Archive - December 2021

We have selected the Norwegian brand Arctic Lavvo who will supply us with their Venor Gamme tent. Arctic Lavvo will deliver custom made tents to the project that includes three tents for radio operation and sleeping. The manufacturer having its factory at latitude 70N is taking the extra step to ensure their high-quality products will sustain the Bouvet climate. The tent having been tested at JW Svalbard in extreme conditions up to 40 m/s will be improved further by adding extra guying levels and by strengthening the aluminium frame. We’re confident selecting a Norwegian manufacturer with huge experience from this kind of climate is a wise decision.

 

We also would like to inform about the selection of SILCOM as the sponsor of our yagi antenna masts. SILCOM will deliver custom made antenna masts rated for the Bouvet climate. They will be named ALU-3Y0J and GLV-3Y0J where we will use the alu mast for the tribanders and the smaller steal mast for the dualbander yagis. All masts have been through detailed engineering to optimize the technical specification and rating to fit our InnovAntenna/Wimo Yagis. The masts being a square telescopic mast with tilt-over functionality and winch can easily handle 35 m/s at 10m level.

 

We’re taking the preparation to the next level by procuring a milpro Zodiak. The strategic decision to buy the milpro Zodiak will enable us to train continuously on the critical beach landing in Norway. Having access to the exact same zodiac we will use at Bouvet, is just another step we have taken to ensure the success of this DXpedition.

 

We also have a change in the team. 3 team members are leaving the team due to various health and personal issues. Sandro VE7NY, Laci HA0NAR and Dima RA9USU are unfortunately leaving the team. We are happy to inform that we have already onboarded Cezar VE3LYC and Otis NP4G in the team. Their experience will be a great addition to the team.

 

So far the team have spent more than $130,000 out of the total budget. We have reached an income level of $500,000 but still critically need additional $160,000 support to be able to make it. Going to Bouvet is a huge undertaking financially as all our expenses are upfront. If you want to have the opportunity to work the rare #2 DXCC Bouvet island, please consider to donate upfront. We ask all clubs and individuals to support us so that we can put on a 3 weeks DXpedition show from Bouvet.

 

You can follow our plans from our website and the 3Y0J Facebook pages:

 

 

Thank you, Oslo December 2021

 

Ken Opskar LA7GIA, Co-Leader

Rune Oye LA7THA, Co-Leader

Erwann Merrien LB1QI, Co-Leader

New book by Cezar VE3LYC

 

”The book has just been freshly printed and shipped from the printers. Those who may be interested in a copy will be able to order it in a couple of weeks. Until then, a first short introduction to it is available at;

 

 

Feel free to email me or (M0OXO) directly any inquiries and/or expressions of interest you may have.”

 

2022 looks uncertain but rest assured the M0OXO QSL Service will still be here. With Bouvet (3Y0J) and Rockall (MM0UKI/p) on the horizon let’s hope that a start to getting back to a new normal is on the way, we can but hope.

 

Many people have lost loved ones in the last 12 months so spare a thought for these people as you enjoy your own celebrations in the nest few weeks.

 

M0OXO will not be here on Christmas Day but he will be working throughout the rest of the Holidays to ensure your requests are still met in a timely fashion.

 

73 (& 88 where appropriate) to you all and thanks for your continued support in both this and the forthcoming New Year.

 

Kilmarnock and Loudoun Amateur Radio Club is proud to announce that it has been asked by the organisers of the celebrations to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the reception of the first transmission by amateur radio across the Atlantic to operate a commemorative station adjacent to the site of the original experiment at Ardrossan.

 

The Ardrossan station will be on the air between 1200GMT Saturday 11 December 2021 until 1200GMT Sunday 12 December 2021 on HF (short wave) amateur radio bands using CW (Morse Code) and Telephony including the whole of the 160m CW QSO Party to exchange signals between the UK and the USA..

 

The station callsign GS2ZE will be used for the celebration except for the first hour of the 160m CW QSO Party and it will take part in the message relay as GB2ZE.

 

Paul Godley was able to receive the first transatlantic shortwave amateur radio message from the amateur station 1BCG located in Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.A.

The received message was recorded in Paul Godley’s logbook on the 12th December 1921 at 02:52GMT which was hastily composed by his 1BCG colleagues: “Nr 1 de 1BCG words 12, New York. Date December 11, 1921, to Paul Godley, Ardrossan, Scotland. Hearty Congratulations. (Signed) Burghard, Inman, Grinan, Armstrong, Amy, Cronkhite.”

 

Further details can be found here: www.transatlantic.org.uk

160-Meter operators can revel in two opportunities in December that promise to fill the airwaves with activity to test skills and stations on the band. The events take place a century after the 1920s Transatlantic Tests which ushered in the dawn of international amateur radio communications.

 

The annual ARRL 160-Meter Contest begins 2200 UTC on Friday, December 3 and ends at 1559 UTC, December 5 (see rules). This 42-hour CW-only contest is most similar to the original Transatlantic Tests. The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) is planning to activate special call signs to commemorate the centenary of the Tests, with stations from the UK and Crown Dependencies using up to seven different prefixes: G6XX, England; GD6XX, Isle of Man; GI6XX, Northern Ireland; GJ6XX, Jersey; GM6XX, Scotland; GU6XX, Guernsey; GW6XX, Wales. Look also for stations signing the suffix “/2ZE” to their station’s normal call sign, which was authorized by Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, to use from December 1 – 26.

 

One week later, ARRL and the RSGB are jointly sponsoring the 160-Meter Transatlantic Centenary QSO Party for six hours on December 12, 2021; 0200 to 0800 UTC. The event coincides with the 100th anniversary of the successful Second Transatlantic Tests. Stations participating will operate only on CW, trying to contact the two official call sign activations, W1AW and GB2ZE. At times the stations may listen for callers 1kHz above their transmitting frequency, to help those listening for them. They may also periodically ask for DX callers, only. Call sign and signal report will be exchanged.

During the QSO Party, ARRL will activate W1AW from Newington, Connecticut. RSGB will activate GB2ZE with help from a team of stations, including members of the GMDX Group of Scotland sharing the operating duties. GB2ZE commemorates the call sign of Paul Godley, 2ZE, who was sent by ARRL to the UK to lead the second Transatlantic Test in December 1921. W1AW will be activated for the entire six hours, and stations operating as GB2ZE will keep the following schedule:

0200 UTC, from the commemorative station at Ardrossan, Scotland

0300 UTC, from GM3YTS

0400 UTC, from GM0GAV

0500 UTC, from MM0ZBH

0600 UTC, from MM0GPZ

0700 UTC, from GM4ZUK to 0800 UTC or until the band closes at sunrise

The GMDX Group will award a quaich — a traditional Scottish drinking cup representing friendship — to the first stations in North America and the UK to complete contacts with both W1AW and GB2ZE during the QSO Party. A commemorative certificate will be available for download. Log submissions will not be required from participants. The official logs from W1AW and GB2ZE will be used to determine the winners and for certificates. Logs will not be received from participants.

For more details, see http://www.arrl.org/transatlantic or rsgb.org/main/activity/transatlantic-tests

 

73 Nick G4FAL (RSGB Liaison with ARRL for joint transatlantic celebrations)