Marion Island update

Still nothing from Petrus, ZS8T on Marion Island yet.

That's to be expected when you consider he's gone down there to work and amateur radio is his hobby. Add to that the fact that he's only one man, it's not a huge multi-op DXpedition like the recent one to Clipperton Island. In fact, it's not even what I'd call a DXpedition as such. It's a guy working hard in a remote area who, if he manages to get some time to himself and the weather conditions are right, might just be able to get on the radio.

Of course, that doesn't stop people criticising him for not letting us know when he's going QRV. I kid you not, someone moaned on the forum that they were wasting time listening for him on the radio and searching on the internet for news. Like Petrus has an obligation to the world's hams. There's always a chance that the person complaining was joking. If that's the case they didn't do it too well.

Lets not forget, he's down there for a year, there'll be plenty of time for a QSO with him. The only obligations he has are to himself, his team (he's the team leader) and his employer.

My only complaint is, I wish I could get a job like his.

73 de VK4VSP

ZS8T - update 1

Oops!

I'm not sure where I got the 5th May from (a bit of QRN between the eyes and the brain perhaps), but it's actually the 9th that Petrus is hoping to be QRV.

I've loosened the bolts and used the Armstrong method to rotate my antenna slightly. Whether it will make any difference or not remains to be seen.



There's a curious thing I've noticed when there's a DXpedition like this in progress. The DX clusters are supposed to be a way to let other hams know when a particular DX station is on air and where they're readable. So why do so many lids spot the stations with comments like "nothing heard". There's so much rubbish ends up on your screen it's hardly worth reading it.

And don't get me started on the guys that spot their mate down the street with comments like "59+ here", or "loud". Of course it is you idiot. It doesn't mean anyone else can hear him.

73 de VK4VSP

ZS8T - Marion Island

Here's one to keep an ear out for. As I've mentioned before, I haven't been very active since getting licenced, so if I can get ZS8T into the log that'll be my first QSO with Antarctica. Then all I'll need is Africa to get worked-all-continents. Okay, that may not be much to some of you more experienced hams, but it's a stepping stone. Actually, come to think of it, my logging software will think it's Africa anyway.

The DXpedition to Marion Island is being done by one man, Petrus ZS6GCM and he should be on air sometime early next week, possibly May 5th. It just happens to be our labour day holiday here in Queensland, what luck.

Although Petrus will be operating alone, he has plenty of support back home and I can't finish this blog without mentioning three of them. Christian DL6KAC, Col MM0NDX and Stan SQ8X have created one of the best looking DXpedition websites I've ever seen.

I might have to turn the Comet H-422 around this weekend. It's facing toward Japan at the moment and I'm yet to put it on a rotator. It does seem to have a bit of directivity on 20m, but I managed to work Calgary, Canada on 40m last week with it facing the way it is. We'll see.

73 de VK4VSP

Edit: I've just looked at the rules for the WAC and Antarctica doesn't count as a continent apparently. That kind of takes some of the challenge out of it.