More Photos from the 1958 KC4AF Navassa Island DXpedition
Page 2

On schedule with unloading, W4KVX setting - W8RSW on the left and Jamacian helper on the walkway.

Up comes the generator fuel. Ladder is in lower right corner.

Cargo platform at Lulu Bay, Navassa Island. Haiti has a claim on the island as well as the U.S.A.

Overview of loading area, note the cistern walls top left, where W4KVX and the cw team provided a new one as KC4AF in 1958. A corner ladder gets you entrance to the cistern. They used a short Ezway crankup and tribander for 10-15 and 20 Meters.

A lot can be gleaned from this, traps, bugs, keyers, our Navassa Fone and aux CW position. The path leads back down to the loading area. Pictured left: Frank Koval and right: Jake Schott.

Aux. CW - Phone Position W8FGX, W8RSW see the scullery and cooking position in background. Bottled gas building to right where they stored gear. The HT32 was a work horse. You will never see anything like it again. Receiver was a new style Drake 2A, word was that the Drake was a great receiver!

Wayne Green W2NSD on the cargo platform.

Setting up the Phone Aux-CW station, some rain, keeping things covered. Looks like the beam needs put together.

Don & Jake winching up some coax or possibly the cooking grill. A slow process from the shrimp boat Empress.

The Bendix was great operationally but the main generator gave fits when being checked out early on the trip on the M/V Empress. Great idea boys! This DX-pedition is a study on how a rare country and difficult landing should be done. Great planning.

Main power, old style magneto, required good batteries to start and while running.

As they were hauling up the generator with a hoist onto Navassa, the spark plug was broken in half. Nobody had "thought' to bring a spare. The closest land was Haiti. Well, Dale himself had brought his tool box -- a while before he had changed the plug on his lawn mower. Luckily he had tossed the old one into his tool box, and the show could go on! W4QM, K8MFO info.

On the way to Navassa, as good expeditioners, they tried genny and found their batteries would not do the job. Good fortune followed, M/V Empress put out a call for some marine style 6 volt jobs and a fellow shrimper answered the need. This style would not even run without a good battery on it.

Frank Koval thinning out the pile on SSB. You will not see many Drake 1A and 2A's for sale. Drake would go on and battle the JA gear for a long time. Frank was kind to me later on and loaned me his collection of DX Bulletins. I was attempting to learn anything about the life of Don Chesser, my old home town boy.

The CW cistern position. Note tarp on one corner to keep sun out. These guys put on a clinic on how to run a good expedition.

A hot meal aboard the M/V Empress, left: Don Chesser W4KVX, center Red Reece W8EZF (also with Cincy police, killed in an accident on the San Bernardino Freeway March 1960 in Los Angeles), and right: Jake Schott W8FGX (no relation to Reds Owner Marj.) Jake would become the Number one Cop in Cincy!

Jake Schott W8FGX on the 10th day of the Navassa operation, still going strong. All this equipment shown (except the homebrew W4DQS keyer) was owned by Don W4KVX and was destroyed in the fire that also destroyed his printing press for the DX Bulletin. Hallicrafters replaced the equipment. The printing press also was replaced.
This photo and info from Don Chesser W4KVX DX Bulletin #145, October 4, 1961.

I can't thank Dale W4QM enough for the loan of these priceless fotos, K8CX for the bandspace and knowledge of the DX game.

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Photos and info on this page courtesy of Bob Ballantine W8SU
Additional info courtesy of W4QM