Bulletin #11 - (Nov 22, 2015)
In addition to the QSL policy detailed on our web site, early ARRL LOTW confirmations (within 4 weeks) can be ordered via ClubLog with a donation of 1 €. All donors will be noted on our homepage and all donors until end of November will get automatically a LoTW upload still in December 2015.
To summarize QSL policy:
The QSL design is ready and on the way to the printer. You can find it under “Gallery” on our web site.
Bulletin #10 - (Nov 8, 2015)
V73D is history now. The whole team is happy with the results of another serious dxpedition under the given constraints. Our QSL-Manager works hard to check all the comments in respect to the log and he will need about another week for the log update. Then the updated log will replace the current log at Club Log. In meantime our picture gallery will be updated with a few more photos.
On our way back with the United Airlines "Island Hopper" to Guam - the flight was delayed by 2 days! - we met the two famous dxpeditioners JA2NQG (V6WW) and JH2BNL (V6AAA) who joined us in Pohnpei on their way back home.
Our 12 operators worked from 160 to 6 m in CW, SSB and RTTY and completed in total 64800 QSO’s with 18300 different callsigns. 32 % of the QSOs´s were logged with the far away Europe. A colour QSL card will be printed in December 2015.
Thanks to all our friends who worked us and made this dxpedition successful!
And another good news - Neil, V73NS, will intensify CW lowband operation from now on.
Bulletin #9 - (Oct 30, 2015)
Also the new departure to Guam was canceled because of technical problems even when all people had already checked in. Bad service by United Airlines and poor information. A lot of difficulties to change connecting flights again. Nothing is confirmed right now. The team is back in the MIR hotel and disappointed while not arriving back in Germany before Sunday. Several team members have working contracts for Monday.
We are sorry - there was a mistake on Club Log for direct OQRS. Generally the fee for any numbers of QSO’s is 3 EUR. Each QSL includes one label with maximal 6 QSO’s.
Bulletin #8 - (Oct 29, 2015)
The departure from Majuro by United Airlines is delayed because of technical problems. The connecting flights via Guam and Seoul to Frankfurt need to be confirmed. Hopefully we will arrive in Germany by late Saturday afternoon.
The expedition closed with well over 64000 QSOs. The log will be checked and cleaned within the next few days. The QSL Manager is continuously working on the comments received in respect to the log. Please address your request via email and not via the guestbook.
Many thanks for all good wishes and the positive feedback we received via DX Cluster, Email and our guestbook!
Bulletin #7 - (Oct 26, 2015)
The team starts to dismantle all antennas at Wednesday local time. We will be QRT around 4 GMT.
Thanks all for working us.
Bulletin #6 - (Oct 23, 2015)
We are able to check our mails in the hotel desk once or two times daily. As we got a lot of requests for skeds we feel it is necessary to explain our situation.
The big Marshall Island Resort allowed us to install all 9 antennas from 160 to 6 m. The 80- and 160 m Verticals are 50 m away on a platform direct at the lagoon. All antennas have a good SWR but the problem is a high man made noise from the hotel area. May be from hundreds of air conditions, pump stations, beach lights and other things. That means we are hearing not good and are not happy about so many signals just in the noise. That means your signal must be over this noise. The noise level from 160 to 30 m is never better than S5 noise, on 80 m extremely bad with constant S8. Any receiving antennas sets could not improve the receiving situation – always the same noise. Anyway, we continue operating the low bands and try our best to get you all in our log!
So we will continue our floating shift system with four 500 watts stations in parallel. Every 3.5 hours operators are changed. So shift time window is moving from day to day by 3 hours. Each operator can decide himself which band and mode he will work in his shift. (To avoid endless CQing on 160 to 30 m and to improve QSO rates on highbands…)
On October 22th most of the team members did a sightseeing trip by boat. We visited beautiful small islands and did some snorkeling. During this time still two station were in service. When we came back we had the first 6m opening and worked JA! Now in the second week we got some people in the log which are happy for a new one.
Please avoid dupes and check club log to see whether you are already in the log!!
If you miss your call in log work us again please. If necessary log corrections will be done after our dxpedition.
