Wow!  Where did the time go?  With our J6/homecall licenses in hand, ALL we have to do is pack and get to the airport in time!  Sounds easy!  But, even to a populated, modern (Radio Shack, Home Depot) country, you can’t forget anything, especially the critical “magic” connector that makes villa and field portable operations possible.  So it’s a process of staging everything for a radio setup and operating to ensure it all works.  Then you pack the backup “stuff” in case you or someone on your team needs that “magic” connector. Same effort begins with your clothes (minimize, minimize), your rain gear, your hiking gear, etc. 

For me, one goal of this trip is to minimize my suitcase(s) weight but yet have everything I need to operate either from the villa or beach portable.  Can I get under 75 lbs (one suitcase as checked baggage and the other as carry-on for my K2 radio and lithium-containing batteries which must go with carry-on baggage) and have my antennas, coax and extra-coax, my Macgyver-kit, etc.  No easy feat and each member of the team is struggling with the right balance:  “just enough vs too much weight/not enough room”. 

We did have one set back.  Scott, NE1RD, will not be able to come on the trip due to a recent work-related projects that completely interrupted his dxpedition plans. We will miss you Scott! 

There will be one more Press Release next week announcing our J6 effort.  Certainly the excitement is building with the BuddiPole team!  Hope to work all of you from J6.  So now back to packing….