The Return of the DXpedition?
Steve Telenius-Lowe PJ4DX ponders whether we are seeing DXpeditions returning after Covid and also recommends using your callsign!
The date 10/10/10 is a special one for those of us living on Bonaire. It is the date when Bonaire became a ‘special municipality’ of the Netherlands when the former country of the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved. As a result, Bonaire became a new DXCC entity on that date.
To mark the 10th anniversary, Bonaire’s radio amateurs are organising a monthlong operating event. Special event station PJ4TEN will be active throughout the month of October, including a multioperator entry in the CQ World Wide DX Phone contest on October 24/25th.
A PDF award, Fig. 1, will be issued to those who achieve 10 points by making contacts with PJ4 stations during October. Full details are at:
There is no fee and QSL cards are not required, though if you wish to receive a QSL from PJ4TEN they will be available via Tim Beaumont M0URX, either direct, through his OQRS service or via LoTW.
The following is a list of all currentlylicensed Bonaire stations: PJ4BZL (Berry), PJ4DX (Steve), PJ4EL (Erwin) , PJ4EVA (Eva), PJ4GR (Gerard), PJ4KY (Bert), PJ4NG (Noah), PJ4NX (Peter), PJ4RF (Rinse), PJ4TEN (special event station), PJ4/ DC7MO (Monika), PJ4/DL1COP (Holger). Other PJ4 callsigns may also be active during the month.
Return of the DXpedition?
The coronavirus pandemic caused a halt to all DXpeditioning activity and, although several optimistic operations had been planned and announced for the summer months, all were cancelled as international travel and even portable operation in one’s own country became all but impossible. Late July, though, showed early signs of what might turn out to be the beginning of the return of the DXpedition, albeit initially in more modest guise. Well-known
DXpedition operator Kenneth LA7GIA, Fig. 2, who previously had operated from such exotic locales as Somalia (twice, as 6O6O and 6O7O), Central African Republic (TL8AO) and Equatorial Guinea (3C7A), travelled beyond the Arctic Circle at the end of July to activate two rare IOTAs in his own country, EU-062 and EU-076.
Meanwhile, IZ2AJE was operating as IM0/IZ2AJE from the Maddalena Archipelago, EU-041, which also counts as Sardinia (rather than Italy) for DXCC, in early August. Father and son team OH3BRJ and OH3BRK were active from Market Reef, OJ0, from August 5th to 7th. And three operators from Guadeloupe and French St Martin plan activity as TO0Z from Saint Barthélemy (‘St Barts’, FJ) between September 14th and 17th.
The Rebel DX Group’s plans to activate Bouvet Island as 3Y0I are apparently still on. A posting on the group’s website on August 11th stated “The 3Y0I radio expedition is not at risk. We are keep pushing to get a full budget before we set a sail again by end of the year. Our base will be established on the eastern side of the island on the glacier. This part of the island is not exposed to the worst western winds, waves and landslides.” Further updates will appear on the group’s website at:
No doubt more DXpeditions will be announced as Covid-19 restrictions are eased, though if the feared ‘second wave’ should occur those plans could be put in jeopardy. We wish good luck to all those planning DXpedition activity but, most importantly, stay safe!
“What’sYour Call?”
I have written before about the habit of calling with just two letters of a callsign, but there are other occasions when some operators don’t give their callsign. Some readers of this column operate with low power (QRP), either because of EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) issues, which mean higher power can’t be used for fear of causing interference, or simply because they enjoy the additional challenge of operating with low power. QRP operating is a fine pursuit but one or two of its practitioners seem shy about giving their callsign. In a recent SSB contest I often had several stations calling me simultaneously and I responded to those whose callsigns I copied. I heard one station (who actually had quite a good signal) calling “QRP! QRP! QRP!” but I have no idea who it was because there were others who were giving their callsign and who I therefore replied to, while the QRP station did not. After two or three attempts he gave up, presumably thinking I could not hear him, whereas if he had given his callsign instead of saying he was QRP, he would have made the QSO quite easily. I know I’m not alone in responding first and foremost to those who call with their full callsigns. Your callsign is unique to you. Be proud if it – use it!
