Nov 95-Mar 96 - Operating on HF from the Falkland Islands

November 1996 saw me travelling down to the Falkland Islands for a 4 month 'detachment' with the Royal Air Force. For that period of time I was based on West Falkland at 751 Signals Unit otherwise known as Mount Alice.

While passing through RAF Mount Pleasant I enquired at the Post Office about getting an Amateur Radio Licence and in exchange for £10 I was issued a callsign VP8CSR - valid for life. My plan had been to beg borrow or acquire some kit once I had settled in but the postmaster, by the name of Les VP8CSA? immediately offered to sort me out some kit. I flew out to Mt Alice later the same day and began the process of taking over various duties from the outgoing incumbant.

The mountain sites as they were known were well served by a sometimes twice-daily helicopter service which was normally a Bristows. Their arrival and departure was a welcome reminder that one day it would be our turn to be going home to our families. Their arrival also brought the mail. Within a day of arival I received my first parcel, and probably one of the bigger parcels ever sent by Bristows. It was from Les. A suitcase containing an ICOM HF Tranceiver with 100W Linear Amp. What a star, and best of all, I was familiar with how it worked because it was exactly the same equipment that another unit I had worked with a few years previously had been equipped with.

So began my four month expedition as a Radio Amateur in the South Atlantic.