Hi!

My plan for today is to head to grid CN78 on the Pacific (west) side of Vancouver Island. It is at least 2 to 3 hours' driving to get there, and I cannot leave my current QTH Campbell River until sometime after 1500 UTC. Because of that, I will work the 1448-1510 UTC AO-7 pass from CN79/CO70 here. After that pass, and after checking out of the motel here, I will drive to CN78. Depending on the surroundings, I will try to work passes on my way out there, which would be in different parts of CN79, until I reach CN78. I may be able to park on the CN78/CN79 line, which is just north of the Pacific coast down there, but the goal today will definitely be CN78.

I apologize to anyone who tried to work me last night on FO-29 after 0300 UTC. I ended up talking about ham radio and my portable satellite station to a few people who were walking along the waterfront up there in Port Hardy. Thanks to WC7V and W6ZKH for CW QSOs on the AO-7 pass just before 0300 UTC. What you guys heard was left-handed CW, and I'm not left-handed.

I drove over 570km according to the car's trip odometer yesterday (over 353 miles), including about 90km/55 miles on a dirt track for my aborted attempt to work from CO50 before I started operating at Port Hardy (CO60gr). I know the mileage (do I say that in a metric country?) will be substantial when the car returns to Vancouver airport on Sunday - a benefit of unlimited kilometers (mileage) on the car rental. The fuel prices on Vancouver Island are around C$ 1.11 or so a liter, about US$ 4/gallon at current exchange rates - about as much as I paid during my 2008 summer road trip when fuel prices skyrocketed in the States. A little more expensive, but I'm having fun seeing a lot of this island - and, yes, I'm enjoying the radio operating.

Looking ahead... I won't be on the radio much Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday will be a travel day - first down to Victoria on the southern tip of the island, then the ferry crossing back to Vancouver. I may work some passes in the afternoon from Victoria (CN88) and *maybe* even on the ferry ride up to the Tsawassen terminal south of Vancouver going through CN88 and CN89. Thursday... maybe some radio in the afternoon, but I will be doing stuff in metro Vancouver, and either Friday or Saturday (exact date yet to be determined) will be my day-trip up to Whistler and grid CO80. My flight home is Sunday afternoon, and I don't plan on any radio that day. Have to get back to Vancouver airport to return the car, do the flight check-in, and the US Customs/Immigration formalities before the flight.

73!

Patrick VA7EWK/WD9EWK - Campbell River, British Columbia http://www.wd9ewk.net/