For those of you who may find this interesting......<br><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">979 DX Tour</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:newsfrom979@me.com">newsfrom979@me.com</a>></span><br>Date: Fri, Nov 18, 2011 at 9:02 AM<br>
Subject: YES, WE ARE GOING FOR IT! DX TOUR THIS WEEKEND - SEA GULL ISLAND, VIRGINIA!<br>To: <br><br><br>
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<div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 18px"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 36px">T</span>he DX TOUR rolls again starting TOMORROW! Once again, aiming to break new ground in new territory off the Atlantic Coast . . . and given the success of recent Delaware/Maryland border coastline activations, we'll be taking our chances and making some bets on the northern Virginia coastline. TARGET: <strong>Sea Gull Island</strong> off the <strong>northern Virginia coast </strong>where the Chesapeake Bay & the Atlantic Ocean meet! A man-made island surrounded by water just north of Virginia Beach, and an intriguing location for radio activation! <span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Long</span>-discussed, <span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline">long</span>-researched and alive with hopes of possible <span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline">long</span>-distance connection!</span></div>
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<div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 18px"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 36px">F</span>or <em>New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania operators</em> - it will be one 'helluva' challenge, as it </span></div>
<div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 18px">essentially will be the air mileage equivalent of reaching Mt. Washington, NH but instead......to the south....250 - 275 air miles for most, so yeah, for those who succeed, it would be a "biggie." For <em>Connecticut, Massachusetts and other New England operators, </em>it would frankly be more of a miracle shot! But then again, time and time over, these DX TOUR activations have proven to continually amaze all of us - so, well you just never know! It wasn't that long ago, that a dozen New Englanders were doing 300 air mile + trips down to the Baltimore harbor! So take your shot!</span></div>
<div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 18px">And for all operators - no matter where you are - always interesting to hit an "island."</span></div>
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<div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 18px">Opportunities will be abound. Early risers can attempt to catch my mobile as I travel the <em>20 mile <span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel as I likely arrive at the bridge by around 6am</span>!!! Then two days and two shots at some magical connections - both sunrise starts to lunchtime off Sea Gull Island!</em></span></div>
<div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 18px"><em>And then once again another chance to hit a mobile off the mighty bridge late Sunday around 5pm at sunset as we roll back north! </em></span></div>
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<div><strong><span style="FONT-SIZE: 18px">Here are the OFFICIAL DETAILS:</span></strong></div>
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<div><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font size="4">TONIGHT, FRIDAY, 11/18 - DRIVE DOWN TO VIRGINIA</font></span></div>
<div><font size="4">Blast off at 10pm and rolling to early dawn </font></div>
<div><font size="4">Likely to <strong>hit the "20 mile" Chesapeake Bay Bridge by 6am'ish'</strong> (mobile)</font></div>
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<div><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font size="4">TOMORROW, SATURDAY 11/19 - SEA GULL ISLAND, VA</font></span></div>
<div><font size="4">'Sunrise Start' - 7am - 1pm (full set up)</font></div>
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<div><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font size="4">SUNDAY 11/20 - SEA GULL ISLAND, VA</font></span></div>
<div><font size="4">'Sunrise Start & Second Shot' 7am - 1pm</font></div>
<div><font size="4">'Sunset Return' - <strong>5pm'ish' back in mobile off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge</strong>, </font></div>
<div><font size="4">and travelling to midnite back in NJ</font></div>
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<div><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font size="4">FREQUENCY INFO</font></span></div>
<div><font size="4">Main/starting frequency: 27.435 lsb</font></div>
<div><font size="4">Alternate: 27.440 LSB</font></div>
<div><font size="4">Emergency 'back-ups' (40 channels up): 27.835 lsb or 27.840 lsb</font></div>
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<div><font size="4"><b>Helpful Hints!</b></font></div>
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<div><font size="4">1. Try early! (a chance to beat the skip with low QRM early morning)</font></div>
<div><font size="4">2. Try often! (conditions change, and the best moments could come at any time! given several shots throughout the activation time just increase the odds)</font></div>
<div><font size="4">3. Try with all you got! (beams, power, mic gains up, speech processors engaged! mobiles head to your mountains!)</font></div>
<div><font size="4">4. Try coordinating with me! (when skip runs heavy, greatest success comes with operators who often call me, and we find a momentary quiet frequency to QSY to, and attempt a direct contact)</font></div>
<div><font size="4">5. Try helping each other out! (grabbing skip stations and taking them to a different frequency, or passing the word to others, etc.)</font></div>
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<div><font size="4">So that's the deal! A rare opportunity at a Virginia Island activation! Who knows! Only the Ground Wave gods! Hope to catch you on the air on the road, off the big bridge or on the island!!!</font></div>
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<div><font size="4">Always reachable at <span style="FONT-SIZE: 36px">917-386-8711<span style="FONT-SIZE: 18px">to clarify whereabouts, set up a contact, check in.....and this time especially for those who want to time a Chesapeake Bay Bridge Contact!</span></span></font></div>
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<div><font size="4"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 36px"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 18px">Thank you for making radio amazing,</span></span></font></div>
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<div><em><font size="4"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 36px"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 18px">Shawn</span></span></font></em></div>
<div><em><font size="4"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 36px"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 18px">979</span></span></font></em></div><font color="#888888">
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