1,600km NE Sydney
1,100km NW Auckland
2.25 hour flight from Sydney
The DXpedition station is located on the North West corner of the island
We plan to have the following radios and modes as a part of the DXpedition Station:
- HF CW & SSB from 160m through 10m
- Dedicated FT8 station on all HF Bands
- Dedicated 6 metre station with a small beam
- Simple wire antennas for HF (dipoles & verticals)
- Tea & coffee, water, soft drinks
You can spend time building skills as a Morse code or SSB operator, learning to master FT8 or spend some time listening for DX on 6 metres.
We’ll have experienced operators who can help you, whatever your experience level. If you’d like some dedicated time in front of the radio you can do that. Maybe you’d prefer to watch over someone else’s shoulder.
We expect the higher bands will be a lot of fun as the Sun Spot Cycle continues it’s upwards trend.
SOTA & National Parks
Mt Bates is just a 10-15 minute drive from the DXpedition Station. We’ll have the equipment to setup a SOTA station, or you can bring your own gear. Our QTH is located adjacent to the Norfolk Island National Park… you can literally walk into the National Park – its about 20 metres from our front door.
We’ll have six metres with a dedicated 100 watt radio and beam antenna.
What will it cost?
The Bootcamp itself is free (there may be a small fee to cover costs for tea, coffee, soft drinks, t-shirts, caps etc – to be determined). All you need to pay for is your holiday. Norfolk Island is also a great holiday destination. There is a wide variety of accommodation options on Norfolk Island.
https://www.norfolkisland.com.au/
Qantas is the only airline to fly from mainland Australian to Norfolk Island, departing from Sydney or Brisbane. Visit the Qantas website (or an Online Travel Agent) for more details.
How will it work?
Norfolk Island is an Australian External Territory about 1,670kms from Sydney…. You will book your own holiday… for as many or few days as you wish, pay for your own airfares, transport, accommodation, and food.
During your stay on the island, you’ll be able to visit the DX-pedition station, learn about DX-peditioning, have a listen, ask questions, and if you wish, spend time on the radio with a friendly, experienced op sitting alongside. We’ll have CW, SSB and FT8 modes in operation.
Our DX station is based on the Northeast corner of the island. You can visit the station as much or as little as you wish (during specified hours) and get on the radio as the schedule permits. For the city dwellers, experience an extremely low noise environment with good all-round antennas for hearing and working the DX. (very high dipoles and well placed verticals)
You can also operate SOTA from Mt Bates (VK9/NO-001) or the local National Park.
If you’d like to know more, please express your interest in attending the 2023 DX-pedition Bootcamp. We’ll share more information about the format of the event and what you can expect. The final format will depend on how many people attend, but we expect it will be an informal occasion with camaraderie and a friendly environment to learn about DX-ing.
There will be a strong emphasis on operating the radio and building practical skills.
Have you ever wondered what DX-peditioning is all about?
Would you like to dip your toe in the water without a full-on commitment?
Would you like to join a DX-pedition but are unsure of how to get on the invitation list?
Do you want to experience being on the business end of the pileup and build DXing skills?
A DX-pedition is a great way to improve your operating skills as well.
Well, the Norfolk Island DX-pedition Bootcamp might be for you.
Experienced DX-peditioners will be on Norfolk Island for 14 days in the second half of March 2023 (17 – 31 March) . The format of the event will be hands-on, with some presentations and a Bootcamp dinner (or two). Most importantly, you’ll get hands-on experience in a safe, friendly environment.
You will be able to visit the DX-pedition station and watch the action, ask questions, as well as book time in front of the radio. Make a friendly, fun, and educational entry into this this exciting facet of the hobby, without having to do the planning, logistics or complexity of transporting and setting up a station.
Maybe you’re an experienced operator, and you’d like to combine a holiday with some exciting on-air operation… the pile-ups are a load of fun and conditions are likely to be very lively…
Don’t book your flights just yet…. We are still in the planning phase of this DXpedition but we are ready to accept expressions of interest.
For more information, just click the information posts (right hand side of this page) and…. if you’d like to register an expression of interest, or have questions, please send an email to:
73, The Norfolk Island DXpedition Team 2023.
This initiative is supported by the following:
