOTE: When I am calling for EU or NA, I will also accept calls from OC, AF and SA at any time. I will also issue particular instructions for working me on FT8 that aim to get the QSO rate to around 60/hr to try and make that mode more productive than it was from Niue last year.

I will be creating a website shortly with more details so stay tuned!

Finally: for now, the callsign is agreed with TRR Vanuatu but the final license has not yet been issued. The callsign may change as a result (not expected but you never know until you have the paper in your hand).

73 Grant, VK5GR