[WVDXA] BS7H Press Release No. 11

[Clark L. Stewart]

An update from James Brooks received at 0300 local our time this morning 
where he attempted to provide us insight on the overall situation and ended 
it with:    "It's just that hard"


It is now day 3 on Scarborough with operations going for 48 hours.

All 4 operating positions are built and the team has gone from survival in 
route, to survival while building, to survival while in QSO mode.

Everyone on the team has cuts from the coral.  The closest access to any of 
the rocks is over coral and no one has been spared coral scrapes and 
cuts.  Add to that over 100 degree heat and sunburn and you have a 
dangerous environment for all.

During the day each shift is 6 hours in heat and a dry wind under a small 
umbrella.  If you are lucky enough you get to operate at night.  You are 
left on a rock for 13 hours barely 4 feet above the water in pitch black 
sitting in a folding chair, no where to walk and stretch and getting a 
constant salt spray.  You can't see the other rocks nor the ship and if 
something goes wrong there is no chance of rescue.

The steppIR verticals and one Yagi are up.  Two stations will stay on 20 
mtrs while the other two will search 15, 17, 30 and 40 for openings.

So as you sit there in your comfy shack complaining on the cluster and 
sending us emails about your lack of a QSO and the do's and don'ts'', think 
what our team is going through to bring you "the chance of a QSO".

Here is just a sampling of our fan mail received today:

"fIVE YEARS PLAnning you did a shitty job we cant hear you on the east 
coast you shoud have gotton info from n8s they did a great job at least you 
heard them you guys keep working ja's and w6's thats all your going to get 
the east coast i guess is off limmits you wount get any donation from me or 
any one else on the east coast you guys are the worst go to 11 meters you 
might have better lush"

GL and we wish you the best in the upcoming days.

N4XP and N1DG for the team on Scarborough Reef

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Here is an additional note from N1DG on the DX-List Reflector:

All stations now have their linears running about 800 watts. That was not 
true yesterday.
Don
N1DG