3B9DJ - EN version
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How the idea for DXpedition 3B9DJ to Rodrigues Island (IOTA AF017) came about
First some information about this destination. Rodrigues, called the Cinderella of Mascarén, is an island that is part of the Mascarén Islands . Politically and administratively, Rodrigues is a dependent territory of the Republic of Mauritius. It is located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, 560 km northeast of the island of Mauritius. The island is 18 km long, 8 km wide and includes 200 km of lagoons and 7 km of coral reefs. The capital is Port Mathurin, which has 6,000 inhabitants. The total population of the island is 40,000 thousand, mainly of African origin.
According to the available information of the Most Wanted ranking, Rodrigues is in 161st place. The first idea to visit this island was born in Friedrichshafen, at the biggest amateur radio meeting in Europe, which David OK6DJ and Milan OK7GU visited in June 2024. Over a beer they agreed that Milan would like to try amateur DXpedition operation. The choice fell on this island. In the autumn of 2024 David, together with Ruda OK2ZA, took part in an OM expedition to Cocos (Keeling) Island under the VK9CV label and agreed that Ruda would also go and that he would take his XYL Janice with him. After returning from Friedrichshafen they search and buy accommodation in Le Refuge resort through booking.
On December 23, 2024, after the announcement of the presidential elections in Mozambique and the subsequent violent riots, the CDXP team decides to postpone the expedition, planned for January 2025, for a year due to the security situation in the country.
Shortly thereafter, Palo OK1CRM contacts David OK6DJ to ask if 3B9DJ could go with them on the expedition. Word was given, another ticket was bought and accommodation was arranged through booking in the same resort. The last person to join the expedition team is Petr OK1BOA, a month before the departure, when he has sorted out his work commitments.
And so team 3B9DJ is complete with David OK6DJ, Milan OK7GU, Ruda OK2ZA with his XYL Janice, Palo OK1CRM and Petr OK1BOA. Afterwards there is a discussion about what equipment and what antenna systems to bring. The main restriction is due to the weight limit per person for luggage, which is 1 x 23kg suitcase for the hold and 12kg luggage for the deck. The choice falls on 2x Spiderbeam, on one mast vertical on 80m and INV L on 160m, vertical on 40m and 30m and dipoles on 17m and 12m. Technique to transmit 2x IC-705, 2x TS-480 and SUN SDR. As PA we are carrying 4x JUMA 1KW and a borrowed 500W ACOM 500S PA from sponsor ACOM.
23.3.2024
Day of departure to Rodrigues Island. Palo OK1CRM and Milan OK7GU go to David OK6DJ in Dolní Kamenice, meet at 07:30, load all luggage into OK7GU's car and drive to Prague airport. Ruda OK2ZA and his XYL Janička are going to Prague to the airport from Moravia from Sudice near Trebic and Petr OK1BOA lives in Prague, it is close to the airport, he has the easiest way from us. Meeting at the airport in Prague is at 08:30. There is a final weighing of the luggage, we move various things to fit the weight limit to the plane. We have to add two more bags to our tickets, we are taking a lot of stuff with us for the broadcast. At 12:20 we leave for Paris and then from Paris in the evening to Mauritius Island and then finally to Rodrigues Island on the third flight. At Mauritius airport we wait for Peter OK1BOA, who flew from Paris on another flight two hours after us.
24.3.2024
Arrival on Rodrigues Island. After normal check-in, two cars are waiting for us outside the airport, we load all our luggage and are taken to the resort where we will stay and broadcast. We immediately set about recceing the terrain and within an hour it is decided where we will put the antennas. First, we are given a covered outdoor patio in front of one of the condo units by the owner where we can set up a transmitting station. We set up our tables and chairs and immediately start unpacking everything we need to begin the dispatch. We plug in the imported reducers from the English standard used on the island, to our European standard. According to the slogan "wireless telegraphy needs a lot of wires".
Palo OK1CRM and David OK6DJ are building Spiderbeam, Ruda OK2ZA dipoles on 17 and 12m. First QSO logged in the log on 24.3. at 16:23 UTC with SP5VYP, transmitting on 17m and 15m. The very first day was a nice evening opening on 12m. Soon we go to bed, after 24 hours of flying and building several antennas we are tired. We have less than 2.000 QSOs in the log.
