Wllis Island, VK9WW (1992) In 1992 H.I. DX.A. chartered as small floatplane for the trip to Willis Island. This tiny speck (some 12 square miles) in the Pacific Ocean is occupied by four persons from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and H.I.DX.A.was given permission to set up the amateur radio stations in one of the outbuildings. The three operators, Jim VK9NS, Atsu, VK2BEX and Kirsti, VK9NL spent one week on the Island with Jim and Atsu using the call VK9WW and Kirsti using her own call VK9NL/W. The latter in order to distinguish her operation as a YL operation. Even the tiniest speck in the ocean where humans have lived and worked has its history. Kirsti spent her spare time getting to know the Island and reading some of the literature which was available in the Island's library. She has written about the Island and our stay there in her book "QRV, A DXer's Life for Me." The fact that H.I.DX.A. travelled by air, enabled aerial photographs to be taken of Willis Island. Something no other DXpedition to there has been able to provide. Christmas Island, VK9XS (1987) The weekly flight from Perth supports both Cocos (Keeling) and Christmas Island. The routine used to be 1st. week Perth - Cocos (Keeling) - Christmas Island and back to Perth. The 2nd. week Perth - Christmas Island - Cocos (Keeling) and back to Perth. After the operation on Cocos (Keeling) I had decided that I would also operate from Christmas Island. Bob Winn, W5KNE could not make the extra time available so I waved Bob goodbye from Christmas Island as he headed back to Perth to begin his long haul home to the U.S.A. I had old friends from my days in Papua New Guinea now living on Christmas Island and my accommodation was easily arranged. To find a suitable place for setting up my station was slightly harder but I ended up in the old transmitting site. No shortage of masts, and power was still available. The place was, however, pretty derelict and dirty. I was to discover later that the rats loved it there. Oh, well! The things we DXpeditioners do in the name of DX. After a good clean-up around my operating area, my equipment was soon up and running. Peter, VK9XP was a great help and we soon also had antennas organised. Christmas Island was at that time in a state of 'flux' in a very special position, rather like the past events on Cocos (Keeling) life was changing. Many things were going, never to return - that transmitter station would be an example. The Island is totally different from the atoll structure of Cocos (Keeling) and has a beauty of its own. Christmas Island became famous for its phosphate industry and the infrastructure of golf course, airport, houses and so on is all built on phosphate money. By now the phosphate lifestyle with hundreds of expatriates was virtually at an end and the Island reverted to empty houses, few golf players and so on. I enjoyed operating from Christmas Island in the name of H.I.DX.A. and it was also nice to catch up with old friends. I addition I was never short of certain other 'company' during my hours of operating in the evenings and early mornings. I actually came to know many of these four footed friends personally as they scurried around. ... Cocos (Keeling), VK9YS (1987) I had activated VK9Y previously but the plans for a return visit in 1987 would be in the name of H.I.DX.A. Bob Winn, W5KNE who was then running QRZ DX, and myself were good friends and decided to go together. One other factor had also come into play. Political changes had taken place and the original ‘owners’ of Cocos (Keeling) - the Clunies Ross family - had been relegated to their 'traditional' home area, namely Home Island. John Clunies Ross Jr. had felt that some form of tourism to 'his' island would assist financially. It was then suggested that the idea of an amateur radio station based on Home Island together with suitable accommodation might be another string to his bow. Bob Winn and I arrived on Home Island more or less on schedule, but nothing was actually ready. My trip from Norfolk Island via Sydney, Alice Springs and Perth to catch the weekly flight to Cocos (Keeling) had been frustrating. My brand new FL2100Z amplifier had been offloaded in Alice Springs, and flight schedules made it impossible to get it to Perth in time. John, VK6JJ (in Perth) came to the rescue. I would swop my new amplifier for his current FL21002 which was a year old. End of amplifier saga. Bob and I felt ourselves to be trail blazers as we settled into our stay on Home Island. We both got on the air fairly quickly but there were serious problems with mutual interference. The 'shacks' were set up in the old class rooms of the now defunct school. This being on the second floor, made grounding of equipment a major headache. The facility of a substantial beam antenna had also not been completed. Considerable time was spent in resolving these problems. However, dismal as this picture may seem, nothing can detract from the sheer beauty of Cocos (Keeling). Bob and I had rooms in the old Clunies Ross home; a magnificent house built in true regal style. John's father, John Clunies Ross Sr. was known as the 'King' of Cocos. I was never sure if this was said to his face, but the history of the Island is a 'must read' story. My background knowledge improved considerably during my stay on the Island. Since our initial DXpedition made use of the Clunies Ross facilities, many DX groups have visited Home Island. Others, interested in scuba diving, have also made the trip there. It is certainly a great experience. H.I.DX.A. is pleased to have been intrumental in setting up this great DX location. NB. The callsign structure is now VK9C for activity from Cocos (Keeling.)