Update January 24, 2022: Lance, W7GJ, will present his 6 Meter EME dxpedition to the South Pacific in a Zoom meeting on Thursday Jan 27 at 0200 UTC.

Lance will provide the details and challenges for the trip to the Austral (FO/W7GJ) and the Marquesas Islands (TX7MB).

The Zoom link will be active 30 minutes before the presentation to allow folks to set up their cameras and microphones and to ragchew. 

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 842 2011 4535
Passcode: 541229 

Update November 7: TX7MB is now QRT. Yesterday Lance did not manage to work any new station, so he has ended with 119 stations in his log.

Update November 6: 119 stations are in Lance's log.  He will be QRV today for one hour at his moonrise, from 1630 to 1730 UTC, and then QRT.

Update November 3: "The contacts are coming harder, due to the ionospheric conditions down here during the daytime. Also, the problem of the moon's high elevation is becoming more of a problem, and it is obvious I can't work people when the antenna is 20 or 30 degrees below the moon.

On November 3, 4 and 5, I will only be QRV on EME when the moon is below 65 degrees elevation, and on November 5, I will go QRT on EME at 2015 UTC. Still have three more good moonrises and a couple more shots at NA moonsetters!

GL and VY 73, Lance"

Update November 1: Lance cotinues his 6m EME activity from Maquesas.  So far there are 94 stations in the log.

Update October 30: "I found a source of noise in the house from the ceiling fans, and have turned them off in favor of sweating in front of the rig. Amplifier so far seems to still be working with the extra cooling fans I brought for it.  My moonrise, though, was very noisy, since I had a street light just below the antenna, and the town of Atuona not too far off the front of the beam. I found when I elevated when the moon was 12 degrees, the noise went down considerably and I was suddenly able to copy stations   This should improve as the moon moves south and I turn more away from the town and the street light and the moon rises out over the ocean.

So, up to 50 contacts now for the first two days. Looking forward to this weekend when cndx MIGHT be best, if the Kp index doesn't go wild from the solar flare!  CU on the moon!  VY 73, Lance "

Update October 28: "I will be QRV from TX7MB on the horizon only to test out my horizon, which I don't think is over the water until later in the week. I will be QRV from 0915 1045Z. 50.190 Q65-60A and TX7MB first sequence.  Expect to be more active for full passes starting October 29 UTC.  

GL and VY 73, Lance"

Update October 27: Lance is in Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands, and he has started assembling the mast and antenna.

Update October 4: It is hard to believe, but in less than 2 weeks I hope to be QRV from the Austral Islands! I have gotten my booster Covid shot, so I am ready to head down there even though they currently are having quite a difficult time with the Covid Delta Variant. All the special paperwork has been done, and all that remains is that I pass a Covid test before boarding the plane here in Montana, and I pass another Covid test when I arrive in French Polynesia. I am trying to stay as isolated as I can until I get on the plane!

As I already explained on my web site, I am planning to use Q65-60A for the 6m EME operations. Getting callers to spread out with Q65 could result in some confusion, so I have attached an explanation of how to spread out effectively using Q65-60A. I hope that you will take the time to review this information and find it helpful.

The planned operating schedules are shown on the DXpedition web pages. The only possible change I see at this point is that I MAY have to dismantle the station a day early at each DXCC, depending on the deadline for getting my excess baggage delivered to that airport for air freight...but I will know more about that after I arrive on each island. I have already paid for and booked all my excess baggage as air freight on the flights TO Rimatara and Hiva Oa, and there will be adequate time to meet the deadlines for those trips. It is just the flights FROM Rimatara and Hiva Oa that may require the air freight to be delivered the day before the flight to ensure it gets on the plane.

I will provide further updates as things proceed. In the meantime, thanks for all of your support and effort, and I am looking forward to putting a record number of stations in the log from both DXCC!

GL and VY 73, Lance 

Update August 22: Information from Lance: "Due to the Delta Variant, Covid travel restrictions and requirements are changing weekly :-( However, I have reconfirmed all the flights and lodging, arranged for special excess baggage, and am aiming for everything to take place according to the details on my website:

Certainly, the situation can change if I get Covid and fail any of the 4 Covid tests currently required and/or USA falls out of "favored country status" and I would be required to quarantine upon arrival, and/or Air Tahiti decides to reduce the number of flights (as it did last year). However, as you know from my past DXpeditions, I am doing everything I possibly can to make this increasingly expensive operation happen!

Please spread the word that I am planning on using Q65-60A mode from the most recent version of WSJT-X for all my 6m EME activity. I will probably use FT8 for terrestrial/ionospheric propagation unless the TEP doppler spread requires Q65. Note that I have extended my stays in both DXCC to provide ample opportunity to try for terrestrial contacts as well as being QRV during moon passes."

Update August 5: 2m and 70cm EME operation cancelled.http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
Information from Gene, KB7Q:  "I will not be making the TX7MB trip given the uncertainty of the Covid-19 situation, and its impact on travel with ever changing rules and requirements. It is just too uncertain to spend the money on airline tickets. W7GJ is determined to go, so the 6M ops are still on."

