by Jack Henry N6XQ

with Radio Club Peruano, 11-16 Feb 2004

This is my personal and unofficial record of the expedition and it has not been reviewed or approved by RCP.

All photos and narratives are my own.

I would like to thank the Radio Club Peruano for inviting me on the expedition. The expedition received some support from the Radio Club Peruano, and IREF (www.islandradio.org). The University administrator of the island was generous in allowing us to use the island and their facilities.

#1 The Lima headquarters building of the Radio Club Peruano

The top antenna is a 40 meter yagi.

#2 Looking North from DX room #612, Hotel Britania , Lima

Many 6 meter QSO's have been made from here over the years

#3 Our departing lunch in the VIP room of the Radio Club Peruano Restaurant.

l-r Pablo-OA4DJW, Jack-N6XQ, Deamon-OA4CFU, Marcial-OA4DM, and Jorge-OA4BHY

#4 All packed up

(back l-r) Daemon-OA4CFU, Hildebrando-OA4BHN, Jack-N6XQ

(kneeling l-r) Pablo-OA4DJW, Manuel-OA4AHW, and Sergio-OA4SJ

#5 Isla Los Chimus is a small Island about 225 miles north of Lima located in the Ancash Department of Peru (OA3). The island is owned by the University and is only inhabited by a few people for Oceanographic research and security of the nearby scallop farms. The building on the left is the operating shack and chowhall. The extensive trail system on the island was built by the Incas 1000 years ago for mining gaviota guano. The first time on the air. IOTA SA-074 and grid FI00.

#6 The University boat transported us to the island and then a tethered raft was used since there was no pier.

#7 A relay team was used to haul equipment from the raft to topside

#8 Installation of the hy-gain tri-bander

#9 Manuel-OA4AHW assembles the R5 vertical.

#10 Manuel-OA4AHW walking on one of the Inca trails with the 1/4 wave 40 meter vertical behind him. The 6 meter vertical is to the immediate left of the 40 meter vertical. The 40 meter vertical was amazing to JA early in the morning.

#11 Sergio-OA4SJ cranking out Q's on 20 cw

#12 Manuel-OA4AHW working the 10 meter pileup on ssb.

#13 Sleepwalkers and drunks are eliminated from the gene pool here.

#14 Our jefe cocinero Manuel-OA4AHW dishes up a generous portion of spaghetti to Jorge-OA4BHY while Hildebrando-OA4BHN anxiously awaits.

#15 Our alternate jefe cocinero Pablo-OA4DJW brews up a pot of soup while the chief food taster Jack-N6XQ samples the Jack Daniels.

#16 Relaxing around the table after a feast of the Peruvian delicacy cuy (Guinea pig).

l-r Jorge-OA4BHY, Pablo-OA4DJW, Sergio-OA4AHW, Deamon-OA4CFU, Manuel-OA4AHW, and Hildebrando-OA4BHN

#17 Tired of eating spaghetti and cuy, the gang tries their luck at snagging some delicacies for the ceviche pot.

#18 Manuel-OA4AHW catches one more for the ceviche pot

#19 Jorge-OA4BHY demonstrates the functionality of the starfish he caught.

#20 Jorge and Pablo showing off their calamari catch.

#21 "el perro solo" would make friends with no one. He has been living on the island for 4 years and survives off of gaviotas.

#22 Our departing group photo. The gang made almost 5000 QSO's from the island.

#23 The OA4B 50.036 MHz beacon that is now hosted by Jorge-OA4BHY in Lima. We made about 45 Q's on 6 meters from the island into W4, W5, Caribe, Central and South America.