Conway Reef DXpedition 2009

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The Conway Reef Story 1989

Conway Reef 1989

Copyright DK9KX

All began in 1988 when ARRL changed the DXCC rules for separate Country (today an Entity) status, lowering the required distance between the parent country to neighbouring islands. Immediately I viewed the maps I had on hand but could not find anything. Ordered sea charts from the Pacific area and the Chinese sea. After a short look I found 2 islands in the Pacific area and two in the Chinese sea. Namely Conway Reef (3D2/c), Banaba (T33), Pratas Isl. (BQ9) and Scarborough Reef (BS7) which all qualified under the new DXCC rules.

During my investigations I learned that Jim Smith, VK9NS sk, was working on an expedition to Banaba and we decided that he went forward with his plans and I worked on Conway Reef. It took several months to collect all papers that I needed for an application for separate DXCC Country Status. Most difficult was to get a boat which could bring us to Conway Reef. In these days there was no internet, no fax and a phone call could be made only via an operator, I believe we had only a handful of phone lines to Fiji. Sometimes I waited some hours for a line. The best way was indeed snail mail. At least I found someone who was qualified to bring us to the island for a reasonable price.

In a phone call with the Department of Communication the officer told me that I have to come into his office and pick up my license. In the meantime I talked with my friends Rolf, DF9KH - Dieter, DJ9ON - Harry, DL8CM sk, to join my xyl Anne, DF3KX and me. We were all together on the St. Peter & St. Paul Rocks DXpedition back in 1983. All agreed.

With the help of Dieter Loeffler, DK9KD, and Jim Maxwell, W6CF sk, I wrote the application for separate country status and sent it to ARRL fourteen days before the first DXpedition took place from Conway Reef. Our stay on Conway Reef was planned for seven days, unfortunately we must qrt two days earlier due to bad weather forecast. During these five days we made nearly 16000 qso's on 10, 15, 20 and 40 meters. WARC bands not allowed in 1989. Since then no other yl operated from there.

Nine months after the expedition ARRL Advisory Committee voted unanimously to add Conway Reef to the DXCC list as a separate country and the Board of Directors agreed.

Hans (3D2CR back in 1989)

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