The VK9MT Mellish Reef DXpedition went QRT on April 5, 2014 (local time) after successfully placing slightly more than 40,000 world-wide QSO’s in the log. Although our trip was cut short due to Cyclone Ita, our team was so very fortunate to have been able to place this much wanted entity “on the air.” I have been wanting very much to chronicle the DXpedition, much like I did the ZL9HR Campbell Island 2012 DXpedition, but with several magazine & internet articles forthcoming from other persons I decided to wait prior to publishing anything on this blog. Many thanks to the QST staff & Bernie McClenny W3UR for profiling the DXpedition in the July 2014 “How’s DX?” magazine column. Also, many thanks to Gene Spinelli K5GS for penning the article for the QST magazine. Enjoy the pictures here accompanied by a simplified timeline of the DXpedition. 73, Glenn KE4KY
The core of the team is established with the commitments of Dave/K3EL & Glenn/KE4KY
Management / Financial aspect of team solidified
Logistical assignments/tasks spread throughout the existing team
September 2013
Landing authority is obtained from the Australian Commonwealth Marine Reserve Operations Department
EVOHE is selected as the vessel to transport the team to Mellish Reef
VK9MT license and callsign issued by Australian Communications and Media Authority
Team Postions
Commitments obtained for the international team from the months of August, 2013 to January 2014
Pista HA5AO
Les W2LK
Gene K5GS
George HA5UK
Dave K3EL
Glenn KE4KY
Luke VK3HJ
Norbert DJ7JC
Heye DJ9RR
Mike WA6O
Luigi IV3YER
Pilots selected in September of 2013
NA-Ralph W4HK (Chief Pilot)
EU-Col MM0NDX
SA-Luciano PT7WA
AF-Andre V51B
OC-Stan KH6CG
VK/ZL-Lee ZL2AL
October 2013
The license for VK9MT and a letter from the Australian government agency that oversees Mellish Reef were submitted to the ARRL DXCC desk for DXCC accreditation of the Mellish Reef 2014 DXpedition
October 2013
The all important dates for the DXpedition were finallized – March 28, 2014 to April 9, 2014
March 18, 2014
Advance Team arrives Mackay, QLD, Australia
All Team members arrive by the 24th
March 25, 2014
Departure from Mackay, across the Great Barrier Reef and into the Coral Sea
Port of Mackay, QLD Australia, departure date March 25, 2014
Prior to setting sail, March 25, 2014
Sailing the Coral Sea
Our transport to the reef from the EVOHE
Radio operations commenced on March 30, 2014
Mellish Reef light and power
Op tents (green), rest tent (orange)
The daily view…
Grey footed masked booby
View of op-tents from the EVOHE
The EVOHE anchored off the reef
The now famous DX World banner
Team photo (Thanks to the NCDXF for their support)
K3EL, WA6O, KE4KY, K5GS, W2LK
Radio operations ceased April 5, 2014. The weather from Cyclone Ita was impacting the operation and safety concerns became the foremost issue.
Thanks to all of the international support from foundations,organizations, and from the DX community at large!
