Welcome to the Jarvis 2024 DXpedition | N5J

K8R is now on the air testing SuperFox, antennas and equipment ahead of the real thing in August.

This is our last chance to get everything right. A RIB DXpedition is different than a traditional one where you can fix and move things around on the fly. With us, once equipment is on the island, it is very hard change things or fix what is not working. Our plan is to get every station and antenna working here, and put it all back on the RIB boat as is, hoisted it up onto Magnet, ready to be launched at Jarvis.

The K8R test set-up is on a narrow beach on the north side of Tutuila Island, which is the main island of American Samoa. The beach is a private beach (Gurr Private Beach at Maloata) where the owner was gracious enough to allow us to set up and operate. This is an ideal location for a small DXpedition from a remote but still easily reached place. Take off to the north is over water. But for us, the beach is too small, as eventually we plan to have seven stations and 8 antennas.

We have now four stations operational. Three of these stations are remote controlled and one is local. Because the beach is small, our antennas are close to each other, but so far our filters seem to be working.

We have been slow to get up to speed due to the almost constant heavy rains of the past five days. Finally today (Thursday), we had a partially dry day and were able to get some work done. We will be on the  air as much as we can and all signal reports will be much appreciated. TKS and 73, George, AA7JV

We have completed our testing of the low band Jarvis Special antenna. Operating as FW7JV, a total of 800 QSO-s were made. Unfortunately, we had to go QRT early as we need to move onto American Samoa and there is a narrow WX window to catch. Many thanks to all who called and those who sent singal reports and analysis of our signals. They were extremely helpful as we were making daily changes to the antenna. (You can get only so far with antenna modelling.) A 45 foot tall 160 meter antenna is difficult under any circumstances. Normally, we stand our antennas in salt-water which gives them an almost perfect ground. When you have a very good ground, you get away with a lot of shortcomings (like low radiation resistance, verr low feed-point impedance, etc.). Unfortunately on Jarvis, because of the powerful surf in the lagoon, we wont be able to stand the antennas in the water. Instead, we will locate them at on the beach at the high-tide line and run wires to aluminum ground posts in the water. This was the configuration we've tested at FW7JV, and after four days of experimenting, we got satisfactory performance on 160, 80 and 40 meters.

We got permission to set up on Nukuhione tomorrow morning. We hope to be on the air tomorrow afternoon (June 25, 0200 UTC), and then move to 160 meters around 0600.

Nukuhione is a small, uninhabited cay on the NE side of the atoll that surrounds Wallis Island. It has a long sandbar that looks ideal for antennas.

Starting on June 25 we will be testing new antennas from Wallis Island (FW), operating as FW7JV. This will be a realistic test using RIB-s and antennas mounted on a sand-bar in a situation very similar to what we will have on Jarvis Island during the upcoming N5J Jarvis operation. (I will be going ashore this afternoon to see the village chief with a bottle of scotch, trying to get permission to set up on small cay nearby. Fingers crossed.)

The most important test will be of the new 160 - 10 meter vertical. This is a 45' tall -- I should say, 45' short -- vertical without top loading wires. The low height is mandated by the US FWS, written into our Special Use Permit. Further, our permit specifically states that any time our antennas cause harm to birds, the FWS representative on site will shut us down. Therefore we are making sure that the antennas are as bird-friendly as possible. From experience on Ducie and Cook Islands (VP6A and E51D) we know that vertical masts of some diameter are easily seen by birds and avoided, even at night. Horizontal or sloping wires, however, especially when high, even with streamers can be hit by birds. Another danger posed by high wires is that birds want land on them and wire can easily twist around their legs, trapping them. Therefore the new antenna does not have any top loading wires. Instead, we have a large 34 micro Henry inductor at the base of the antenna that brings this short antenna closer to resonance, with a feed point impedance that is within the tuning range of the base mounted antenna coupler. This is a serious compromise because losses in the inductor can be substantial. Hence the detailed testing we have been doing since T32JV in May and now on Wallis.

For details see the ANTENNAS tab. 

160 m Operation from Wallis:

FW7JV will be on 160 meters CW starting at local SS around 0600 UTC and again at 0900 for NA SR, as well as at local SR at 1700. We need actual signal reports to get an idea of how the new antenna is working. Wallis is about 1400 miles further SW from NA than Jarvis. If you can work us from here you can be pretty sure that you can get into the N5J log in August. (Note that while Jarvis is only #75 on TB, FW is #28 according to Clublog.) 

We will be challanged by both the season (mainly on the low bands) and FWS antenna restrictions. Ahead of Jarvis we want to do as much testing as possible. We have new antennas and an expanded remote operator network. Both need testing. This will also give DX-ers an opportunity to test their stations. (And perhaps put a new one in the log.)

Jun 25 - Jul 02:  Wallis and Futuna, FW7JV. Testing of low band antennas on 160, 80 and 40. As well as some testing of new 40/20 m antenna.

Jul 10 - Jul 25: American Samoa, K8R. Testing of all systems on all bands. CW/SSB/FT8. Also in the IARU contest.

