DXpeditions

Every year WIARC sponsors a DXpedition for club members.

WHITEHEAD IS. 2005 DXPEDITION



WIARC member Reg, VE2AYU, and former members Alain VE2DAV, Fred VE1FA
(ex VE2SEI) and Helen VA1YL (ex VE2YAK) along with Bill VE1MR, Lynn
VE1ENT, Gary VE1RGB, Rich VE1CHP, and Howard VE1DHD, will activate
Whitehead Island from 28 July-2 August, 2005 for the annual Islands On
The Air (IOTA) contest. Whitehead (IOTA NA-014, Canadian Islands NB-010,
Grid FN-64) is close to Grand Manan Is., NB. We will be active CW and SSB
on 80-10m as VC9W, a special event callsign to commemorate the 200th
anniversary ofthe first settlers on Whitehead Is.
Fred and Helen are hoping to work some of their friends from WIARC. QSLs
will be via VE1RGB@RAC.ca Helen gets a break this year!
Fred or Helen may be contacted at 902-582-1561 or
hfarchibald@ns.sympatico.ca



WIARC DXpedition 2002


Island Expedition
The West Island ARC of Pointe Claire, Quebec (WIARC), with members of
the Halifax, Nova Scotia ARC, will be QRV with the special call VE9W
from Whitehead Island, New Brunswick from 23-31 July, 2002. Whitehead
Island in the Bay of Fundy (N. lat. 44deg. 37', W. long. 66deg. 44') is
IOTA NA-014, Canadian Islands NB-010 in CQ Zone 5 and Maidenhead Grid
Square FN-64. We will participate in the Annual IOTA Contest on 27-28
July as a multi-op island. Activity will be SSB/CW on bands from 80-6m
(conditions permitting) near the usual island/expedition frequencies.
Expeditioners: Helen, VE2YAK; Fred VE2SEI; Reg, VE2AYU; Jeff, VE2TBH;
Andrew, VE2WHO; Al, VO1NO/VE1; Shelley, VE1NOS; Trevor, KA8ZUO; Bill,
VE1MR; and Lynn, VE1ENT. QSLs via callbook/QRZ address for VE2CWI.
Queries may be directed to archibal@pubnix.net


WIARC DXpedition 2001


The WIARC 2001 QSL cards have arrived at long last. On February 24th 2002,
some of the DXpedition gang got together in Montreal for the grand opening.
About 2000 cards, direct & bureau were answered during that day. The direct
cards with Canadian stamps are on their way. The cards without stamps, but
with green stamps or IRCs, will be mailed from USA soon. The bureau cards
will be sent off to the bureau after sorting. All cards which were not
found in log will be double checked. Envelopes which contained cards from
other DXpeditions will be answered in due time. QSLing was interrupted for
the Olympic Gold Medal hockey game, but continued again afterwards.
For information contact VE2CWI@RAC.CA.


2001 DX-Pedition

  • Final DX-pedition Notice July, 2001

    The West Island ARC of Pointe Claire (near Montreal), Quebec,
    Canada is planning to operate from Grindstone Island (Ile du Cap aux
    Meules) in the Magdalen Islands (N. Lat. 47.38, W. Long. 61.92
    degrees)(IOTA NA-038, Canadian Islands PQ-004) from 26 July-1 August, 2001.
    The operation will be active on 80-6m SSB, CW, and PSK-31. The call will be
    XM2CWI. The group will enter the annual IOTA contest on 28-29 July
    (Multi-op Island). The group will also operate HF mobile on 29 July
    15:00-21:00Z consecutively from each of the other 3 Canadian Islands in the
    group: Ile du Havre Aubert (PQ-016), Ile du Havre aux Maisons (PQ-017), and
    La Grosse Ile (PQ-010) using 7060, 14,260, and 21,260 kHz +/-QRM. The
    islands also occupy two Maidenhead grid squares, FN87 and FN97, and both
    will be activated.
    Operators will be Helen (VE2YAK), Reg (VE2AYU), Fred (VE2SEI), J-F (Jeff)
    (VE2TBH), Al (VO1NO), Trevor (KA8ZUD), Andrew (VE2WHO), and Richard
    (VE2DX). If you are interested in the Canadian Islands operation, contact
    Fred Archibald, VE2SEI or Helen Archibald VE2YAK (archibal@pubnix.net).
    QSLs: VE2CWI West Island ARC P.O. Box 884, Dorval, QC, Canada H9R 4Z6.


    Bearings and Propagation

    Please note that there was no WIARC DXpedtion in 2000.

