January 2023

3Y0J Bouvet Team Almost There

29 January 2023

After a sea journey of almost 2 weeks the 3Y0J team are almost at their destination – Bouvetoya Island. They have sent messages back to their pilot in the USA expecting to be starting to get on land Monday 30th January 2023. This will be a 2 day process to get all the kit on the island and set up. They hope to be on the air for 2 weeks so we all will have a chance of working them on one mode or more. They are hoping to work unique calls, so stations with just one contact, to give little pistols a chance of getting a new one in the log – this is the category I class myself as being as I only have 100 watts and a wire at the minute.

I have been tracking their progress, as I will all through the expedition until they arrive back in South Africa, and the image shows their position at the time of writing. They did lose the GPS facility for a couple of days, and that is why there are no tracking showing for these 2 days.

Safe sailing, landing and may the weather hold out for them. And good luck to you all trying to make contact with them. I personally am looking forward to the DVD coming out of the trip as a memento of this expedition.

Aviation History On This Day 1952

22 January 2023

As can be seen from my photo’s and looking at the website I am an aircraft geek. So this interested me today (January 22nd 2023). This is the aircraft that has opened up the world for passenger flights and the development of bigger, safer, aircraft.

On Tuesday 22nd January 1952, the De Havilland Comet 1, the world’s first jet airliner gains its certificate of airworthiness. The Comet entered service on 2nd May 1952 with British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). However, within a year of entering service, a number of aircraft were lost to accidents. These were eventually traced to metal fatigue in the airframe. Although the aircraft was redesigned, its commercial sales suffered somewhat and only 114 examples were built.

BOAC ceased operations with the type in 1965, although many airframes were operated successfully by Dan Air for many years to come. The last flight by a Comet was by an RAF Comet C4, XS235 (Canopus) in March 1997. A number of surviving Comets are preserved in museums, including ‘Canopus’ which is kept in ground running and taxiing condition at Bruntingthorpe in Leicestershire.

Update on the 3Y0J Expedition, Meeting, and Evening

13 January 2023

What a fun filled couple of days it was in London. The Journey down by train was very comfortable and stress free, I sat down read a couple of chapters in my book, looked up and we were in London. The train was so smooth, image to left is the train arriving at Nuneaton (my home station). I met Charles (M0OXO) at London Euston where we got a taxi to our hotel.

Following check in, we met Nobby (G0VJG) in the hotel lounge where Cezar (VE3LYC), Adrian (KO8SCA) and Axel (DL6KVA) joined us before we went on to a local pub for lunch and a couple of drinks. Back to the hotel to shower and change for the dinner that evening.

As it was only a short walk to the restaurant we set off in a group chatting with old friends and meeting new ones, some who I had met on the air before and some of the CDXC members I have known for years. Chat soon turned to the expedition and the pile ups to come. Plenty of drinks and chat over the meal was followed by photographs and more chat, with stories of previous expeditions and experiences. A most enjoyable evening – even though it rained very heavy as we left and walked back to the hotel.

The following morning after breakfast we again met in the hotel lounge to say our farewells with the team going to Bouvetoya (3Y0) and wished them a safe journey. Myself, Charles, Dave (EI9FBB) and Jeremy (EI5GM) jumped on the underground and went for a walk around Oxford and Regent Street in London before we stopped at Eros in Piccadilly Circus for 30 minutes of people watching. Dave & Jeremy then went for a meal before their flight back to Eire, and Charles & I went to our relevant rail stations on the “tube”.

A most excellent few days indeed. More photo’s can be seen on John’s (G4IRN) page at this link. https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMpAariAQbiLzYiCmu4X6R9VP7P-S836dPD0JXy4MM5vHocCMf1UMP6dfnYfjQ9KA?key=dUY2TzdvSUxveEtoTzN6OXp6MTFQbkgtc0NWSUNR

Meeting the 3Y0J Team

10 January 2023

Today we are going down to the UK’s capital city, London, to meet with the 3Y0J team and a few other radio amateurs for a meal and to wish the Bouvet team a safe journey.

As the team are having to Transit through the UK on their way to the Falkland Islands on their way to Bouvet they offered a limited number of DXers the chance to meet up with them. And it also gives us chance to meet up with old and new friends for a quiet beer or two. I myself will be travelling from my home in Nuneaton by train, and meeting up with them at the hotel in London. Then later this evening we will be off for the meal in a local restaurant. Images and updates will be uploaded tomorrow when I get home.

The image above shows the first four 3Y0J operators to have arrived in London. (L-R) Pete N0FW, Cezar VE3LYC, Otis NP4G, Adrian KO8SCA.

Shack update

8 January 2023

And that’s me calling the shack done at the operating position. Just got the certificates and other images to get on the walls when I have enough frames for them.

All software is working and IOTA/LOTW updates done for the 2023 honour rolls. Here’s to working the new ones this year.

Shack/Office back up at new QTH

2 January 2023

After 2 months I have finally managed to get my desk and shack back up and running. I still need to get some antennas, or at least one, up in the air but this is planned for the next couple of weeks. Hopefully before Bouvet (3Y0J Expedition) starts and Crozet (FT8WW) ends. Both would be New countries for me and would make it 321 in total worked/confirmed in the current DXCC listings – 325 all time.

Tee new shack comprises 3 screens which could yet be reconfigured as I am not 100% with how I have it set up as yet, or should I say connected to the computer and laptop. But this will be for another day to do.