Pitcairn Islands is a DX aficionado dream come true with call sign prefix VP6. The Pitcairn Islands comprised of four islands has a population of about 40 some people and only one of the four islands is inhabited (Pitcairn). The Pitcairn Islands was the landing place of the nine mutineers from the HMS Bounty. [Plus 11 Tahitian women and a few Tahitian men.]
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If you were chasing DX in the 1960's- 1980's you undoubtedly worked VP6TC (Tom Christian) a descendant of Fletcher Christian, one of the nine. Seventh Day Adventist missionaries visited Pitcairn in the 1800's and converted the inhabitants to their religion. One of the regular VP6TC 20M skeds was with an Adventist ham station at Loma Linda University in SoCal. VP6TC is a SK but VP6MW (Meralda Warren) is active on 15M FT-8. Incidentally, QRZ.com shows her with close to 250K hits.
VP6 land has been a destination for DXpeditions, but it has been maybe 10 years since the last one. Facilities are limited and many have solar power systems for home electrification. Lodging facilities for any tourists consist of staying with a local family.
At one time a source of income was selling collector postage stamps and specially minted coins. By the way the US Mint in Denver is totally self-funded as their source of operating income is derived from minting coins for foreign nations. Paper money "minted" for foreign countries is done in Washington DC. The US Mints have produced currency for about 41 Countries, many in South America. [United fruit was doing a lot more than growing bananas.]
VP6 land is one of the smallest country entities in the world but has close ties to the UK for defense and other administrivia. They have a school system that goes from 1st through middle school. Those going on to high school go to boarding schools off island. New Zealand supplies a teacher for the island school.
The island has a commercial radio station and two channels of TV (Repeater). They also have internet (maybe Starlink). A lot of the food is locally grown.
I am surprised that some entrepreneur hasn't targeted Pitcairn for growing pot, making Liquor, (they grow sugar cane) or assembling tennis shoes. If an airport could be built it would be an ideal location for casinos and recreational sports like fishing and scuba diving.
As it stands Pitcairn has no major port facilities so that is what keeps it small. Maybe someone should whisper Pitcairn Islands in old what is his name's ear for possible annexation. There is great potential for golf courses.
A small one- or two-man expedition to VP6 could be done on the cheap with a couple of IC7300's a hex beam and a vertical antenna. Hurry before Cycle 25 totally ends up in the crapper.
Them that know can make things go.
New word for the day: Shrinkflation
This is a condition where less of a product is packaged, and the price slightly increased to fool you into thinking everything is normal. Ground Beef has gone up 13%, so if the package is only 0.9 pound instead of 1 pound and the price is up only 3% you have been hood winked.
73's
Pete N6QW
