Sapelo Island Activation January 10-13 2008

My name is John Kraus and the callsign is KC4ZGQ. I have been a ham since 1991 but only got into HF with the demise of CW as a barrier. I have been very active in digital modes and served as Emergency coordinator for digital for the state of Georgia for more than a year. I enjoy building projects and antennas and will be using some of my creations on this trip. One of my antenna projects was the EMCOMM Easytenna. It was designed to be a portable easily erected NVIS dual dipole for emergency communications with a high wind survivability potential.

I am a registered Nurse and currently teach Nursing which helps pay for the toys. I also have a small flock of chickens that keeps us in more eggs than we can eat. My other hobbies are fly fishing and tying my own flys and photography.

I will be camping on Sapelo Island during these dates with a group from the Georgia Wilderness Society. My primary goal of the trip is to get on the air and make some new friends while improving my QSL card collection. I am more interested in meeting new folks on the air than I am in rapid fire QSO's. So please allow me the space to chat for a minute or two with those rare DX stations that I have never spoken with. I will be working alone and with limited resources so have patience since this is my first time activating an island.

My plan is to operate from battery / solar power with max power of about 50 watts. Times will vary.

I will also attempt some pedestrian mobile as I walk the beach if weather permits. This will be QRP operation at 5 watts and when in this mode I will attempt to respond primarily to other weak signal stations. So if I am /PM please turn off the amps and work me with cold feet.

I plan to work mostly 17, 20 and 40 meters. Primary will be around 14.260 +- QRM. I may attempt some NVIS 80 Meter contacts using a low random wire if it will tune acceptably. Given the limited gear I will be able to take I am planning on using ssb as the only mode. I am still debating the possibility of taking a laptop and doing some PSK31 but that decision will be made once I get everything else packed and on the weather forecast. The last time my wife and I went the temp was a genuine 20 degrees Fahrenheit. It makes for great camping weather (no bugs) but requires a fair amount of effort and decent gear to stay comfortable.

I will post more as time permits. I will also have a very nice QSL card with all the correct information for IOTA awards.

Created on ... January 03, 2008.
Feel free to drop me a note if you have any questions.