DXPedition To Northern Korea Scheduled
By WBØRUR, on the scene
MOUNTAIN VIEW, KANSAS – In what’s being called a tremendous yet terribly confusing opportunity for amateur radio, a Kansas ham radio club is moving forward with plans for an April DXpedition to northern Korea.
Members of the Great Windy Plains Radio Club are in the final preparation stage for their trip to northern Korea – a small town located in Culpeper County, Virginia. The trip is expected to take the 12-person group approximately 15 hours via a caravan of older pickups and recreational vehicles.
“Our travel time is limited by Jimmy’s 1984 Holiday Rambler,” says club president Ralph Watson. “Ever since that head gasket blew during Field Day ’08, his RV won’t go faster than 42 mph. It’ll cut into our operating time, but it’s a small price to pay for his kitchenette and fresh water tank.”
Northern Korean leaders were agreeable to the club’s operating conditions adds Watson. “In fact, the Chamber of Commerce has agreed to supply us with coffee and soft drinks during our stay.”
The GWPRC will set up operations in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Express, located on the northern side of Korea near the Culpeper and Rappahannock county line (on Eggbornsville Road).
“They’ve got a free continental breakfast, too,” adds Watson. “It’s really a win-win for everyone.”
“The club has wanted to stage a DXpedition for a long time,” says ‘Junior’ Hardy, a club member. He is also volunteering the use of his Swan 350 transceiver for the 20 meter SSB operation.
“But we don’t hear as well as we used to, so working pileups is out of the question. And most of us have prostate issues, so traveling long distances on a boat isn’t a possibility.
“We’re excited about activating northern Korea,” says Hardy. “We’ll QSL as soon as possible, too!”
The club will use call sign “KP5A” while operating from northern Korea. They will be active daily except during lunch when the group can be found at the Golden Corral in nearby Shenandoah.
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cover photo credit: - jre - via photopin cc