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SINGLE OPERATOR PORTABLE IN THE DRY TORTUGAS  A 3 DAY HOLIDAY STYLE
OPERATION IN RARE GRID EL84, GARDEN KEY, FLORIDA.  DAN PASSARO, AK4PX  IN
SPRING 2014, I GOT THE IDEA OF OPERATING GUERRILLA PORTABLE ON A DESERTED
ISLAND.  I WANTED TO BRING A BATTERY AND SOLAR ARRAY, SET UP A STEALTH
ANTENNA, SLEEP UNDER THE STARS, AND CATCH FISH WITH MY BARE HANDS.  DRY
TORTUGAS, A NATIONAL PARK 67 MILES WEST OF KEY WEST, FLORIDA, WITH A LIVE
IN STAFF OF RANGERS AND DAILY FERRY SERVICE, SEEMED LIKE A NATURAL
DESTINATION, GIVEN THAT I LIVED IN MIAMI, FLORIDA ONLY 3 1/2 HOURS FROM KEY
WEST.  HOWEVER, JUST ONE MENTION OF THE TRIP ON AN ONLINE FORUM GENERATED A
RESPONSE THAT RUINED MY DREAM OF JUST SITTING ON THE BEACH WITH A COLD
DRINK IN ONE HAND AND A MICROPHONE IN THE OTHER.  UPON HEARING THAT I WAS
PLANNING TO GO TO DRY TORTUGAS, HANK ELLIS, K5HDE, WROTE YOULL BE IN GRID
EL84, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST WANTED GRIDS FOR THOSE CHASING THE FRED FISH
MEMORIAL AWARD FFMA AND VUCC.  PEOPLE WILL BE CHAMPING AT THE BIT TO ADD
THAT GRID TO THEIR LIST.  IM A RATHER NEW HAM, HAVING GOTTEN MY CALL IN
JANUARY 2012, SO WHEN PEOPLE STARTED RESPONDING TO THE POST, TALKING ABOUT
FFMA, IOTA THE ISLANDS ON THE AIR IOTA PROGRAM, ADMINISTERED BY THE RADIO
SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN RSGB, IS WHERE HAMS CAN EARN AWARDS BY OPERATING
FROM, OR CONTACTING, CERTAIN APPROVED ISLANDS AROUND THE WORLD.  LEARN MORE
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