25.3.2024
After breakfast, Palo OK1CRM and Ruda OK2ZA start building two verticals on 40 and 30m and the rest of the team continues to install the transmitting sites. The sky is clear, the sun is scorching and it is very hot, but after 3 hours the verticals are standing including cabling and radios. So by the second day we have 5 antenna systems in place, with a vertical on 40m that can be used on 15m. The conditions were not very good during the day, which is normal in this part of the world. So we are transmitting FT8 and checking by signal strength to see if conditions improve. The opening on the bands is coming up in the afternoon local time, so we are transmitting CW, SSB and FT8. We have another 10,000 QSOs in the log. We are arranging with the hotel operators to go to their place for lunch and dinner, even though we had originally paid for lodging with breakfast only.
26.3.2025
We are going to build a vertical on 80m and INV L on 160m, all on one mast, including radials. We are building the mast furthest from the accommodation area on a hill. That day is again very muggy and hot. But everything gets built without problems and the PSF is perfect on both antennas. The plan was to do 2x100m Beverage, but due to the weather it was not possible, it started to rain in the afternoon. At the same time we were building verticals, Petr OK1BOA prepared the second Spiderbeam. Unfortunately there was a problem with PSV. The coaxial cable was checked and the connectors had to be redone. Then everything was OK and we have another antenna. In the evening we also broadcast on 80m and 160m. The signals from the counter stations were not very strong, but still we managed to log a large number of QSOs. We are also transmitting on the other bands, with almost 11,000 QSOs in the log at the end of the day. In total in 3 days we have 22.000 thousand QSOs in the log, something incredible.
27.3.2025
Ruda OK2ZA gets up early in the morning thinkingthat there might be a nice opening of the 17 and 12m bands. Unfortunately it didn't happen. We have experience from expeditions from Africa that this is usually the case at this time of the morning. After breakfast Ruda OK2ZA repairs his Juma PA, in which the power transistor "went out". It was inadequately screwed and soldered after the previous repair at Juma and there was not enough hot conductive paste under it. The repair was successful in field conditions (how else!!) and we have a full setup again.
During the morning Robert 3B9FR arrives for a visit, bringing several of his devices in his car, including a PA and TX that are not working. Ruda OK2ZA and Milan OK7GU start to fix it. It's challenging, it's very hot, they are investigating and fixing everything possible on the veranda.
Petr OK1BOA starts to assemble Robert's Momobeam - 6el. antenna on 6m, it takes about two hours. He prepares the mast and after wiring it, he measures the PSF. Everything is in order and we are ready to transmit on 6m band. During the day we manage to log 230 QSOs there FT8. That day there was a nice opening of the 10 and 15m bands from the morning, which lasted all day and evening. We are trying again the 80 and 160m bands. The signals from the counter stations are weak and have to be patiently mined out of the noise on the band. Milan OK7GU managesto log several dozen call signs there
David OK6DJ installed a borrowed 60cm dish from 3B9FR, connected a Sunar QRP setup and SP3SXB transverter and logged his first QSO on 23cm band.
28.3.2025
Conditions on the bands were worse than on previous days. QSOs could be made only on 12 and 10m. Other bands are without CW or SSB activity, only FT8 is passing through. During operation we find a fault on one Spiderbeam, only there a problem with PSF. Disassembly goes quickly, the problem in the PL connector is solved and the Spiderbeam is back in service. In the afternoon we build a beverage, 100m to EU and USA. From this location it's almost one way. In the evening when transmitting on the 80 and 160m bands it is noticeable, the call signs are much better heard. Manage to log KH6, HK, PY and many others, both from EU and USA.
29.3.2025
We've arranged to rent a car and to drive around the island. We're turning on FT4 on all bands on TX. One of us stays to watch the TX and the PC and the others leave at 10:00 local time in the morning, with the understanding that we will first go to the viewpoint on the highest peak of the island, Mont Limon, with an altitude of 398 m. We leave the car in the car park below the summit and have to walk the rest of the way up the hill. After about 15 minutes we stand on the top and get an incredibly beautiful view of most of the island. We do the necessary paperwork and head to one of the local sandy beaches. On the way we want to stop somewhere for lunch, unfortunately we find that the local restaurants close their doors at 2pm on Saturdays. We arrive late. We spend some time on the beach, the Indian Ocean is incredibly warm and everywhere is clean and not crowded. On the way back, we stop at one of the many barbecue places along the road and sample the local specialties. By nightfall we arrive at QTH, tired but determined to broadcast. Pile ups are underway on both SSB and CW. At night we are again QRV on 80 and 160m. Unfortunately we can't listen on beverage, but strong signals are coming through.
