FJ, St. Barthelemy AI5P, N0KV, W0ZA and WD0E plan to operate from Pointe Milou, St. Barthelemy Island (IOTA NA-146/Grid Square FK87) from April 19-27. Operation will be on 80-10 meters (SSB/CW/RTTY) with satellite operation by WD0E. Conditions may largely limit most activity to 20 meters and down. Operating 160 meters is being considered; however, no antenna option is yet finalized.
Satellite operation will take place on several satellites. A satellite and pass schedule will be announced on the AMSAT-bb in advance.
Equipment includes three Elecraft K3's and two 500 watt Elecraft amps. Antennas include a SteppIR crank IR vertical for 80-10 meters, a folding hexbeam by Folding Antennas (Germany) on 20-10 meters, LPDA's on 20 and 17 meters and verticals on 30 and 40 meters.
Operation will be as continuous as conditions warrant. The Colorado operators have decided to use FJ/N0KV as their callsign while AI5P will be active as FJ/AI5P.
FJ/N0KV logs will be updated to LOTW while Rick's logs (FJ/AI5P) will not since he continues to be an analog guy with an actual key and pen/paper log.
Paper QSLs will be available from both N0KV and AI5P direct and via the bureau.
Further: For satellite operation we plan to be on as many passes of as many satellites as possible focusing on the evening hours. Equipment will be an IC 910 and Arrow. On Montserrat in 2015 we were on FO-29 only. For St. Barts we will also operate some FM satellites. We will assemble a pass plan before we go and post it to this -bb. We will stick to that plan as much as possible but of course conditions may cause us adjust on the fly. The operating location has good visibility to the horizon from about the NW through N and E to the SE. Other directions are somewhat obscured. QSLs handled as written above.