Travel logistics went largely as planned. The station was divided into three bags: a Pelican 1535 carry‑on for all critical electronics, a small personal bag for the laptop and accessories, and a Pelican 1615 checked bag for antennas, mast, coax, and tools. Keeping the radio and amplifier with me eliminated any anxiety about loss or damage in transit.
Airline and airport handling were uneventful. I received questions about the radio equipment during security screening, but ultimately passed through smoothly. Once on Eleuthera, the rental car was waiting, transit to the cottage was straightforward, and all gear arrived intact.
First Look at the QTH
Upon arrival, the first order of business was assessing the available space. The cottage had reasonable outdoor area, but like many rental properties, antenna placement options were more constrained than they first appeared. Power lines were present nearby, and the house itself sat closer to the usable antenna area than ideal.
At this point, the goal was simply to get everything assembled and on the air, then adjust as necessary based on real‑world behavior rather than assumptions.
Antenna Deployment
The multiband vertical for 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters was deployed on a Spiderbeam mast not far from the cottage. Radials were installed, and initial SWR results were acceptable across all bands.
Station Assembly
With the antenna in place, station assembly went smoothly. The IC‑705, JUMA PA‑1000+, and support equipment were up and running quickly, with all interconnections behaving exactly as tested at home. From opening the first case to a powered‑on station took about an hour.
The radio configuration and logging environment were already dialed in before departure, which helped keep initial setup focused on physical layout rather than software troubleshooting.
First QSOs
With the station operational, initial contacts came quickly. Digital modes were used first to confirm transmit and receive performance, and early results were encouraging. The combination of location, antenna, and timing produced strong responses on the air, confirming that the basic setup was sound.