30.3.2025
David OK6DJ gets up every morning at 03:00 local time and transmits alternately on 30 and 40m. There is a lot of interest in QSOs at this time. Again, like every day, there is nothing to do in the morning as the bands are closed, so there is only FT8 traffic on TX, where it is still more or less busy and someone is still calling. We switch between one and 6 slots depending on the number of callers. More slots means weaker signal for the calling stations, so with less callers we reduce the number of slots. It's a current trend, these conditions are here every day. Today, for the first time, we're also broadcasting RTTY traffic. First QSO is in the log on 17m at 09:23 UTC with OK1ALX. Petr OK1BOA and Ruda OK2ZA are logging many teletype QSOs during the day and during the following ones. In the afternoon, when the bands open, we add QSOs on CW and SSB. Among other things, we also transmit every day on the 6m band with FT8, CW and SSB traffic. The Monobeam borrowed from Robert 3B9FR is a really good antenna. After being set up by Petr OK1BOA, it brings many nice QSOs to the log both from Asia and the EU. Milan OK7GU has been working this band almost all day. When the band is closed, he is working CW traffic on different bands. In the night hours we are again working 80m and 160m bands. Unfortunately beverage is not working again, so QSOs are made only on listening on 80m vertical and INV L on 160m. Still, there will be more QSOs in the log.
31.3.2025
After breakfast we go to check the beverage. We find it is broken off at the end near the resistor and ground. The last part goes over a dirt stone road at about 3m high. We didn't expect a car with a taller body to pass this way. Unfortunately, it did. The repair is quick and easy. As every day we QRV on all the bands and although has this country at 161st Most Wanted, there is a lot of interest in QSOs. Peter OK1BOA is starting to transmit SSB even on 20m, where we had almost no QSOs until then.
1.4.2025
We agreed to go to Giant Tortoises Park, where they keep giant tortoises. It's a protected park of 20 hectares, where besides the turtles there are 110 thousand endemic and native plants. We let FT4 and FT8 go to TX, one of us stays to keep watch and the others go on the trip. On our return, we all sit down again at the TX and broadcast. We find that the bands are not as busy as in previous days. There is more interference, especially on the 40, 80 and 160m bands. Signal reception fluctuates a lot.
2.4.2025
The bands are closed. We are transmitting FT4 and FT8, where at least some signals are coming through. We don't know what's going on. No activity on the 6m band either. Milan OK7GU is regularly active on this band every day. Every day he is logging many nice QSOs both CW and SSB. The first band that is opening up a bit is 15m around 13:00 UTC. On CW some signals are coming through, but they are weak and some QSOs fail to complete because there is a big signal leak during the transmission. After some time, both SSB and CW can be transmitted on the other bands
Later we find out that there was a solar flare, which explains why conditions on the bands deteriorated so rapidly. This trend continued until the end of the expedition. In the evening and at night, almost every day there is a beautiful opening in the 10 and 12m bands. The pile ups are huge.
3.4.2025
Conditions on the bands are the same as on the previous days. The bands are closed. Improvement is coming in the afternoon, we are trying to be active on all bands where we can. We are slowly discussing how we will proceed with dismantling the antennas, which antennas we will leave until the last day and which we will start dismantling among the first. We are arranging a ride to the airport on the day we return home.
4.4.2025
Dismantling of the first antennas is coming. First we pack 2x Spiderbeam and the mast on which were simultaneously vertical on 80m and INV L on 160m, including radials. For each band we had 5x40m radials on 160m and 5x20m on 80m.
The sky is cloudless and the sun is scorching, so even allowing for fatigue it is quite challenging. We are leaving verticals on 30 and 40m, dipoles on 12 and 17m and a 6el antenna on 6m. When conditions improve, we settle back to TX and try to be active on the remaining bands.
5.-6.4.2025
Departure day. We wake up early in the morning. Continues dismantling the remaining antennas and Beverage. We are gradually packing everything, weighing the luggage, everything needs to be wrapped in foil and taped. We sit down to our last lunch and after that at 13:30 local time we are driven by 2 cars to the airport. We say goodbye to the owner, go through the necessary check-in, enjoy a last coffee at a local bistro and at 16:45 local time we fly to Mauritius. Here we wait for two hours and fly to Paris and then Prague.
