SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX001
ARLX001 Heard Island DXpedition departure delayed

ZCZC AX01
QST de W1AW
Special Bulletin 1  ARLX001
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  January 3, 1997
To all radio amateurs

SB SPCL ARL ARLX001
ARLX001 Heard Island DXpedition departure delayed

Heard Island DXpedition departure delayed

A strike in France has delayed the departure of the Heard Island
(VK0IR) DXpedition team from Reunion Island.  The team had been
ready to set sail January 3, 1997.  Instead, the team now will leave
January 5 and head directly to Heard Island without making a planned
stop at Crozet Island.  John Devoldere, ON4UN, reports that the
French Regie Maritime, the semi-official agency that manages all
ferries in France, is going on strike for two days starting today;
the crew of the Marion Dufresne, the expedition vessel, is going on
strike as a sign of solidarity with their brethren in France.

The Heard Island DXpedition team has been active as TO0R from
Reunion Island for much of this week, mostly on 160 meters at 1826.5
kHz.  The group expects to land on Heard Island on January 12 at the
latest and leave the island at month's end.  On the sail back to
Reunion Island, the team will stop at Kerguelen Island ''for about
one day,'' Devoldere said, adding that ''the chances to operate on
Kerguelen are minimal due to the limited time available.''

Those interested in having a blow-by-blow account of the DXpedition
can send a ''subscribe'' message (leave subject line blank) to
heard-request (at) ve7tcp.ampr.org.
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/EX