Callsign: ZD9WDXCC: Tristan da Cunha & Gough I. IOTA: AF-029 Dates: September 29 - October 22, 2023 News |
|
September 29 - ZD9W QRV
Yuris got in touch late evening to say that today around lunch time he finally got on the island (article on the island's webpage about MFV Lance arrival). All went without accidents. He has managed to install the EFHW and DX-Commander antennas already and made about 200 QSOs so far. Internet is available in the village, not directly in the place of his stay.
Strong storm is approaching the island and will hit it tomorrow.
September 27 - Approaching the island
Message from Yuris 19:10z: Today we are approaching the island. Some 20 miles left. Tomorrow after the breakfast, weather permitting, we will get ashore.
September 25 - Another storm
Message from Yuris 19:30z: the latest forecast for arrival at ZD9 is Wednesday (September 27), due to strong winds. He feels ok - seasickness has passed after the 1st day.
25.sep 19:00z: MFV Lance is currently inside another storm. According to the weather forecast storm might subside by midday September 26. About 300 km left to the destination.
September 23/24 - Passing through the storm
MFV Lance is maneuvering during the passing storm. Another possibly stronger storm is forecasted on the path for Monday.
September 20 - Evening update
Ship's position at 20.Sep.2023, 20:00 UTC - approximately half of the way completed.
Yuris felt seasickness during the first days of the trip. Now he feels OK. Internet is available for short text messages every 2nd day for a short time.
September 19 - Travel update
Evening update: In the evening Yuris wrote short message confirming the potential delay - ship captain's latest forecast for reaching ZD9 is September 26th, subject to change depending on the actual weather conditions. Lance's location at 20:00 UTC, September 19, 2023.
Midday update: Free user account plans of vessel tracking websites do not show details of vessels which are obtained using SAT-AIS system, but looks like Lance (the ship) progresses towards ZD9 a bit slower than anticipated. In 4 days ship has managed to do about 1050 km, with approximately 1750 km still left to go. And the speed of it is about 9 .. 11 13 kmph. Weather forecast websites show headwind on the path. It seems like it might take a day or two longer than expected for the ship to reach ZD9.
September 15 - The ship to ZD9 departs
Yuris is on the ship and waiting for its departure at 12:00 PM UTC.
Captain of the ship says that it will take 9 days to reach Tristan da Cunha (ZD9). So arrival should happen on September 24.
Some photos are added to the photos section.
It should be possible to follow the ship using this live vessel tracker (Update: no ship details shown without paid account after ship leaves coastal waters and uses sattelite AIS system)
September 11 - The journey starts
Today (September 11) Yuris will fly from Riga, Latvia to Frankfurt, Germany. From there he will take the evening flight to Cape Town, South Africa. He will spend there 3 nights waiting for the ship to Tristan da Cunha (ZD9). It takes the whole week for the ship to get to ZD9. Arrival to ZD9 is scheduled for September 22.
At the moment luggage weighs 63 kg - transceivers, power supplies, power amplifiers, 6m beam with the mast. He will pick up extra 30 kg in Cape Town - Spiderbeam and low band vertical.
August 24 - Testing the new 6m antenna
6m band yagi is ready and being tested at home. It weights 2.6 kg, plus 3 kg of 8 m high Spiderbeam 12m HD fiberglass mast without 4 top sections.
The previous 6m beam was left as a gift to Indian friends during VU7W expedition.
August 15 - Initial announcement
Yuris/YL2GM will visit Tristan da Cunha and do one-man operation on the air as ZD9W from September 24 to October 22, 2023.
ZD9 is #44 in Clublog's DXCC Most Wanted List as of August, 2023.