First VEFF activity planned - VEFF-0158 on Aug 1

After meeting up with family, we are now on Manitoulin Island. There are 3 VEFF reserves on the island. One is near to where I am staying: VEFF-0158 Blue Jay Creek Provincial Park. 

Today I went over to check the area out. It is difficult to reach over off-road tracks and will require me to walk the last bit - as the track stays on the edge of the reserve.

After a few km's of gravel road, the last bit is even more off-road.

I counted on this though and bought a car battery from Canadian Tyre on my way to the island. Now I only need to find a proper tree for the antennas and some shadow. 

The weekend we will be spending enjoying a native's festival. If all goes well my first activation will take place on Monday Aug 1 from around 20h UTC.

Looking forward to VEFF

In 1,5 weeks I will be travelling to VE for the first time. I will be visiting my brother in Toronto and then travel around Ontario for 2 weeks with my family.

Discussing the various VEFF locations Dave VA3RJ (VEFF coordinator) decided to update the Ontario reference list and he helped me find a large number of provincial parks along my route.

After contacting several agencies (border police, customs, airline) it seems I am OK with bringing my radio. I am not comfortable with taking LiPo batteries as I expect I will run into problems checking them in. So I will have to either buy a power source in VE or use the car (which means I can only operate from a park if I can get in by car).

Checking the propagation forecasts it will be challenge to work EU with only 100w and a wire antenna. I hope I will attract some (new?) NA chasers as well.

There are VEFF locations near all the stops I have planned. However, there is a lot more to do and see and my travelling companions will not be particularly enthusiastic if I am away all the time. So I will have to see when I have the opportunity to go /P. 

If I have internet access I will post my plans to Twitter and the WWFF facebook page.