    1999 DX-Pedition


    CY9CWI, St.Paul Is. (CQ zone 05, ITU Zone 09, IOTA NA-94, Can. Is.
    NS-003, N. Lat. 47.33 degs., W. Long. 60.16 degs.) will be QRV by the
    West Island ARC of Montreal from July 21-28, 1999. Operation from this
    DXCC country will be on 160-6m as conditions permit. Operation will be
    on or near: 1.830; 3.505; 3.780; 3.860; 7.005; 7.065; 7.230; 10.105;
    14.010; 14.265; 18.080, 18.125; 21.010; 21.305; 24.935; 28.010; 28.395;
    and 50.130 MHz. The team will enter the 1999 IOTA Contest (24-25 July)
    and will make special efforts to work Asians on 10-15m, Europeans on
    80-160m, and Canadians everywhere! Operators will be Helen VE2YAK (YL
    Op), Fred VE2SEI, Al VO1NO/VE1, Reg VE2AYU, Bill VE1MR, Dragan VE2ZIV,
    Lowell VY2OX, and J-F (Jeff) VE2TBH. Direct comments, questions to: Fred
    Archibald VE2SEI, 130 Embleton Crescent, Pointe Claire, QC, H9R 3N2
    Canada (archibal@pubnix.net). QSL via VE2CWI West Island ARC, Box 884,
    Dorval, Quebec, H9R 4Z6 CANADA.


    August 11, 2000
    Today a shoebox full of QSL cards (about 1200- 1500) was posted to the
    Canadian out-going bureau. Included are the first of the bureau cards for
    the 1999 DXpedition to CY9. Another 1000 cards for all WIARC
    DXpeditions have just arrived from the incoming bureau and work has
    started on processing these cards.

    All cards sent direct, enclosing SAE and assistance with postage are
    processed ahead of any bureau cards.

    Take note that Bureau cards frequently require more than two years to
    make the round trip. Even direct cards enclosing help with postage
    frequently take several months to make the round trip.

    QSL route for all WIARC DXpedtiions: CY9CWI, VE8CWI, XJ1CWI, XJ9GM, and
    XO1CWI is via VE2CWI

    VE2CWI
    PO Box 884
    Dorval, Quebec
    CANADA H9R 4Z6


    1998 DX-pedition:


    West Island Amateur Radio Club, (WIARC) has completed it's 1998 DX-pedition to Fogo Island, Newfoundland, successfully. XO1CWI was active from Fogo Island July 22 - July 28, 1998, including the IOTA contest. Fogo Island, Newfoundland, 54.2 deg. W. Long., 49.7 deg. N. Lat.. Fogo Is. is NA-198 in the IOTA system, Canada Islands NF-05, CQ Zone 5, and Maidenhead grid square GN-29. The group entered the annual IOTA (Islands on the Air) contest, operating as a multi-op island station. A special callsign XO1CWI was issued in honour of the Brimstone Head Folk Festival held on Brimstone Head, Fogo Island from 7- 10 August 1998. QSL route is: West Island ARC, P.O. Box 884, Dorval, Quebec, Canada, H9R 4Z6. For further information or comments: archibal@pubnix.net. Dxpedition particpants: Fred VE2SEI, Reg VE2AYU, Helen VE2YAK, Al VO1NO/VE1, Shelley VE1NOS, Bill VE1MR, and Lynn VE1ENT.



    The QSL cards for XO1CWI are in and they are very nice (see below)! The
    "Grand Opening" of envelopes was on December 6th 1998. The "direct" cards
    (those with Canadian stamps, IRCs or green stamps) have been sent. Cards
    with no postage, IRC or green stamp will be returned via the bureau. Bureau
    cards will also be answered, but they are sent off to Alberta only every
    several months - the wait for them will be longer. Cards from previous (and
    future) dx-peditions will be answered under the same rules.
    Helen Archibald, VE2YAK
    Pointe Claire, Quebec, CANADA


    QSL route for XO1CWI is:
    QSL Manager
    WIARC
    PO Box 884
    Dorval, Quebec,
    Canada, H9R 4Z6



    (Back of card:)
    XO1CWI 1998 DX-pedition
    Fogo Is, Newfoundland, CANADA
    Islands on the Air (IOTA) NA-198
    (Newfoundland Islands) CQ Zone 5
    Canadian Islands NF-005
    GN29; N. lat 47.9 ; W. long. 54.2

    XO1CWI is a special callsign issued for this DX-pedition to celebrate the Brimstone Head Folk Festival, held on Fogo Island in early August. Fogo Is., pop. 3800, is about 7 by 15 miles and is 5 miles off the northeastern coast of Newfoundland. Members of Montreal's West Island ARC and the Halifax (Nova Scotia) ARC spent 6 days operating from a small house on Fogo's east coast in the village of Tilting. Tilting is the point accessible by road in North America closest to Ireland. Being so close to Europe (2800 km to Dublin), a 2-meter semiautomatic station was set up on 144.300 MHz using 150 watts and a 15-element yagi pointed at Ireland. A CW CQ at 15 wpm was sent for the first 30 seconds of each minute from 22-27 July 1998. HF contacts were made with an A3 tribander, 40 m double-extended Zepp and a 4-element 40 m log periodic wire antenna. Radios were an Icom IC-735 with a Collins 30L-1 linear and a Kenwood TS-440. Special thanks go to the West Island ARC for support. Left to right: Reg, VE2AYU; Fred, VE2SEI (front); Al, VO1NO (rear); Shelley, VE1NOS; Bill, VE1MR; Lynn, VE1ENT; and Helen, VE2YAK. Queries regarding our past, present, & future DX-peditions may be directed to archibal@pubnix.net

