Category - Blog

Swains Island Dxpedition

19th September 2021
On September 18 the Dutch team members met during the annual HF/DX meeting organised by the Dutch Radio Amateur Society VERON.
 
Ronald PA3EWP gave a presentation on the planning phase and the reason to postpone up to where we are now.
Of course, like our U.S. members did before, we had to take a picture of the Dutch team members. L to R: Alex PA1AW (webmaster/pilot), Marcel PA9M, Gerben PG5M, Martin PA4WM and Ronald PA3EWP.
 

Reporting NIL (Not In Log) queries

13th September 2021

Reporting QSO’s that are not in the log is very easy using the NIL Form on my Bespoke OQRS.

Simply enter the Bespoke OQRS Logsearch page and select the Log that you wish to search. You will usually get a response from your search which will show a table showing Green coloured ticks. These green Ticks will show the Band Slots you have in this available log.

If you are unlucky and have QSO’s missing (no Green Ticks in the appropriate Band/Mode slots) or a total NIL sheet with no Band Slots showing, then you will be presented with this image.

 

Below the box you will see a button labelled ‘Not In Log?’. All you need to do is to click there and then you will get the following screen.

Its very easy to complete and should take no longer than a few minutes. Simply hit the SEND button once complete and it will be send to my work queue awaiting processing. Once you have sent it, you will receive a auto-generated reply saying the request has been received by the QSL Manager.

This NIL form is the most efficient way to get your enquiry dealt with. In most cases you are guaranteed a reply at the latest, 24 hours after submission. Email requests and Social media requests are not dealt with as I have no record of the enquiry once dealt with. OQRS keeps all enquiries which is another great tool in my system and allows back tracking of any enquiry should it be needed.

Please use the NIL Form at every opportunity. It was designed specifically for you to streamline the process of reporting Busted and/or Missing Calls.

QSL request standards slipping again

12th September 2021

It pains me yet again to have to Post about this situation. It seems once more standards are slipping and people are just trying it on.

Today alone I received 3 letters;

1) Request from EU for 3 cards GS8VL, 4L8A & V31MA….1 USD enclosed & SAE

 2) Request from EU, 3D2TS, V31MA & G4RCG ….. 0 (Zero) Dollars enclosed No SAE 

3) Request from EU, 9N1DX, 3D2TS, & VK5IR……1 USD enclosed NO SAE

One Dollar ($1.00) in an envelope is NOT sufficient to cover mailing costs for one card to EU or Internationally. A minimum of $2 by Post will cover ONE CARD only.

If you want one card or more than one card then read the QSL instructions and send the correct money https://www.m0oxo.com/direct-a-bureau-instructions/ .I will not pay for your mailing costs. You aren’t paying for a card, you are contributing to the amount it costs to Post the card to you and for those that don’t realise it, 2, 3, 4 extra cards in an envelope weigh more, – amazing but it’s true!

If your Direct requested Card doesn’t arrive then ask yourself why!

9X2AW Rwanda

7th September 2021
I had a phone call from Harald (DF2WO) last night to say his plans were all ok for his upcoming trip to Rwanda. He said restrictions were tight this time and its not easy to enter or leave due to the Pandemic but he expects to be qrv from the 13th until the 28th of September 2021.
 
His QTH will be just north of Kigali, where he will have a Yaesu 991A and a “bamboo stick” hexbeam, multiband dipole and a vertical. He plans to do FT8, FT4, SSB, CW and the QO-100 satellite on 2M and 70cm.
 
QSL via M0OXO. LOTW uploads will be at the end of his stay.

3Y0J Press Release #5

6th September 2021

August 30, 2021  

​3Y0J DXpedition to Bouvet Island, November 2022  

We are happy to announce that Northern California DX Foundation has voted to grant $100,000 to the upcoming 3Y0J DXpedition to Bouvet. This is an all-time high donation and matches the previous donation given to Bouvet projects. The 3Y0J team is very grateful and honored in the trust NCDXF has shown by supporting our project.  

The DXpedition will be carried out by “Amateur Radio DXpeditions”, a Norwegian non-profit organization created for the purpose of conducting DXpeditions. With an overall budget of $650,000 this will be the most expensive DXpedition ever. With the NCDXF donation we hope to succeed in the fundraising as our first payment milestone for the vessel contract is approaching. By end October we will pay 30% of the vessel contract, and by that time we must have regained confidence that we can succeed financially. We critically need upfront donations to be able to make it. While we have a solid plan, a “young and strong team”, a dedicated crew and vessel Marama – we need your upfront support to go there and make 120,000 QSOs from Cape Fie at Bouvet. 

Donations to the 3Y0J project can be done through paypal on our website or by bank wire transfer. 

We wish to recognize and thank the Northern California DX Foundation as the Lead Sponsor for our 3Y0J DXpedition to Bouvet. Without the support of the NCDXF, operations to the world’s rarest entities would be difficult.  

