[ADXA] The ZS8 Adventure

[w5znjoel at gmail.com]

Greetings ADXA Folks,

 

Exciting and VERY frustrating times with ZS8. I’ve had email from several of you expressing frustration in trying to work Yuris on ZS8. Some have indicated he is ignoring NA but that’s simply not the case. Let’s review a few things about this op and DX’ing in general.

 

DX’ing is a rough radiosport. That’s why weenies don’t pay the game and hang out on FM repeaters or the internet……..”You Can’t Run With the BIG DOGS If You Pee Like a Puppy!” I would tell you how much harder it was “back in the old days” but you new folks would just laugh at me and you old dogs already know its true! So we’ll just leave it there.

 

ZS8 is a top 10 most needed, heck its #6 most needed among the ADXA folks. EVERYONE wants it, the ENTIRE WORLD needs it so the pileups are angry and aggressive.

 

Propagation, propagation, propagation! This is a very popular ham radio topic second only to antennas but most hams don’t take the time to understand it. Yuris is sitting there on Marion Island in the south Indian ocean where there is practically no infrastructure, only the simple things needed to maintain the research station so the man-made noise is literally non-existent. The radio bands are extremely quiet, he will hear everything. The location also affords band openings to multiple world locations at one time, heck the entire world at one time on some bands. You are competing with the entire world in that pileup! One example is 17 meters. I needed ZS8 on 17 but it took me 5 days to complete. When Yuris would send FT8 signal reports to the stations he was working from all over the world they would all be anywhere from minus 5 to plus 5 and if you watched the wide graph there was one solid, continuous line of callers from around 250 Hz all the way up to 3 KHz and that is only stations we can hear…….he’s hearing the entire world at that level!

 

Its only one operator – Yuris is there by himself, the lone ranger without Tonto! Have we already forgotten Thiery at FT8WW a little over 2 years ago? That was very difficult one although we were afforded with a much longer operation than ZS8W’s stay.

 

I’m not making excuses for Yuris, I just want the ADXA folks to better understand the situation he’s in. I, for one, am very thankful he took the time and initiative to plan this and actually go through the political BS to get a license, get down there, and activate ZS8. Its actually one I never thought I would see activated again in my lifetime so I am very thankful for his effort!

 

This is BIG DOG territory ADXA folks, its why we very often preach about elevating your station capability and operating skills, regardless of the size of your station. 

 

We’re ADXA which means we’re BIG DOGS in the game of DX so instead of getting angry and frustrated…………..”GET IN THERE” and fight like you’re the third animal species on the ramp boarding the Ark and its starting to rain !!!!!   😊

 

73 Joel W5ZN

 

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