FO0SUC 1998 TUBUAI ISL

 			F0OSUC 1998 EXPEDITION, by F5JJW Joel.
			TUBUAI ISL
			IOTA OC-152
			DIFO FO-126

Tubuai Island is located at 23" South / 151" West , at 640Km from Tahiti
Island.
The Island has got an airport, stores and few little hotels 
(Like bed and breakfast)
Only 30 tourists can lodge on the Isl at the same time .
			Tubuai is a natural paradise !
Tubuai weather is very wet and cool, there is a lot of vegetable plantations.
1800 people live on it , in 3 villages. The Island area is 45square Km.

When I arrived the Oct 8th , and after I've settled place in a "FARE" (House in 
Polynesian langage)
, I installed the tribander beam antenna. It was late and I finished
with my pocket lamp.
So, I installed the tranceiver, and did make some test
All was fine, ROS was right on the 3 bands.
My first contact was with FK land,and approximatly 20 European stations.
But It was to late and propagation with Europe was going down.
The morning after it was rainning, I checked the radio installation.
" My god !!! I had much HF Feedback !!!, I had some problems with 
the antenna's traps.
The reason was humidity, I tryed to dry it , but without good results.
I decided to install a simple 20m dipol.
It was rainning during several days, I transmitted with the dipol during this
period.
I didn't make a lot of contact with it ..!
The nice weather came back for the week end, and I managed to put on
the beam one more time.
The propagation condition was very nice ,and I worked "pile up" 
during 6 days long.
I started at 4:30am on 20m long path with Europe, with  
IK2IQD,F6HIZ,F6AJH as net controlers.
I contacted many European like that.
I also worked some European on 10 and 15m.
After that, it was the North America opening on 10m until
the midle of the morning. After, the propagation was going down
until the midle of afternoon, during that time I have been to the beach
and visited the Island.
At 4:00pm, I started again ! With North America on 10 and after on 20m.
After it was Japanese opening on 15 and 20m.
I had the diner quickly, and runned pile up until 11:30pm with Europe.
I hadn't a lot of time to sleep .... because European friends were waiting for
me on 14.180Mhz ...
After 6 days like that, I was very tired, I left the island the Oct 17th
, and went to visit several FO friends, as F05JV in Tahiti, and 
FO5NL in Raiatea.

Result:
Total 6000 QSO , 3000 with N.America,1500 with JA,VK,ZL , 1500 with Europe.
with 100watts, an IC706 MK2, TH3 Junior, 20m and 40m dipols.

I thanks very much Claudine for her very good Polynesian cooking .!

		See you , next year for FO0SUC 1999 on ....???? Isl
		73 Joel F5JJW 
		LYON DX GANG , Clipperton DX Group.

FO0SUC QSL INFO, is via home call F5JJW
Joel SUC
La Grange
69440 TALUYER
FRANCE