Readers’ News
First up this month is Etienne Vrebos OS8D/ON8DN who wrote to say “I’d like to mention a special QSO with 2E0AOO/M on July 10th at 1550UTC... He told me he was on his scooter (Fig. 3). A great idea and a special guy!” According to his QRZ.com page, Robert 2E0AOO uses a modified Alinco DX-70TH into an MFJ1979 full-size quarter-wave vertical on his mobility scooter. Despite that interesting QSO, Etienne felt there was little else to report this month: “...you really do not miss anything, as only some QSOs with Japan and the usual very strong stations, nothing worth mentioning.” Etienne also sent in the
photo, Fig. 4, of an Ethiopian Airways jet that passes over his Hexbeam at the same time every morning.
Tony Usher G4HZW reported that “things began well with a run of JA stations on the evening of July 13th on 28MHz but shortly after operations were compromised when severe QRM appeared across all bands 24 hours a day. On 7MHz it was S9+20dB! The source was easy to find. We live in a semi and it was coming from next door...” The interference turned out to be from some new LED lights. Fortunately, Tony has very good neighbourly relations and says that he is sure they can work out something that is acceptable to all concerned. He continued, “My total for 28MHz data in 2020 has risen to 104 but some ‘easy’ ones are still missing. I suspect Covid-19 has stopped people holidaying on semi-rare islands, so progress is now quite slow. As I type this 28MHz is wide open to South America with big signals from PY, LU, CX and CE.”
In contrast to Great Britain, Kevin Hewitt ZB2GI reported on August 1st that “Gibraltar remains at phase 6 of 6 to ease [Covid-19] restrictions.” As a result, Kevin took the opportunity to operate from the Gibraltar Amateur Radio Society club, using its Hexbeam antenna on 14MHz SSB, twice during the month. He also operated on 14 and 28MHz SSB from a portable location at the top of the Rock along with John King ZB2JK, on 28MHz using an old Ranger RCI-2950 multimode transceiver, Fig. 5.
From his home, Kevin used an Outbacker multiband whip and counterpoise wire clamped to a broom handle stuck out of his window to make hundreds of FT8 QSOs. In all, Kevin made nearly 600 QSOs during the month, well and truly putting ZB2 on the air.
Owen Williams G0PHY says that he “only had two extended periods on the air this month, the latter part of the IARU contest and the IOTA contest. In the IARU contest I managed to have QSOs with stations in Israel, Brazil, Asiatic Russia and Oman. Contacts in the IOTA contest were all within Europe apart from one contact with Cyprus and a contact with a Brazilian island. There were no new IOTAs to add to my score. I managed to build a quarter-wave inverted-L and squeeze it into the garden and I can now join in the Shefford Club’s weekly topband net. I’m getting 5&9 reports from Victor G3JNB!” And now, over to Victor...
Victor Brand G3JNB reckons that “dire conditions prevailed” in July “with only my ‘regulars’ logged, including Didier FY5FY French Guyana, Jeff TZ4AM Mali, both on 30m, and Luis CE2ML Chile on 20m... The intriguing callsign II0ICEH (Fig. 6) was so weak on 20m but I eventually caught their attention, whereupon I think they swung the beam and came booming in on 20m. Commemorating the tragic sinking of the beautiful ocean liner Andrea Doria in the Atlantic, following a head-on collision in dense fog on July 26th 1956, this is another club who faithfully airs their historic call each year.” Victor reports that the poor propagation continued into the first few days of August. “20m was closed with the ‘A index’ rising to 16 on the 4th and no DX. But on the 6th at 2100UTC, I could just read repeated and faint CQs from CP4BT in Bolivia with few takers. Claus is located high up in the Andes, llama country, and uses dipoles. After my calling for ages, he finally heard my 50W to the SOTAPOLE vertical but struggled with the callsign. Finally, the 6239 mile QSO was accomplished and opened my log for August – at last. However, the SFI rose and improved propagation returned on Saturday 8th in time for the various weekend contests. The heatwave continued and I sat out in the shade with my FT-818 listening to the strong signals from the States clamouring for EU contacts. As always, I was full of admiration for the skill of the ‘Big Guns’ exchanging their QTC lists at approaching 40WPM with solid copy, untroubled by the deafening QRM... The contest signals still poured in on Sunday 9th but with sharp QSB seemed to drop in and out. Marginal exchanges were logged with ZD8BG (Ascension Island) on 15m and XQ6CF Chile on 17m before they simply vanished. But ZR2A/4 South Africa grew in strength on 20m so I waited, worked and then sat back in wonder as he worked the world! Then, amazingly, on 40m at 2141UTC, he heard me call again for a second band... The Palos Verdes Sundancers are finally back in business!” [If Victor’s final comment leads you to think