Drummond Island, MI

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Posted: 7/30/2010 3:34:11 PM EDT

I would like to hear from anyone who is from Drummond Island or who may know that area well.
post here or send me a PM.
Thanks in advance.

Posted: 7/30/2010 3:36:06 PM EDT

[#1]

Never been to the island but Detour village is a beautiful little town. My buddy's family has an old cabin there. Been thinking about goig there this summer myself.

Posted: 7/30/2010 4:09:55 PM EDT

[#2]

The area we want to operate is grid square EN86. Grid squares are 2 deg x 1 deg areas used as multipliers in VHF contests. De Tour Village us just about on the line between EN85 and EN86. We need to be north of De Tour Village in the UP or on the northern part of the Island. EN85 is not a rare grid. The goal of this operation is to give hams a chance to work a very desirable and rare grid. We are looking for a location that we can get to easily, hopefully has a hill or at least isn't a hole in the ground so we can get the antennas up in the clear. I deal location would be a cabin on the top of a hill with no trees. Electric power so we don't need generators or batteries. (I can dream can't I?)

Posted: 7/30/2010 4:15:29 PM EDT

[#3]

The location we need must be north of 45 deg latitude and east of 84 deg longitude

Posted: 7/30/2010 4:17:34 PM EDT

[#4]

If you use this map you can click on a location and see the grid location. Grid locator map

Posted: 7/30/2010 4:26:46 PM EDT

[#5]

The area we need be in are the part of the island and the UP that are shown in this map

Posted: 7/30/2010 4:38:23 PM EDT

[#6]

Long : -83.75822 W (-83° 45' 30'' W)
Lat : 46.01368 N (46° 0' 49'' N)
QTH locator : EN86CA

That is the highest point I can find using Google Earth and the link you provided.

I don't know anything about the area though.

Posted: 7/30/2010 4:39:34 PM EDT

[#7]

What kind of equipment will you be using?

There were some other areas to the East not quite as high but shown as being in the state forest, so maybe you can get to them without trespassing.

Full-screen
Long : -83.57673 W (-83° 34' 36'' W)
Lat : 46.02459 N (46° 1' 29'' N)
QTH locator : EN86FA

Posted: 7/30/2010 4:57:41 PM EDT

[#8]

Based on a couple of models I just ran you would be best by far at the western of the two locations I posted.

Here are zip files that when unzipped have kml files that can be loaded into Google Earth that show projected signal strengths.

Posted: 7/31/2010 1:40:19 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
What kind of equipment will you be using?

There were some other areas to the East not quite as high but shown as being in the state forest, so maybe you can get to them without trespassing.

Full-screen
Long : -83.57673 W (-83° 34' 36'' W)
Lat : 46.02459 N (46° 1' 29'' N)
QTH locator : EN86FA

Right now the equipment list includes.
Icom IC-7000
Yaesu FT847

Antennas
6 meters 3 element beam
2 meters 11 element beam
70 cm either 6 element or 15 element beam

Neither of us have anything for 222 mhz but we are still looking for something we may be able to borrow

Posted: 7/31/2010 3:38:23 AM EDT

[#10]

Lime Island? State park with camping and a very high hill.

ETA: may be too far west. Drummond Island Ferry is usually crowded and long waits.

Posted: 7/31/2010 3:59:52 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Lime Island? State park with camping and a very high hill.

ETA: may be too far west. Drummond Island Ferry is usually crowded and long waits.

The Grid line goes through the middle of Lime Island. We would have to operate from the east half. looking at Google Earth it looks like that half is heavily forested. Also no roads to get to that area.
One more question about Lime Island. Is there a ferry to get there or would it require a private boat?

Posted: 7/31/2010 4:18:10 AM EDT

[#12]

Private boat or a charter. There are a couple of charters in the area.

The road was okay when I was there 10 years ago, it runs from the harbor on the northwest side to the southeast end of the island, and there are some side roads to the old lime kilns on the north end and to the old housing pads spead on the ridge.

We didn't stay in the cabins, so I don't know how nice they are.