During both test periods actual signal reports will be appreciated. 

GL and 73,

George,

AA7JV

Jarvis Island N5J DXpedition

April 21, 2024

IOTA OC-081 and POTA K-0115 Release

Since the Dateline DX Association announced plans for activating Jarvis Island this summer many have asked if we could arrange with IOTA and POTA program organizers to secure approval of our DXpedition.

 Jarvis is one of the rarest of the IOTA counters, having been off the air for 34 years.  It is needed by 82% of IOTA program participants. 

Because of the requirements set by the permit of the USFWS, while the stations and antennas and power are all set up on Jarvis Island, the local operators must conduct the DXpedition from the MV Magnet which will still be in the Jarvis Island National Wildlife Refuge just offshore.

Both the IOTA and POTA programs have agreed to recognize QSOs made by the local operators but will not allow QSOs made by internet remote operators to count.   Therefore QSOs made by AA7JV, HA7RY, N1DG, KO8SCA and KN4EEI will count for the awards.   Daily uploads by the N5J team to clublog will identify the operators.   Additionally at the beginning of each operator shift the team will endeavor to post on the cluster the callsign of the operator so chasers have some real time notice.   At this time all phone operations are expected to be by the at Island team as well giving that mode 100% IOTA/POTA certaintly.

In addition to the five operators mentioned above, there is an experienced team of 24 operators from 8 countries operating up to 6 stations around the clock ensuring DXers around the globe have ample opportunity to add an ATNO or band fill to their DXCC totals.

This is an expensive DXpedition to one of the rarest entities that DXers will see in 2024.  Please visit our website, www.jarvisisland2024.com and make a donation to help us put this one on the air.

Don, N1DG and George AA7JV for the N5J team.

We welcome KO8SCA, Adrian Ciuperca, to our at-island team. A well known and experienced
DXpeditioner, Adrian works as an IT consultant, a much needed component to any remote operation. He is a newly inducted member of the CQ DX Hall of Fame and a YASME award of Excellence winner. Adrian is a keen DXer with DXCC 318, 9BDXCC, IOTA, as well as being a passionate contester. He competed in WRTC 2018 in Wittenberg, Germany as well as at the 2023 edition of WRTC in Bologna, Italy.
Adrian has taken part in over 30 DXpeditions to destinations including W8S Swains Island, 3Y0J Bouvet Island, J2, Z6, OJ0, VP2V, PJ2, PJ4, A5, ZK3, V8, TX0M/TX0A, 6O, 9M0, FJ, FM, J3, J8, VK9C, VK9X, VP5, VP9, and Z2. Recently he has been a guest operator at 4U1UN and HV0A. His preferred operating mode is CW, but he is also active in SSB and digital modes. Adrian is a member of several amateur radio DX and contesting clubs, namely, NCDXF, INDEXA (board director), YCCC, FOC, CWOPS, LIDXA, Order of Boiled Owls of New York, LICWC, NYCDXA, WECA, Araucária DX Group, RRC.
This is an expensive DXpedition to one of the rarest entities that DXers will see in 2024. Please make a donation to help us put this one on the air.
George, AA7JV, and Don, N1DG, for the N5J team.

Planned Jarvis Station Configuration

It is 84 days to our departure for Jarvis Island from Americna Samoa. We are busy building and testing equipment. In addition to the RIB-s, a lot of our gear is built by us, specifically designed for remote operation where reliability is key.

We have finalized the station configuration. We will have six stations on the island. Four of the station are set up to be remotely operated and two will be locally operated, although we do have the flexibility to operated any station locally (from the boat) or remotely via Starlnk and the Internet.

NCDXF is pleased to announce its financial support for the August 2024 DXpedition to #18 Jarvis Island. The Special Use Permit was issued to the Dateline DX Assn. This will be a 100% RIB, Rig in a Box, operation with four operators on boat and many others operating remotely via satellite internet.

The group is being monitored by US Fish and Wildlife. If this trip is successful, other F&W destinations could be permitted. Some of these are in the top 20 most wanted. Most of the cost is fuel for the boat and the costs associated with F&W. Our mission statement is to provide funding to rare entity DXpeditions and to advance the technology of DXing. Jarvis is a perfect example to meet these requirements.

With that in mind, the NCDXF has granted Dateline DX Assn $75,000 to fund the DXpedition. They hope to receive other funding from other organizations and NCDXF hopes our grant will springboard other donations. They plan to upload to LOTW as soon as practical after the operation. More information on the DXpedition will be available on this website https://jarvisisland2024.com/ .

The mission of NCDXF is to provide necessary financial support for well-organized DXpeditions to desirable DXCC entities and to support advances in DXpeditioning skills, technology, and infrastructure.  Those funds come from the contributions of our supporters in the DX community.  Your contribution will help make DX happen.  Visit our website:  www.ncdxf.org.

Respectfully submitted.

Craig Thompson, K9CT

NCDXF Vice President