BDARS DXpedition to Rathlin Island

June 2001

	It was a wet and windy day when we arrived. Some of us got an early boat, which we had to share with some cattle. The rest of the team got this boat, which had been full of school children. The boat bobbed about a lot in the sea and a lot of the kids were sick, most people got soaked with salt water spraying over the side. Jeff and Bill are in the bottom LHS, looking a bit fed-up.
	On Friday night the weather was awful and we had to use temporary antennas. Saturday was much better and here you can see John (G0HWO) and Pete (GI4VIV) with one of the masts.
	As well as operating the main HF station, some of us took time out to do some portable work. This is Bertie and Myles at the East lighthouse using an FT817 and a 40 meter dipole. Robert the Bruces cave is in the cliffs on the other side of the lighthouse.
	If you look at the picture in detail, you can just about see the dipole. It is strung across this small valley.
	Some of the antennas at our island QTH. The three masts are suspending a doublet.
	A view of Church Bay.
	A Plaque at the East Lighthouse, celebrating Marconi's transmissions in 1898.
	Another view of our antennas, showing the Butternut vertical.
	An "invention" by Pete GI4VIV. Yaesu's ATSA-100 mobile antenna mounted on a mast with radials. It worked surprisingly well!
	Pete operating on 20 meters. Using an FT100.
	Pete operating and John logging. We were using LOGGER, by Bob Furzer.
	Ian MI5AFL, doing a bit of antenna work.
	Our club chairman Jeff MI0AEX, dealing with a pile-up on 20.
	Dick GI0OUM is very keen on WAB and WAI operating. Here he is standing with one foot in D14 and the other in D15. John's GPS provided the data.
	Here is some portable operation from D14. Dick is keeping the log, Bertie is operating and Philip is keeping the kite under control. Again, this was using the new Yaesu FT-817.
	If you look at this picture in detail, you can see the kite we were using.
	A close up photo of the portable station in D14.
	Ian, MI5AFL sailed his boat to the island and brought over some of the heavy components of the station. The bad weather meant that he didn't get many volunteers to help him!
	The "postcard" view from our cottage.
	Ian making his way back to the mainland (which you can see in the distance).
	The boat coming to pick us up on Sunday. Thankfully no cows or kids on this boat!

We've also been to Rathlin Island in 2002, 2004 and 2006 and we are going again in 2007.