Posted: 7/31/2010 4:25:20 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Long : -83.75822 W (-83° 45' 30'' W)
Lat : 46.01368 N (46° 0' 49'' N)
QTH locator : EN86CA

That is the highest point I can find using Google Earth and the link you provided.

I don't know anything about the area though.

We are checking into access to this location. the open area to set up antennas makes it look desirable.
Lat: 46° 0'22.95"N
Long: -83°50'53.56"W

I have contacted a local extra class ham who lives about 2 miles away. He is in EN85 not EN86 but we are hoping he can give us some help on the location or some other leads.
with just over a month to finish the planning we have a lot of work to do yet. I have had a couple PM's here on arfcom with helpful leads.
Looks like arfcom may come through again.

We hope to get details finalized enough soon so we can post on qrz.com and other forums about our plans. I know there are a lot of hams who will want to work that location.

the 6 meter and 2 meter beams as used in the CQ WW VHF contest.

Posted: 7/31/2010 4:34:24 AM EDT

[#14]

Buy an AB-577 and hump it in. One of the few (thank goodness) times I played field soldier we had to erect one of those. I know some of the hams around here bought them for camping trips.

Posted: 7/31/2010 6:07:44 AM EDT

[#15]

My Local Drummond Island contact is working with me. It looks like chances are very good to excellent that this will go.

Posted: 7/31/2010 6:11:51 AM EDT

[#16]

Drummond Island is very big with the off road/jeep/ATV community. There really isn't any where you can't get to by Jeep or ATV on the island.

Posted: 7/31/2010 6:14:56 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Drummond Island is very big with the off road/jeep/ATV community. There really isn't any where you can't get to by Jeep or ATV on the island.

I have my Daughters Jeep Liberty to use for the weekend. Not a great offroad vehicle, but something that has a carrier on top and can haul us and the equipment

Posted: 7/31/2010 7:00:02 AM EDT

[#18]

It's been many years since I was on Drummond. I do recall the trail on the north end of the island was fair to good two track in the woods then just disapeared onto open rock.

Commercial power on the north end of the island was very limited.

I believe the highest point on the island is Maxton Lookout Tower, about 700' asl. though I believe the tower was dismantled.

http://msrmaps.com/image.aspx?T=2&S=12&Z=17&X=368&Y=6376&W=3

You should be able to get a ferry schedule online.

Posted: 7/31/2010 7:20:53 AM EDT

[#19]

The Maxton Lookout tower site looks like it wouldn't be bad. I wonder if it would be jeep accessible. We would like to have an accessible site so we can run more power and bigger antennas. I guess I need to ask our local contact about that sight.

The map link you posted makes it look like there would be some kind of road or trail to the tower site.

I have the ferry schedule. it is online.

Posted: 8/2/2010 6:50:15 AM EDT

[#20]

The operation is on. Maxton Lookout tower and our other original prospective location both turned out be be on private land, behind locked gates and unavailable.
We have a location. Reservations are made. Most equipment is arraigned.

We are going. Now just hope the bands cooperate and we can make contacts.

Posted: 8/2/2010 6:55:25 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Drummond Island is very big with the off road/jeep/ATV community. There really isn't any where you can't get to by Jeep or ATV on the island.

This.........oh.........and watch out for the wolves.

Posted: 8/2/2010 6:58:20 AM EDT

[#22]

Just out of curiosity...

What the hell are you talking about?

Posted: 8/2/2010 9:02:56 AM EDT

[#23]

Cool! My cabin is about 20 mins away from there

Posted: 8/2/2010 11:05:25 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
Cool! My cabin is about 20 mins away from there

I rented this cabin for the weekend.

looks pretty nice in the pictures.

I can't wait.

Posted: 8/2/2010 11:07:09 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Just out of curiosity...

What the hell are you talking about?

The purpose of the trip to Drummond Island is to work a VHF contest from a rare location. OH, and have fun too.

I have been to the UP many times, but always west of I75

Posted: 8/3/2010 1:53:08 PM EDT

[#26]

Since we have received the location help we needed from non hams the rest of the posts on this trip will be in the ham radio forum.

Thanks guys. The help we received from arfcom helped make this project go.

Arfcom comes through again.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Drummond Island, MI

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