    2 METER TRANSATLANTIC ATTEMPT


    During the 1998 Dxpediton, members of the Halifax Amateur Radio Club of Nova Scotia and the West Island Amateur Radio Club of Montreal attempted to complete a 2-meter QSO across the Atlantic Ocean. A CW CQ at 15 w.p.m. was sent for the first 30 s of each minute. The callsign was VO1NO. One hundred fifty watts was fed to a 15-element long-boom yagi using horizontal polarization on 144.280 MHz. European stations who copied our 2 m CQ are strongly encouraged to respond! We strongly believe that a 2-meter transatlantic QSO is entirely possible, especially in view of the report that G4CQM received the 144.300 MHz VE1SMU beacon in Halifax on 7 July 1998 at 1315Z (reported in Internet Six News).



    Past Expeditions:



    1997 DxPedition: White Head Island, New Brunswick





    XJ9GM
    1997 Dxpedition to Whitehead Island, New Brunswick, CANADA

    Operators:
    VE1DD, VE2AYU, VE2CB, VE2SEI, VE2TBH, VE2YAK, VO1NO
    Islands On The Air (IOTA) NA-014
    Canadian Islands NB-010
    Category: Multi Multi


    	BAND/MODE	QSOs	ZONES	COUNTRIES
    
	160 SSB		2	1	1
	80 CW		6	1	1
	80 SSB		35	2	6
	40 CW		610	13	49
	40 SSB		149	9	25
	30 CW		230	12	35
	20 CW		1134	16	56
	20 SSB		2937	22	93
	17 CW		2	2	2
	17 SSB		50	6	6
	12 SSB		1	1	1
	6 SSB		23	14	grids
    
----------------------------------
    
Total CW	1982	44	143
    
Total SSB	3200	43	134
    

    
Total		5182	87	277	Including IOTA contest
    All reports sent were 59(9), unless otherwise noted.
    Helen Archibald, VE2YAK
    Pointe Claire, Quebec, CANADA



    1996, VE2CWI/VE1 (HF), XJ1CWI (VHF) Cape Breton Is. / Seal Island

    From 17-22 July 1996: Operated from the Marconi National Historic Site In Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, (46 deg., 13 min. N., 59 deg. 57 min. W. Grid GN06AF) as XJ1CWI on VHF and VE2CWI/VE1 on HF.
    From 25 July to 1 August: On Seal Island 15 miles off the southern tip of Nova Scotia (43 deg., 24 min. N., 66 deg., 01 min. W., Grid FN63XJ, IOTA NA-126) the focus was on a 2-meter trans-Atlantic attempt on 144.02 MHz
    DX-peditioners: Lowell (VY2OX), Alain (VE2DAV), Al (VO1NO), Helen (VE2YAK), Fred (VE2SEI) Reg (VE2AYU), and Jean Francois -a.k.a "Jeff" (VE2TBH).
    Contact total was about 4500, of which approx. 1200 were in the Iota contest, up from 950 last year.



    1995. XJ1CWI. Pictou Island, Nova Scotia

    . IOTA NA 154. July 29 - Aug 5. First participation in IOTA contest. Lowell (VY2OX), Fred (VE2SEI), Helen (VE2YAK), Reg (VE2AYU), Jean-Francois (a.k.a. "Jeff", VE2TBH), Ben (VE3ISN), Al (VE2DAV), Al (VO1NO).



    1994. CY9CWI. St. Paul Island (North)

    . DXCC. IOTA NA 94. Aug. 11 - Aug. 17. First RTTY, 2m DX and satellite for WIARC expedition. Margaret (VE2ZOO), Lowell (VY2OX), Fred (VE2SEI), Jean-Francois (a.k.a. "Jeff", VE2TBH), Helen (VE2YAK), Coos (VE2GTI), Andrew (VE2WHO), Jean-Claude (VE2JCX), Reg (VE2AYU).



    1993. CY9CWI. St. Paul Island (South)

    . First DX-pedition ever from St. Paul Island (South) lighthouse. DXCC. IOTA NA 94. Aug. 13 - Aug. 18. Al (VE2DAV), Lowell (VY2OX), Mark (VE2PTT), Jean-Claude (VE2JCX), Reg (VE2AYU), Ben (VE3ISN), Andrew (VE2WHO), Fred (VE2SEI).



    1992 VE8CWI Charlton Island, N.W.T. Zone 2.

    First activation of IOTA NA 173. Aug 8 to Aug. 13. Ben (VE2JBF), Hank (VE2HN), Mark (VE2PTT), Al (VE2DAV), Andrew (VE2WHO), Fred (VE2SEI).



    1991 CY9CWI St. Paul Island. (North)

    . DXCC (IOTA NA 94) Aug 2 to Aug 8. First island dx-pedition for WIARC. Jan (VE2OL), Don (VE2GZV), Fred (VE2SEI), Andrew (VE2WHO), Al (VE2DAV), Ben (VE2JBF), Mark (VE2PTT).