QSL card sent to confirm radio contacts with us. The ladiess used the VK9YL
callsign.
The M.V. Floreat was our transportation. With crew of three and our team of 10 operators, it was cozy. The Foreat was an Australian Coast Guard tug in its former life.
This is North Willis the big(!) island. It is manned by six meteorologists in six month shifts year-round.
This is Middle Cay, where we were for 12 days. This is high tide.
The entire island looks like this or...
It looks like this.
The inhabitants are black or white Boobies. Thousands of them. And they never stop screeching!
The main sleeping and eating tent is the blue and white one. The small tent on the left in the foreground had two stations in it and the tent on the right was a sleeping tent.
This was the main 20 meter station tent. I think it was a WWII Australian Army surplus tent. I fell apart in the constant 30 knot winds and we made hasty repairs one night.
This was the 15/17 meter station tent. The main sleeping tent is visible at center while the 20 meter tent is on the right in the distance.
This was Darryl operating (gasp!) cw.
We did six hour shifts. Probably about half way thru one of them.
Several of the operators got personal licenses. This is Darryl's license with the call sign VK9WX. It was valid only from Willis Island.
The team. Bill, Bob, Ivan, Bill in back. Ann, Doug, Nori, Eric, Elvira in front.
Darryl, AF7O with the national flags of each country represented on the expedition.
Our 80 meter home brew vertical.
The first one ashore. The last to leave.
Cover of 59 magazine December 1997