Bill,

I was talking to NE8Z a few years ago after he went there, and he mentioned that some of the monks do have radios, but they are like HT's so they can talk to the fisherman and whomever they need to talk to get food, supplies etc! they spend all day praying, and doing their thing, some Monks have never left the mount since getting there, and well the work of God vs Ham Radio is not really a high priority... they just want to do their best to be close to God (as that is their mission), and having outside contact can cause distraction to the end goal (again this is covered on the 60 minute piece)... btw, this is not the first time OH2BH has tried to operate from there, also it is not the first time that this has happened either.

There was another group at one time that accessed the area (yes the Mount can be accessed by land from Greece) and got on the air, but from my understanding they did not have the final paperwork from the monks! Remember, this is not like P5 or BS7, this place is part of Greece, it is just managed by the Monks.

anyway, WFWL rules guys...

Steve

W4DTA/YV5DTA

PS:

I think I can start the following dx rumour, there is a very good chance you all might hear EA3/W4dTA and/or C3/W4DTA in the not too far future....

On Mon, Jan 27, 2025 at 7:43 PM BILL KENNAMER <k5fuv@prodigy.net> wrote:

Steve is correct. I’ve read the original communication on file. I’m not sure what Martti has, but he should know what’s necessary.

However, one should always remember that a group of aroused locals can stir up problems, and the monks don’t like modern things in Mt. Athos. They do like radio for emergency, and that’s why one of them will have a license.

FUV

Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail for iPad

On Monday, January 27, 2025, 6:20 PM, The Romagni's <eromagni@gmail.com> wrote:
Having seen previous dx presentations in regards to operating from Mt Athos (https://youtu.be/0qbk0YyYFmE), getting to the place is not that hard, and getting a permit, well filling a CEPT application will give you authorization to use your call from there, as MT Athos is well part of Greece; it is just a place that it is managed by a religious organization!

Now the question comes in getting the paperwork so that the ARRL will count for it, there is a memorandum that shows that pretty much you need a written permission signed by all of the authorities of the 20 holy monasteries, so my guess here, is that this might not be the case for this operation! and well something happens that we might or might never know, but the monks really want to keep things under control there... if you ever see the 60 minutes special on Mt Athos, you will understand what happens there... I mean the place is still officially under Byzantine time!

Anyway, let's wait and see to hear what really happened (if we ever do hear, otherwise it will be part of another DX Conspiracy story we all can talk about...)

Steve
W4DTA

On Mon, Jan 27, 2025 at 5:56 PM <w5znjoel@gmail.com> wrote:
ADXA Folks,

No news may or may not be “good” news. Still nothing from the SV1GA/A team and only rumors flying wild around the internet and chat rooms. For now that is all they are, rumors, as validated by the silence from all of our legitimate DX news sources who await facts.

So, we end our day with a modification of the old DX acronym WFWL, we now Worry First, Work Later!!!! Martti is a master international negotiator that some have questioned in the past, even me, but if this is simply a need to clarify intent he certainly has the credentials to resolve this but, then again, as I noted earlier the religious leaders at the monastery are very, very strict.

Given it has been night time there for several hours we’ll see what the news is when we awake in the morning. For now, hold those precious SV/A Q’s close and kiss them good night, tonight……..I have a 160 meter Q with them that I so dearly need in my question to 300. That would be #292. We’ll see!

73 Joel W5ZN

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