We will operate the CQ WWDX CONTEST SSB in the Multi Operator Single Transmitter category. This will include 80m SSB operation which was not done so far. One of the four stations will be dedicated to this task. The other stations will work CW and RTTY and SSB only on the WARC bands.
For future dxpeditions to V7 there is the option to go by boat to one of the uninhabited islands with a guest house around the lagoon and work with one or two generators. That should be a nearly perfect antenna place. The guesthouses have no water and only some have solar energy. Self-catering is required.
Bulletin #5 - (Oct 17, 2015)
After 4 full days operation we have more than 20.000 QSOs in the log. All antennas are up, including 3 spiderbeams and full size verticals for 80 m and 160 m. The operators are still highly motivated - since the propagation is improving - but also tired from intensive antenna work and 24/7 shift operation.
Unfortunately on 80 m we have strong noise of about S8, on 160 m about S5. An external receiving antenna did not really improve the situation. The noise is from the hotel area. We know that this will not make the Europeans happy. The signals from Japan and US west coast are usually very strong, band openings are long. But openings to West and Central Europe are usually short and signals are rather weak.
A beacon on 50.120 MHz is active during daytime with 50 watts on our spare transceiver and a 4 element Yagi to Japan. No reports received so far.
The main power with 110 V AC works well, no problems with the technical equipment. The internet is stable in the lobby of the hotel, but weak in the radio room. It looks that we have lost some emails.
The weather is hot at lunch time with 30 degrees C and high humidity. Heavy rain showers but mostly at night. Fortunately it is not very windy.
Bulletin #4 - (Oct 14, 2015)
The team arrived in Majuro late Monday evening without any problems. The place for the antennas around the swimming pool is more limited than expected. We started yesterday to operate first a few bands with reduced power. As our place for antennas was very limited we had interferences between some antennas and operating places. So there is something to do. High noise level makes big problems in receiving well especially on lowbands. All operators are highly motivated. Over 4600 QSOs were worked in the first 24 hours. The ClubLog Update will be done soon. WLAN Internet is expensive and slow. The license V73D is in our hands. Now a small beacon is running with 50 watts on a vertical on 50,120 MHz from time to time. Please let us know when hearing us.
Bulletin #3 - (Sep 23, 2015)
Everything is on schedule. In just two weeks, on October 10th , we will start our new DX adventure from Frankfurt via Seoul and Guam to Majuro. All 12 team members are in good shape. The complete technical equipment is prepared for 110 V AC operation and will be carried with us on the flights.
Our crew will be QRV 24/7 from October 13th to 28th with four 500-watt-stations, using a well-tried shift plan. Simple single band full-size wire verticals and loops and three multi band spiderbeams will be used from 160 m to 10 m in CW, SSB and RTTY.
Please have a look at the new great VOACAP propagation tool on our homepage to see the
propagation prediction. Wherever you live, just put in your own 6 digits grid locator and push the run-button (TNX OH6BG). Based on our experience the VOACAP prediction is a bit too optimistic on high bands but too pessimistic on low bands - but we will see. As we have no pilots – propagation reports from all continents are welcome during the expedition. Please be aware that we will not have full internet connection all the time. A daily update at clublog is planned.
V73D will continue a tradition of well organized light weight dxpeditions.
At this moment we would like to take the opportunity to thank all individual hams and foundations for their help with information and financial support. See you all soon in the pile-ups!
Bulletin #2 - (May 25, 2015)
The team welcomes Werner, DJ9KH, as another experienced dx-peditioner. We want to operate four simultaneous stations with small light weight amps for full two weeks 24/7.
After the DXpedition we will open an OQRS. QSL-Manager is DL4SVA. LoTW will follow 6 months later.
A daily log update is planned.
Bulletin # 1 - (April 28, 2015)
After T30D in 2014 our group goes to Majuro, Marshall Islands, in October 2015. We will get our license at arrival. The call sign V73D is promised. All flights are booked and accommodation is reserved. Our 11 team members and the technical part are well prepared to start another DXpedition. We will do a serious effort in CW, SSB and RTTY from 160 to 6 m.
We say a big Thank You to all of our friends who helped to organize this new adventure.
