N5J – Jarvis Island DXpedition

• [NEWS] 

For info, here’s a list (updated July 23rd) of both remote CW & FT8 operators in table format. Check out the N5J website too. A reminder that the Jarvis island DXpeditions takes place during August 5-17, 2024. 

• [PRESS RELEASE #4]

Since the Dateline DX Association announced plans for activating Jarvis Island this summer many have asked if we could arrange with IOTA and POTA program organizers to secure approval of our DXpedition.

Jarvis is one of the rarest of the IOTA counters, having been off the air for 34 years. It is needed by 82% of IOTA program participants.

Because of the requirements set by the permit of the USFWS, while the stations and antennas and power are all set up on Jarvis Island, the local operators must conduct the DXpedition from the MV Magnet which will still be in the Jarvis Island National Wildlife Refuge just offshore.

Both the IOTA and POTA programs have agreed to recognize QSOs made by the local operators but will not allow QSOs made by internet remote operators to count. Therefore, QSOs made by AA7JV, HA7RY, N1DG, KO8SCA and KN4EEI will count for the awards. Daily uploads by the N5J team to clublog will identify the operators. Additionally at the beginning of each operator shift the team will endeavor to post on the cluster the callsign of the operator so chasers have some real time notice. At this time all phone operations are expected to be by the at Island team as well giving that mode 100% IOTA/POTA certaintly.

In addition to the five operators mentioned above, there is an experienced team of 24 operators from 8 countries operating up to 6 stations around the clock ensuring DXers around the globe have ample opportunity to add an ATNO or band fill to their DXCC totals.

This is an expensive DXpedition to one of the rarest entities that DXers will see in 2024. Please visit our website and make a donation to help us put this one on the air.

• [APRIL 17]

The Dateline DX Association is pleased to announce that due to the increasing interest in our DXpedition to this rare DXCC entity we are adding another local operator to our team.

Please welcome KO8SCA, Adrian Ciuperca, to our at-island team. A well known and experienced DXpeditioner, Adrian works as an IT consultant, a much needed component to any remote operation. He is a newly inducted member of the CQ DX Hall of Fame and a YASME award of Excellence winner.

Adrian is a keen DXer with DXCC 318, 9BDXCC, IOTA, as well as being a passionate contester. He competed in WRTC 2018 in Wittenberg, Germany as well as at the 2023 edition of WRTC in Bologna, Italy.

Adrian has taken part in over 30 DXpeditions to destinations including W8S Swains Island, 3Y0J Bouvet Island, J2, Z6, OJ0, VP2V, PJ2, PJ4, A5, ZK3, V8, TX0M/TX0A, 6O, 9M0, FJ, FM, J3, J8, VK9C, VK9X, VP5, VP9, and Z2. Recently he has been a guest operator at 4U1UN and HV0A

His preferred operating mode is CW, but he is also active in SSB and digital modes. Adrian is a member of several amateur radio DX and contesting clubs, namely, NCDXF, INDEXA (board director), YCCC, FOC, CWOPS, LIDXA, Order of Boiled Owls of New York, LICWC, NYCDXA, WECA, Araucária DX Group, RRC.

This is an expensive DXpedition to one of the rarest entities that DXers will see in 2024. Please visit our website and make 

• [MARCH 26] – NCDXF supports N5J Jarvis Island DXpedition:

NCDXF is pleased to announce its financial support for the August 2024 DXpedition to #18 Jarvis Island. The Special Use Permit was issued to the Dateline DX Assn. This will be a 100% RIB – Rig in a Box – operation with four operators on boat and many others operating remotely via satellite internet.

The group is being monitored by US Fish and Wildlife. If this trip is successful, other F&W destinations could be permitted. Some of these are in the top 20 most wanted. Most of the cost is fuel for the boat and the costs associated with F&W. Our mission statement is to provide funding to rare entity DXpeditions and to advance the technology of DXing. Jarvis is a perfect example to meet these requirements.

With that in mind, the NCDXF has granted Dateline DX Assn $75,000 to fund the DXpedition. They hope to receive further funding from other organizations and NCDXF hopes our grant will springboard other donations. They plan to upload to LoTW as soon as practical after the operation. More information on the DXpedition will be available on this website.

Click to enter Jarvis Island 2024 DXpedition website

• [MARCH 23] 

DX-World can now reveal the N5J callsign will be used for the Jarvis island DXpedition scheduled for August ’24. Initial breaking news details and further info below:

• [MARCH 5 by George AA7JV]

We have received permisison from the US Fish and Wildlife Service to land on Jarvis Island for a 13 day DXpedition, starting around August 1, 2024 (the date may change due to WX). We will have  6 RIB stations on the island, including a 160 meter station. While August is not idea for the low bands, we are greatful for the permit to operate. The time of the year was not our choice. 160m will be very challanging for EU (near impossible) as there is no common darkness but we will install a good RX antenna. The TX antenna will be a 45 ft tall vertical without top loading (wires can hurt birds). While this is a compromise antenna, it will be standing in salt water at most tides and should put out a decent signal. EU stations on 80m will have better chance, albeit still small. No matter, we will put in the time and effort at both our SS and SR. You never know with TB. We will also have a 6m station with a 6 element Yagi. Updates and callsign info to follow later.

• [PRESS RELEASE #1] 

The Dateline DX Association is pleased to announce it has received permission from the USFWS for a DXpedition to Jarvis Island National Wildlife Reserve this August. Jarvis is ranked nr. 18 on Club Log’s global most wanted list. It is number 9 in Europe. Jarvis Island is 450 miles from Palmyra Atoll and 1500 miles from Hawaii.

Jarvis was last on the air in 1990 and permission to visit has been difficult to obtain. We have worked very hard for the past few years on this permission and after demonstrating the success of the RIB concept with remote operators from various locations in 2023 we have received a permit that allows 4 operators on the boat to visit Jarvis with 6 stations on land.

The small team of four, consisting of George, AA7JV, Don, N1DG, Tomi, HA7RY and Mike, KN4EEI, will install 6 RIB stations on Jarvis, operating on 160 to 6 meters, using CW, SSB and FT8 modes. The on-island team will be augmented by 25 remote operators from Asia, Europe and North America, running CW and FT8. FT8 operations will use the Fox/Hound mode. The RIB equipment, which makes an efficient small footprint operation possible, was developed with the support of the NCDXF.

We will be accompanied to Jarvis by a team of 3 USFWS biologists conducting science. Callsign, website and additional information will be announced shortly. We wish to thank the staff of the USFWS in Hawaii for their hard work in approving this minimally invasive operation on Jarvis Island NWR.

73 George AA7JV and Don N1DG, permit holders for the Jarvis Island NWR 2024 DXpedition.