Author Topic: Latest Expedition  (Read 1001 times)

k4lrx

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Latest Expedition
« on: October 13, 2017, 05:25:19 PM »


   
This operation appeared this afternoon with a booming signal on 20 meters, they were peaking at 10 to 15 DB over nine, big signal. They were using the calll 3C0L and that is Annobon Island a separate entity.

CW operation on 14.029 up, and that means about a ten khz spread or more. Once the contacts keep going the width of the pile up will decrease, but remember this is a split operation so do not call on his frequency. I was surprised about how many were doing that after UP was sent by the op. This is fast cw, around 35 WPM, so hopefully you can recognize your own call if sent that fast.

Check the info below they will be on for quite a while so you will have chances to work this operation, I had no trouble making contact this afternoon, thought I needed a cw contact for Annobon, turned out I did not, but will listen for them on other bands. Namely ten and 40, we will see what happens in the next few days?

General information
Callsigns:    3C1L (Equatorial Guinea) and 3C0L (Annobon)
Dates:    9-22 October, 2017

Please use the menu above to navigate our page for more details and follow the latest DX-pedition news below.
News and status
October 13 - Update

Update 21:00 GMT: Yuris sent another SMS - they apologise for the disruptions in running the pile-up, but voltage keeps jumping 120-180 V and transceiver switches off. They do their best in the given circumstances

Friday 13th around 17:30 GMT 3C0L hit the airwaves on 14029 kHz. Yuris sent SMS saying that mains voltage varies between 130-180 V and transceiver switches off. This explains a bit messy first minutes (pauses, jumping to RX frequency and doing simplex for short time) and also explains distorted signal tone time to time. Thus, they can't run full power. Also as soon as they put up low band vertical some local approached and asked to pay. So low band antenna is not tuned. Meanwhile Kaspars will run on upper bands. Tomorrow will think what to do.
October 11 - Update

First part of the DX-pedition's diary can be found here. It covers days up to October 8th.

Regarding the current status - SMS from Yuris says that they are in Annobon. Their passports are taken away. Tomorrow is national holiday. Governor is not speaking with them. In the best case they might be on the air on Friday 13th. QTH is OK, but could be more space for antennas. From 6:00 to 18:00 there is no electricity. Also sounds like there they can't get to Internet. So Clublog uploads are under question.
October 10 - Update

On October 9 evening 3C1L was activated from the hotel in Malabo downtown using simple vertical antenna. They made around 1500 QSOs. On October 10 they packed hardware and went to the airport to catch the scheduled flight to Annobon. But due to stormy weather flight to Annobon was postponed to October 11 morning. Tickets are in pockets. So on October 11 early morning they will fly to Annobon and continue from there as 3C0L. Further plans are not known yet
October 9 - Update

Finally licenses for 3C0L and 3C1L are successfully received. Yuris is looking if there are soon any flights to Annobon. If available they will start operations from there.
October 6 - Update

License fees paid. But license... "Monday...". If on Monday license will be obtained and flight to 3C0 will be available, then will go to 3C0 on Tuesday and start from there.
October 5 - Update

Again "Tomorrow..."
October 4 - Update

Meeting ended again with "Tomorrow...". In a mean time guys are looking for suitable place for QTH. In this city they say there is none. Tomorrow will go and look for it further away. Next available flight to 3C0 is promised to be on October 12.
October 3 - Update

Yuris and Kaspars have successfully reached 3C. Today they had meeting with authorities to obtain the license. Tomorrow one more meeting is scheduled. Let's hope for positive news.
September 30 - Initial news

Yuris/YL2GM - team leader of two successful past DX-peditions (EP2A, S21ZEE/S21ZED) - and Kaspars/YL3AIW in October 2017 plan to be on the air from Bioko island, Equatorial Guinea (prefix 3C, Clublog's most wanted #44 as of September 2017, IOTA AF-010) and Annobon (prefix 3C0, most wanted #30, IOTA AF-039). They will arrive to Equatorial Guinea in the evening of October 2nd. The next days they will deal with the formalities to obtain callsigns and license. Their flight back home is scheduled on October 23.

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