This website is designed to inform you of my plans as well as the objectives and the timetable of my DXpedition I hope that the posting of the latest news, operation plans and frequencies will help you make it into the log!

From time to time Olavi OH5BR will provide information to me on band conditions and openings to various locations. You can send information on best band opening times to your location to [email protected]. Please keep messages short and remember that this is not the route to make any skeds. I will take care of them myself.

Lech LA7MFA will update VP6BR News Page with latest information on the progress of the DXpedition.

You can also listen to VP6BR in Real Audio recorded on low bands by Wil DJ7AA.

Read latest report written by Jukka on his way to New Zealand on the Reports page.

Please visit also my Malyj Vysotskij DXpeditions site!

I will start my DXpedition to Pitcairn Island in January 2000 to celebrate my 40 year long Amateur Radio career. The goal is to give the DX community a maximum number of VP6 contacts on all ten amateur bands from 6 to 160 meters on CW, SSB and RTTY. Pitcairn Island, VP6, stands at position 52 on the 425 DX Bulletin 1998 Most wanted list. With the recent DXpeditions its actual position would be closer to 30.

The call sign to be used has been confirmed as VP6BR. QSL via home call OH2BR.

	VP6BR operating site on Taro Ground, Pitcairn Island.

Apart from cruise ships too expensive for a DXer³s budget, Pitcairn Island is linked to the rest of the world by P&O cargo ships travelling between Auckland, New Zealand, and Eastern U.S.A or Europe. These ships visit Pitcairn every three or four months supplying the islanders with everything they cannot produce themselves. The transportation to Pitcairn will be confirmed by the shipping company only one week before the ship³s estimated departure from Auckland. This makes it impossible to publish any accurate information on the starting date of the DXpedition at this time.

The equipment to be used consists of YAESU FT-1000MP, ICOM IC-706MkII as a spare rig normally used only on 6m, a new remote controlled automatic ACOM2000A 2kW linear amplifier for the 10-160m bands, Cushcraft A3S tribander yagi for 10-20m, A3WS duobander yagi for 17m and 12m and vertical antennas for the low bands. A 4 kW generator and 2400 liters of gasoline fuel are planned for maximum reliability of power supply. The islands diesel generator cannot be used as a power supply for a DXpedition as it is available only for a few hours in the morning and evening times. The islanders are depending on a few long wire antennas so a serious DXer has to take his own antennas with him. Any beam antennas would probably be destroyed by salt water environment in a few years time.

Donations are welcomed to cover the high costs of extra equipment, transportation, generator and gasoline expenses.

The QSLing address is: Jukka Heikinheimo, PO Box 37, FI-01361 VANTAA, FINLAND

Jukkas hosts Betty and Tom Christian at home.

I will be hosted by Tom and Betty Christian , VP6TC and VP6YL. The optimum operation site is the VP6PAC club site up on the flat top of the hill providing 360 degrees view for LP openings and lots of room for LF vertical radials. Due to local conditions the actual station location may be chosed in Adamstown on the slope overlooking Pacific in the northern direction.

For 6m enthusiasts: the UK Six Meter Group (UKSMG) has decided to donate a 5 element yagi to the Pitcairn hams. This beam will be shipped to Auckland, NZ, and will be used by VP6BR during his DXpedition. Thereafter the beam will be left in Pitcairn for use by Pitcairn hams.

For the IOTA enthusiasts: side trips to the rare IOTA Henderson and Ducie islands may be considered if there is enough interest from the IOTA community and the local conditions warrant such mini-DXpeditions. The islanders might visit Henderson to collect the miro wood for their carvings but Ducie is too far for their longboat. A fishing vessel should be chartered for a trip to Ducie.

73 and DX de Jukka OH2BR (VP6BR) [email protected]