Archive - January 2024

This announcement has been made this morning by the IOTA management team.

IOTA (Islands On The Air) – 60th Anniversary

This year we celebrate 60 years since the founding of our wonderful programme. In recognition of this milestone, the upcoming Ham Radio 2024 meeting in Friedrichshafen (FHN), scheduled to take place between June 28 and 30, will have as moto: “60 Years of Islands on the Air: Technology Meets Adventure!” (see more at https://www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.com)

Apart from having a booth there, we intend to organize an IOTA Forum on Saturday morning, June 29, as well as other activities, which will be announced on this website later on. We also like to use this opportunity to call for an anniversary dinner at one of the local restaurants. Please let us know at info@iota-world.org, as soon as possible, if you are interested to participate to this special get-together event, number of seats required, and if you have a preference for a specific evening during the meeting. We will compile the results of this quick survey to book an appropriate venue.

More details will be provided in due course.

VE3LYC and the IOTA Team – 31 January 2024

Taken from Charles’ (M0OXO) website. Another new one for me and one I missed when the team went in 2023.

We’re building an organization of 25+ experienced DXpeditioners committing to and capable of executing some of the rarest and most difficult entities to activate. In the pipeline we have two exciting DXpeditions planned.

• 3YØK DXpedition to Bouvetøya January 2025 (#11 most wanted)
• We will stay up to 21 days on the island
• A team of 3 operators + support team of 4 persons + remote team
• Budget $440,000 where 2/3rd of budget is already secured
• $150,000 in support still needed
• ALL PERMITS IN HAND

We have signed a contract with a vessel owner with a proven track record in Arctic and Antarctic waters. The experienced Captain has been supporting expedition teams since 1997 and before that has been managing his own fishing trawler for decades. We’re also teaming up with Peter as responsible for landing us safely on the beach, similarly to what he did this year. We are three persons with previous experience from landing at the island. Peter’s experience, skill and determination is again an important factor for success!

We have been through some 3YØJ lessons learned where everything have been scrutinized to improve the next attempt. This time we plan 3YØK based on our previous Bouvet experience! We will go only with smaller Honda gasoline generators, and it will be a lightweight DXpedition but still with some yagis and amplifiers. Weight is reduced from 7 ton to 2 ton. Peter will be leading the support team of total 4 younger persons, that comes in addition to the radio operators.

We will also engage a remote team where AA7JV George will be involved with tons of remote experience from his Pacific trips. George will design, test, and supply the remote radio system adapted to Bouvet environment and we’re grateful for his contribution. The remote radio system will be Pelican Cases with radio and power supply, where we will taking four remote radios and 5 radios with amplifiers for the local operators. In addition to the 7 members that will be on the island there will thus be additional remote members providing you with QSOs.

Operators: Dave WD5COV, Emil DL8JJ and Ken LA7GIA

Media Officer: James Gallo KB2FMH

Visit our Facebook page and our website www.3y0k.com.

The following is taken from Charles’ (M0OXO) website. This will be a very interesting one to follow so book into the diary/calendar.

Peter I Island DXpedition 2026 preparation has started!

Peter I is the #8 DXCC in ClubLog most wanted list.

We have secured a vessel, and we’re now building a team of 19 operators that will go to Peter I Island in February 2026 and stay there for 14 days. The vessel is a proper Antarctica vessel with 2 helicopters, two Expedition leaders and with all permits needed.

We are working closely with the Norwegian Polar Institute to obtain the landing permit. A website has been created and additional information about Peter I Island DXpedition will be released shortly. Fundraising is expected to start 2024

Team leader Ken LA7GIA, Co-leader Adrian KO8SCA, Co-leader Cezar VE3LYC and Co-leader Dave WD5COV.

Media Officer: James Gallo KB2FMH.

Because we are running the two DXpeditions through the same organization (Delta-Xray Group) there exist synergies as for the equipment, logistics and resources committed to execute these.

The following is taken from Tim’s (M0URX) website. He is the QSL manager for this expedition which will be a new DXCC country for me so I am hoping I will make this contact.

Good morning from Shogun.
The fair winds and following seas were yesterday’s news, today we’re bouncing around and rolling along. We finished breakfast a short time ago,  and while some team members are in the lounge, others decided to ride out the weather in their bunk with 2,800 QSOs in the log the /MM station was dismantled and packed away.

Landing on the island will be dependent on the weather and access through the reef. The skipper said he will put two skiffs in the water. First over will be several radio team members and boat crew. They’ll bring over emergency food / water and shelter, then determine best campsite consistent with access.  

We will arrive Clipperton early Thursday morning.
The boat crew will begin bringing our equipment out of the holds early in the morning. The skipper will take a trip around the island looking for known openings in the reef. Initially, three team members will go to the island and, based on where we land, select the camp location.
Two team members will stay on the boat to direct the transfer of equipment, first over: emergency food, drinking water, shelters, one small generator, petrol, tools, etc. followed by all other equipment.

As equipment goes over, one or two additional team members will take the ride over. The weather will dictate how many people can (will) go over on the first day.
Once we begin this process, we may not be able to send updates until the island Starlink terminals are deployed, or possibly some people may remain on the boat Thursday night.  That’s it for now. Cheers, K5GS

Happy New Year to all my friends, and family around the world. Again I have not written much or updated this BLOG for a few weeks, following my last update I was admitted to hospital with a serious chest infection, so I should outline the plans for 2024.

Firstly my aim is to lose some weight and get my health back. This I plan to do with changing my diet and the whole way I live. Yes I will still be doing my day job, but rather than be sat here at my desk on my days off I intend to get out more, some walking to build up my stamina and taking my camera to try and get some of the local bird life – along with other wild life and maybe some aircraft at the 2 local airports close to my location.

Secondly I am wanting to get my vintage radios repaired so I can use them on air, as well as get a good antenna with a mast fitted to the house. I may even look at some VHF/UHF antennas to try and get back in to the UKAC contests.

And finally I have some events and air shows planned for this year too. I will be attending the GMDX Association meeting in April, so a trip up to Scotland is on the cards for that. This will be followed with Ham Radio Friedrichshafen in Germany, looking forward to seeing some old and new friends at this one. Then it will be time for RIAT in July, the biggest military air show in Europe where I volunteer. And then in early October I will once again be travelling to Ireland for the DX Feile 2024. And if nothing clashes in October I may be at the RSGB Convention once again to end the year.

These and visits to my 2 radio clubs, Hinckley Amateur Radio & Electronics Society (HARES) and Mexborough And District Amateur Radio Society (MADARS), for some talks and presentations. So a busy boy me thinks.