Update April 10: New dates and the following information by Lance:

"We have all been frustrated by the delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and how it has disrupted travel worldwide. Now that Air Tahiti has published its flight schedule for next fall, I have changed my flight and lodging reservations to provide extended stays in both DXCC. Now the operations in both DXCC include very favorable days for 6m EME, as well as common moon windows with virtually all active 6m EME operators all over the world. I am looking forward to providing the first activations of both the Austral Islands and the Marquesas Islands on 6m EME. Given the large growth in the number of stations active on 6m EME, and the development of the new Q65 software, I am very excited to see how many stations I can work! Please just remember to spread out when you call

Of course, there is always the possibility that some of the flights and connections along the way will be changed and the operating schedule will not be able to proceed as planned. However, assuming that the flights will remain as booked, and that the current Covid-19 quarantine requirements will be lifted by October, the updated planned travel and operating schedules for both DXCC are on my web pages at: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/Austral%20Islands%202020.htm and http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/Marquesas%202020.htm

I still have to negotiate some solution to the excess baggage problem, since they don't guarantee transportation of so much extra luggage along with me on my flights. However that is something to deal with as the time for departure gets closer...

As you can see on the above web pages, I will be planning on using Q65-60A for all my 6m EME operations. Please familiarize yourself with this new mode; links are on the above web pages. If you have never tried 6m EME before, you have 6 months to upgrade your station and become familiar with working 6m EME

If a station is unable to produce a stable enough signal for Q65-60A, we may be able to try JT65A or Q65-60B as required, but please do your best to make your transmitter stable enough for Q65 and insure that your computer clock is accurate to within a second. I hope to be able to have at least occasional access to the internet in both DXCC.  Because both DXCC are located in the TEP Zone, I also am expecting to be able to work a number of stations using FT8 and/or Q65-30C mode via ionospheric propagation.

Rimatara is a solo 6m-only operation and the callsign will be FO/W7GJ. If you have any questions that are not covered in the above web pages, or you are anticipating a problem contacting me during the posted operating schedule, please let me know.

I will be joined by KB7Q for at least part of the Hiva Oa operation, and he will be activating the Marquesas for the first time on 2m EME. We will both be using the TX7MB callsign from that DXCC. If you have specific questions about KB7Q's operation, please contact him directly; I am sure he will be announcing details of his plans as we get closer to October.

As you can imagine, this month-long DXpedition has become even more expensive than originally planned. Any donations are very much appreciated My Pay Pal account is my email address and my mailing address is shown below (and on QRZ.COM). Thanks in advance for your support and for your contacts!

GL and VY 73, Lance"

Update January 4: Dates correction. So far plans are to be QRV from October 23 to 28.

Update January 3: Airline flight schedules have finally been posted for next year, so I have obtained revised airline tickets for the itinerary shown on the websites below. The operating and equipment import licenses has also been revised, and appropriate certificates have been received for LOTW log entries. Lodging has also been modified to reflect the posted operating schedules. Please note that the operating schedules for both DXCC are included in the same Excel workbook:

Update November 20: Just an update to let you know that this has not slipped through the cracks! Because of delays in the publishing of dates and times for flight schedules by Air Tahiti, I have not yet been able to book any new tickets or finalize the exact dates of operation. I hope they will be able to let me book the new tickets by the end of December.

HOWEVER, for planning purposes, I wanted to let you know that, at this time, a tentative operation schedule has been uploaded to my website

If flights coincide with these plans, I would hope to be active from the Austral Islands as FO/W7GJ from October 16 through October 23, and from the Marquesas Islands as TX7MB from October 27 to November 4. I hope to be able to provide a more definite schedule by the end of next month. The individual DXpedition webpages (on my website) will be updated when the final flights are booked.

I can't wait to activate both of these DXCC in French Polynesia for the first time on 6m EME I look forward to working many single yagi stations when the moon is near your horizon! Thanks for your continued patience and support!

GL and VY 73, Lance 

Update June 30: Because of the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, we regret that the W7GJ 6m EME DXpedition to FO/A and FO/M and the KB7Q 2m EME DXpedition to FO/M must be delayed until 2021.

Lodging reservations already have been changed, and we are in the process of revising the licensing and equipment importation authorizations.

The APPROXIMATE dates for the new DXpeditions are:

FO/A (6m only) - October 15-24, 2021
FO/M (TX7MB on 2m and 6m) - October 26-November 4, 2021

Exact dates and operating schedules will be posted on my website after September 2020, when airline reservation dates for 2021 become available:

We are looking forward to contacting you and hope that this unfortunate delay provides you with any extra time you may need to improve your station to get ready for the FO DXpedition!

GL and VY 73, Lance

Prior to his activity from Marquesas Is. as TX7MB, Lance will be QRV on 6m EME from Rimarta Island (Austral Islands) from October 10 to November 2.

Degradation during the solo FO/A operation is slightly higher than optimum, but previous trips have demonstrated that those days should still be productive. In addition, the negative horizon in FO/A should provide good common moon windows just about everywhere, and some very low ground gain lobes when the moon is at or just below the horizon. I hope to be able to be QRV for 8 full moon passes. If I can stay awake during the late afternoons, I hope to be QRV for TEP in the event there is any such propagation that early in the year. The QTH in the Austral Islands looks like it may be situated favorably for TEP.

More details at W7GJ's site