Hello Friends,

This is "Lee" - my handle for Leor.

Thank you for looking up my CALLSIGN.

Sailing aboard White Magic on Lake Winnipeg to activate George Island, Lighthouse CAN-845 for the first time

From July 19 to August 13, 2013

Will be sailing solo and working SSB only. Look for my signal at these frequencies +/_ QRM

6m - 50.136

10m - 28.336

12m - 24.936

15m- 21.236

18m - 18.136.

20m - 14.236

40m - 7.136

80m -3.636

160m - 1.836

I will be lusing ow power between 5w and 100w so you will probably have to dig around to hear me. I will be on the air daily, but the times are unpridictable. On sailing days, I will most likely be on the air from early evenings until early morning local time (Central Time Zone). On foul weather days I will be in a protected bay swinging on the anchor, riding out the storm so I should be able to work the bands almost around the clock. George Island is at least 3 to 5 days sail in a northerly direction from Gall Harbour on Hecla Island, which is my home port. It is not easy to get there because most of the the time the winds are Northerly and sailing against the wind is difficult, hard on the body and boat and very time consuming. So, if o rwhen I reach George Island, I should be able to work the bands almost around the clock, allowing some time to sleep of course.

Since, the trip is beyond cell phone service, I use SPOT MESSANGER to send a pre-arranged emailthat lets my XYL know I am well and she can view my position on Google Map from a link in the email message. Only 10 email addresses can be programed which is unfortunate for you and the other OM that are interested in following my dxpedition.

I am enquiring if Spot Messanger has a service that can be linked here on QRZ.COM so any visitor to my QRZ.COM page can also see my progress and position.

Hope we work eachother from White Magic and the George Island Lighthouse, CAN-845.

73,

de Lee VE4DXR

White Magic

On November 25, 2011 I received my Basic Plus HF license. This certification authorizes me to operate on VHF/HF bands and up to 560 watt P.E.P. December 21, 2011 I broadcasted my callsign and made my first contact on HF. It's very exciting to make QSO's with DX stations. Chasing DX and and entering in the logbook ever moredistant stations excites me tremendously. Amature radio operators are friendly and generous people. Meeting people ON THE AIR and rag chewing is also very enjoyable. Amateur radio operators are friendly and generous people who dont mind sharing information. Most QSO I make are informative and educational. This hobby is amazing!

My operating conditions consist of: Kenwood TS-590 (QTH) and Yaesu FT-857D (mobile and marine mobile) rigs. The antennas are Spiderbeam 5 Band HD at 18.3m A.A.G. (November 23, 2012). Also have a G5RV homebrew antenna (QTH) at 15m, Alpha Antenna 6-160 75 ft wire J-Pole, Alpha Antenna Pro-Master 6-160, Alpha Sky Satelite eggbeater and ATAS-120 (mobile / marine mobile). I am slowly learning how to use all the features of my rigs. The latest additions to my shack is a vintage Yaesu FL-2100B linear amplifier in mint condition (January 2013).

Started getting into digital modes and enjoy using PSK31 which was my first digital mode. Currently, exploring RTTY and JT65 because I am looking for more efficient and better modes whenever poor propagation and QSB is present. Also, I am using an online program to learn CW.

Summer has come and gone, I have had two wonderful trips on WHITE MAGIC, combining my passion for sailing with chasing DX. While anchored in secluded coves on Lake Winnipeg I operated the FT-857D and mostly the Alpha Antenna 6-160 wire J-Pole to make very satisfying DX contacts with St. Crois, P.E.I., Martinique, New Zealand, Mexico City, Spain, Lithuania, Morocco, Algeria, Brazil, Belgium, Ecuador, and Puerto Rico to name just a few.

That's me on White Magic at Hecla Village Harbour, Hecla Island, MB.

Two antennas up: ATAS-120 on the port upper shroud and the Alpha Antenna 6-160 from the masthead to the bow and up to the burgee halyard at the starboard spreader and back to the back stay. I removed both antennas before raising the anchor and sailing away.

Close up of the ATAS-120. The booster cables serve as ground connectors by connecting the antenna mount to the stainless steel shroud, to the 40 foot aluminum mast both of which connect to the massive lead keel in the water and also to the aluminum toe rail which on a 29 foot boat is 58 linear feet. On the air reports indicated that adding these connections to make a ground plane improved my signal strength by at least 2 S-Units and I was heard clearly on the ATAS-120. The blue cord around the ATAS-120 serves as backup security ensuring the antenna stays attached to the shroud in the event the mount should fail. I would not want to loose the antenna in the drink!

Photo of the radio and antenna selector switch on the saloon table.

I turned off all the boat's equipment by shutting down the power and ran the radio's dc cable directly from one of the deep cycle marine batteries. The overhead flashlight lights up the radio bench. With virtually no QRM from onboard systems or infrastructure noise the DX results were truly amazing.

Maybe some time in the future I will operate on Islands On The Air DXPEDITION from two uninhabitted islands on Lake Winnipeg. I wonder what ARRL rules are for designating new Islands to the list of islands. The names of the Islands are: George Island and Berens Island. George Island has a lighthouse so perhaps it would be possible to add that lighthouse to the list of lighthouses. IF YOU LIKE SAILING AND WORKING PORTABLE, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL A MESSAGE TO ME. YOU MAY BE ACCOMPANYING ME ON A MINI DXPEDITION FROM LAKE WINNIPEG, MB IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

It is a pleasure to have met you and I am looking forward to working old friends, new quality contacts and meet new friends ON THE AIR!

HOME QTH: November 23, 2012. Spiderbeam 5 Band HD at 18.3m height.

Leor "Lee" Drory

VE4DXR , VE4DXR/MM

Winnipeg, MB. Canada