Folks:
An earlier thread about CQ zones inspired my query to Resolute Bay Canada,
which I passed through in 1986, on an expedition. Wonders of the modern
world.....Resolute, as remote and forbidding, and cold, and sparsely
populated as it is, is just an (almost) free Skype phone call away. I
looked at some websites by locals there, and found the South Camp Inn, is
one of several Inns there, a significant source of local employment, which
is otherwise pretty bleak. South Camp Inn featured a ready to use Ham
Station, available to (licensed) guests.
I Skyped the Inn, and had a chat with the Inn Manager,
Ozzie, and asked about the Ham Radio Station that was featured on his
website. Ozzie said it had been dismantled, due to lack of interest/use,
and given away to locals for other uses. Surprised me...
He said locals use utility HF radios for practical long range
communications, using assigned lower HF frequencies for safety, comms in
hunting, and other industry. But not much local demand for ham radio as a
cheap diversion, comm channel to stay in touch with friends and family
farther south.... surprising to me.
I was looking for a strategy to someday getting back to Resolute to
operate. (Commercially very expensive to fly, and stay there) I queried if
there was ever need for short (or maybe even longer) term scientific
support personnel to support the many science expeditions going through.
Resolute seems to be a real geographic hub of Arctic Research on Global
Warming, and is the obvious shove-off point for mission locations farther
north.
Ozzy said sometimes, and that he had a bulletin board there at the Inn that
he would be happy to post notes for/about offers/inquiries for Science
mission support, and to send anything I wanted for him to post, and he would
post it. So if you have the yearn for adventure and travel, this maybe a
good doorway threshold to stand at the ready, at.
I suspect that if you sent a post, to Ozzie, advertising/offering your
areas of expertise, up there, you might just get a call from a Science crew
in a bind and needing someone..... who would pay your ticket to bring up a
needed part, computer, or skill set. Then, afterwards, you could stay a
while and offer a rare Island Location prefix to the world from Resolute
Canada... and maybe get some of the local population of 250 or so folks to
become interested in ham radio.
Best, 73,
Pat Barthelow aa6eg@hotmail.com
http://www.jamesburgdish.org
Jamesburg Earth Station Moon Bounce Team
http://www.cq-vhf.com
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