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

http://www.3y0j.no  

Thank you,  

Ken Opskar LA7GIA, Co-Leader  

Rune Oye LA7THA, Co-Leader  

NCDXF Grant to 3Y0J DXpedition

31st August 2021
The Northern California DX Foundation is pleased to announce it is granting $100,000 to the 3Y0J 2022 Bouvet Island DXpedition planned for November 2022. Bouvet Island is #2 on the ClubLog Most Wanted List world-wide.
 
DXpeditions to rare entities like Bouvet Island that are so remote are becoming more expensive and more logistically challenging, a trend that we believe will continue. Hopefully this major DXpedition marks the return of DXpeditions to some of the entities at the top of the most needed DXCC list in this new solar cycle and in the post-pandemic world.
http://3y0j.no/ has the details of the 2022 Bouvet Island DXpedition.
 
NCDXF’s primary purpose is to help fund well-organized DXpeditions to desirable DXCC entities like Bouvet Island. During the last 49years, NCDXF has granted nearly $1.2 million to hundreds of DXpeditions – helping to put an “all-time-new-one” (ATNO) in the log and make DX happen for thousands of DXers worldwide. The credit for these large grants goes to the NCDXF contributors, individuals and clubs who support the DX community. Without those contributions, DXpeditions to entities like Bouvet or other desirable locations would not be possible.
If you agree with the importance of NCDXF’s work, and if you are not a current contributor, we hope you will become one today by clicking here. Your contribution will continue to help make DX happen. You can also support future DXpeditions by including the NCDXF Cycle 25 Fund in your estate plan.
We wish the 3Y0J Bouvet Island DXpedition team a safe and very successful trip to the Island next year.
 
73 .
Ned Stearns, AA7A
NCDXF Vice President

M0OXO – Out of Office

23rd August 2021

I am away on Vacation now and not returning home until the 5th of September. You may get a response to your email enquiries during this period although responses will not be as fast as usual.

My last Post Mail has been sent out today (including requests made before 1900 UTC 23rd August) and the next mail run will be the week commencing the 6th of September.

Thank you for your attention and I apologise for any inconvenience.

73 de Charles

3Y0J Bouvet 2022

9th August 2021
Press Release #4 from 3Y0J team
 
3Y0J DXpedition to Bouvet Island, November 2022
 
The 3Y0J team are delighted to inform about our continued effort to activate Bouvet island. After cancellation of the previous attempt due to the ill-fated sale of the vessel Braveheart we decided to continue the effort and search for a suitable and affordable vessel.
 
Today we announce that we have signed a contract with an expedition vessel with a proven track record and experienced polar crew that will take us to Bouvet in November 2022. The vessel is MARAMA and is fully booked for the 2021/2022 season. The cost is significantly reduced compared to our previous Braveheart charter. With the signing of the vessel contract we will start fundraising immediately. On this journey to Bouvet we have assembled a team of 12 operators and we plan to spend 20 days around Bouvet. The QTH at Bouvetøya will be Cape Fie at the South East part of the island, the only feasible part where a DXpedition can safely setup the camp on rocky ground, we will not set camp on the glacier. We will have a wide area of 150 x 800 ft to setup the camp and the antenna farm.
 
Back in April 2020 we started our effort to activate Bouvetoya – a Norwegian DXCC in South Atlantic Ocean and also known as the world’s most remote island. In close co-operation with NPI we received the needed permits in September 2020 to activate Bouvetoya, which also included a helicopter permit. We also together with NPI researched and was provided photos that showed a beach landing was possible. In November 2020 we were approached by Intrepid and we joined our efforts. After the sale of Braveheart in June we informed Intrepid that we would continue our effort to activate Bouvetoya and search for a suitable and affordable vessel. Last week we were ready to launch the vessel news to the team members. As we sent out this information it was leaked to Intrepid group which caused Intrepid in a hurry to send out a press release the following day that they would go to Bouvet. The act of the team member came as a big surprise to us, the same did the announcement from Intrepid as they were informed we would continue the project.
 
As of today we still hold the only valid amateur radio team license specifically issued for the purpose of activating Bouvet (3Y0J). With the NPI permits, the license, the signed vessel contract and a new expedition vessel we’re ready to move forward. The team of 12 operators will fund much of the budget but we also need the global DX Community to support our mission and help us make this important activation of the #2 most wanted DXCC entity. It is only through this kind of support that we can achieve our mission of making 120,000 contacts or more from Bouvet in November 2022. Without support there will be no activation.
 
In closing, we especially wish to thank our many Foundations, Clubs and Individual donors. Without this kind of support, operations to the world’s rarest entities would not be possible.
You can soon follow our plans from our website 3Y0J.NO (please note change of website to .no ) and the 3Y0J Facebook group.
 
Thank you,
Ken Opskar LA7GIA, Co-Leader
Rune Oye LA7THA, Co-Leader
Erwann Merrien LB1QI, Co-Leader