The Hams Make Contact

With Mid Pacific

The world “ham” radio enthusiasts were able to make contact recently with the remote Tokelau Group, north of Samoa and administered by New Zealand, although there is no radio transmitter there. But they solved that problem by sending their own.

A MERICAN Dr. H. W. Meredith A and Fiji ham Peter Alexander sailed to the Tokelaus from H'iii set up in business for a week, made contact with 3,000 hams in 35 countries, and sailed back to Fiji again, after travelling a total distance of 1,780 miles.

On the way there, aboard the chartered vessel Maroro, they ran into part of the hurricane which devastated Vila, and on the way aack they ran into part of the lurricane which devastated Niue.

It was quite an exciting trip, ac cording to Mr. Alexander, who supplies PIM with a report.

Big Seas

Mr. Alexander says that out from : 3uva the Maroro ran into 30 ft seas und had to take shelter for a night nt a small cove in the northern Fiji group. The “rock and roll” con dnued all the way to Apia. But luckily the seas were calm, while :he hams got all their equipment ashore in what normally can be a dangerous landing at Nukunono Island, in the Tokelaus.

Petrol to operate accumulators was floated ashore in 44-gallon drums by the natives, pushing the drums with their chins.

Also aboard the Maroro were Mrs.

Meredith, Mrs. A. Akins, skipper Stan Brown and crew. They operated at Nukunono Island, which is a pretty spot four miles long and 300 yards wide and only a few feet above sea level. It is one of 30 islets in an atoll. Dr. Meredith and Mr. Alexander took turns in operating the transmitter.

Reports Mr. Alexander, “The hospitality of Rev. P. Desrosiers and his people was beyond words.

We were fed and feted like a regal party. Several local dances were performed for us and the children put on plays in English. The people are very self supporting and apart from the copra they grow and export there is very little in come, but they are very happy and contented”.

Heavy Costs

While there the radio men took the opportunity to make some re pairs on local receiving sets.

The cost of the expedition was “considerable” says Mr. Alexander, who adds, “It was shouldered by the Doc, without any thought of getting any of it back. As far as I know there were no sponsors and no free gear”.

Those are ham radio enthusiasts for you!

Nukunono, in the Tokelaus, seen from the “Maroro" as the ham enthusiasts approach the atoll.

Photo: P. Alexander.

Fiji ham Peter Alexander makes contact in the Tokelaus with world hams. He shared the task with Dr. H. Meredith, who financed the ex pedition.