Pitcairn Island DXpedition

The Braveheart anchored just off Pitcairn Island at dawn, Thursday, October 17th. After customs & immigration, the team was transported to the home of Andy Christian where all of the equipment was waiting for us. This equipment arrived about 6 weeks prior to our arrival.
The steep dirt roads were very muddy from lots of recent rains and had our equipment not been prepositioned, we would have been delayed by several days getting all stations on the air.
By the end of the first day we had antennas up and four stations QRV at Andy?s house.
The next morning (Friday) everyone moved to the old Radio Site to set up more antennas and stations. This is our primary low band site. The DX Engineering 160M falling derrick vertical is almost full-size and generated huge pileups that night, with 700 stations in the 160M log!
Saturday morning left just a couple more antenna projects to finish and by late morning everything was set up and we settled into our operating routine.
Pitcairn has power from 8 am until 10 pm. After 10 pm we switch to generators until morning. The Radio Site is 100% generator powered.
As of about 2400Z Sunday, we have over 16,000 Q?s in the logs, including several 6M EME contacts.
We are down to 12 operators today. One of the team members fell, suffering several fractures. A supply ship was leaving today and he is being evacuated to Mangareva and on to Papeete. Naturally we are all disappointed with this situation, but medically it is in everyone?s best interest. DXpeditions to remote places are not without risk and medical care is quite limited at best.
The weather has been very cooperative with pleasant temperatures. When it rains, which is often, the dirt roads become ?the world?s friendliest mud,? as the residents call it, making travel between the two sites some- what treacherous.
We will have a station on 20M continuously, often with more than one
mode, with the goal of giving Pitcairn Island a new one to everyone.
The Flex Radios are working extremely well. With good conditions, at times we have been able to sustain nearly 400 Q?s/hr with FT8 Fox & Hound mode, working five stations simultaneously!
Logs are periodically uploaded to ClubLog during the times we have ?commercial? power on the island.
Please check our website often for the latest updates: www.pitcairndx.com
73, Glenn W0GJ