For Pacific Radio Amateurs
pp. 127-128 · Read in the full issue
Conducted By Ex Zk-1-Ac/Vr-2-Ak.
FROM W. Samoa comes word that Les Reid. ZM6AS, hopes to appear on the air from the Tokelaus for one or two nights round December 6-7. Frequencies will be around 3.6/7.1 mc/s only. From which we judge that Barry, VR2BZ, will also appear at the same time. He hoped to have 14 mc/s available on last advice.
Exact date will depend on RNZAF plans re the Sunderland flight. Call-signs to be used will not necessarily be the same as last time.
Barry is, of course, a member of the RNZAF. Les is an Apia bank clerk.
Here is the Samoan situation at present: ZM6AB, J. D. S. Fahey, Apia Radio— inactive.
ZM6AK, R. Guthrie, Faleolo Airbase inactive.
ZM6AL, E. Bethan, PO Box 57, Apia active 14 mc/s CW/phone.
ZM6AP, B. M. Tarlton, PO Box 23, Apia —active all bands, including 10/15-metre bands, when open. Currently preparing for 6-metre operation.
ZM6AQ, I. M. Tarlton (father of 6AP) less active. Believed new gear being pre pared.
ZM6AR, R. E. Berry. Apia Radio—inter mittently active. Believed new gear building.
ZM6AS, L. Reid. Bank of New Zealand, Apia—active 3.5/7/14 mc/s, CW and phone, with ARC-5.
ZM6AT, N. R. Saggers, Broadcast Station 2AP, Apia—very active, mainly 14 mc/s phone, 813 final, and V-beam.
It is understood in Apia that Ray Cald well, KS6AB, officer in charge of Tutuila Radio communications station, American Samoa, is not at present active. Ray is the only licensed American Samoa station.
We’re hoping possibly to have a photo of the ZM6 boys—or some of them —by next month.
From Fiji Wyn-VR2CG checks in from the Nadi side, with his summary of the situation as he hears it: VR2AP, Al, too busy boat-building to touch radio—and the XYL is “agin it”.
VR2AS, Stan, active 7/14 mc/s CW.
VR2CB, Bruce, inactive, but being prodded onto 6 metres by VR2CG, so may appear there.
VR2CG, Wyn, active 80 metres through to 6 metres, CW/phone, with SSB on 20/80 metres. Reports requested on sigs auto keyed on 50.68 mc/s, 0500-0700 GMT daily—with another 100-watt 144 mc/s transmitter soon to be paralleled. Also active mobile from car. on 21 mc/s, 20watts input. Has worked six countries with this latter rig.
YR2CJ, Keith, active with SSB phone on 3.8 mc/s, with many contacts.
VR2CS, Keith, recently departed from Fiji, so that call may be deleted.
Doug, ZK-l-AB, maintains the Raro tonga reputation for hearing rafts that Gordon Hitch, ex-ZK-l-AB, originally established with the “Kon-Tiki”. Doug appears to be the only person to have heard the Willis raft as it neared Samoa in October. He passed the word on through his commercial channels to Ray Caldwell, his opposite number in Pago Pago—and the rest is history! Many tired of listening for Willis, who apparently did
not make any more signals with his hand cranked lifeboat set since a few days after clearing Callao. We assume that Doug picked up the 8364 kc/s signal (he also had 500 kc/s). One report said that Willis never put water in the receiver accumulator all the way across—as he “could not remember whether it was to go in Just one hole, or all the holes in the battery-top”! Most surprising was the speed made by Willis—well in excess of the Kon-Tiki speed.
According to “Break In”, Palmyra came alive in July when
KP6AK started up —and is presum ab 1 y now on 14,220 kc/s phone.
Whether Palmyra stays alive will probably depend on what luck the tuna-fishing com pany has there (PIM, October, p. 51).
Though we have nothing to add to the VR6 rumours, W6MUR reports receiving a letter from VR6AC in which he said that he expected to be on the air July. Our report of September from SMBBJO seems to suggest that again it never happened.
According to “Amateur Radio’’, Ray Baty, VR3A, is keeping Fanning on the map—with over 4,000 contacts since arriv ing on the island early this year. Writing to his father he reports that Phil-VR3C has gone to Washington Island for six months. Like the commercial coconut plantation on Fanning, Washington is
owned by a Burns Philp subsidiary of which Phil is local area manager. His Fanning headquarters are some miles across the lagoon from the VR3A QTH at the cable station. There is a radio link.
For those who’ve been working FKBAP, Marcel Legal’s QTH is Hydro Base, Noumea.
First Micronesian ever to receive a Ham license, Kodep Raber, has been a technician with the Administration there since 1947. He was responsible for the installation of a station on Lukonor Island, Truk Group, some time ago, and has since been engaged on a new receiv ing station at Truk headquarters—and helping to train other young Micronesia operators.
Photos of Island Hams—in groups or
Mr. Doug Cunnold, ZK-l-AB. of Raro tonga, who inter cepted signals from the Willis raft as it neared Samoa.
singles—are sought for use in this column —and news of what’s happening in your area.