The flight from Mauritius to Paris takes nearly 12 hours. This is where problems arise. The plane lands with a slight delay and is parked a long way from the main airport concourse. Some of us have tickets to connect to Prague 2 hours after landing. Unfortunately, everything takes an awfully long time. It took over half an hour before they let us off the plane and onto the buses that were ready. Another long time was spent in the bus itself, it felt like we were taking public transport across half of Prague. Anyone who knows CDG airport knows how huge it is. When we finally got to check in at the department where they do the screening of those coming into the EU from non-EU destinations, it was clear we would not make our connection to Prague. The next thing we know, after we were supposed to take the closest flight to Prague, we receive news that our tickets for that flight have been cancelled. We had to seek information from Air France, where we solved the problem with the delay of the previous flight. Since all the flights were with Air France, they had no trouble rebooking the tickets for the next flight to Prague two hours later, which we then flew to without any problems. Well, there was another problem in Prague, news came in that our 3 bags had not arrived. So we have to go to baggage claim again to solve this problem. There we find that one suitcase that arrived with us in Prague is badly damaged. We successfully claimed this and after the claims clerk filled out all the paperwork, we left the airport and returned home. The two lost bags were brought back the very next day and the third one only two days later. The suitcase claim is pending.
Summary.
Throughout our stay, we were very much helped by a working internet WiFi connection from the owner of Le Refuge resort (free of charge in the price of accommodation).
We were in contact with Robert 3B9FR a few months before arriving at Rodrigues. We arranged ahead of time how we could help Robert get his setup working so he could be QRV on the bands again. Roberto was a frequent guest at Le Refuge. In the very first few days he gradually started bringing a lot of his equipment and materials to us. Gradually we got his older but functional TCVR ICOM IC756-PRO III, his older transistorized Ameritron ALS-600 PA for KV, various KV wire antennas, also ICOM IC-7300, a new but not yet used Momobeam antenna for 6m, we fitted and fired new tubes into his older modified Hethkit PA for 6m (400W out), gradually set up and put into operation the QO-100 satellite dish and rig (giving over 1000 QSOs on CW, SSB, FT8 and FT4), uploaded the latest version of DXlog to Robert's laptop, upgraded DX4WIN for logging (TNX to DX4WIN author Paul KK4HD for free sponsorship of the latest version of of his DX4WIN), and gradually made and added interfaces (RS232 to USB) and various control cables to connect TCVRU and PA. We had to improvise with components to get Robert's setup working successfully. Some things, like spare power FETY for PA, basic tools, soldering iron, V/A/Ohm meter and other small things Ruda OK2ZA had with him, but where on the island to get just one ordinary NPN transistor and 1 resistor for keying Robert's TCVR from computer? It helped to unplug what we needed from other equipment we had with us (a preamp for beverage). Robert's setup was then used, with his approval, for KV operation under 3B9DJ on CW and SSB as needed. The Ameritron KV PA was putting a steady 400-500W into the antenna. Somewhat curious was the first QSO on 6m. Robert's new 6m Momobeam on a mast, for which we borrowed a massive iron pipe next door at the construction site, was used for all 6m QSOs. It worked great. We tested the freshly repaired and commissioned TCVR ICOM and 6m tube PA Heatkit setup on the 6m band on SSB test CQ 6m after commissioning, hoping that no one would call (hihi), because DXlog was not yet activated, only SSB was working, but no CW, and neither pencil nor paper was at hand.
But not that nobody called, immediately on the first CQ from 3B9DJ a lot of JA stations came on 50.150 MHz, which we had to write down on a piece of paper. This first 6m QSO was then transcribed by Ruda OK2ZA into his DXlog. Moreover, right at the beginning several JA wanted CW QSOs. So the first few CW QSOs on 6m were made and logged by curiously whistling CW markers into the microphone (but it's regular CW!).
The 6m band opened up gradually at different times, first to the northeast and then to the northwest to the EU and USA towards the evening. In total we made 2500 QSOs on 6m.
The great DXLog we used worked great in the network version, 5 PCs were connected wirelessly to the local server and the data went online to the excellent Clublog to Livestream.
So everyone in the world could see immediately online that it was logged. Unfortunately we couldn't prevent a few power cuts and then the whole system stopped working for a short time. This manifested itself in the fact that the stations we made QSOs with didn't see it on Livestream, so they called us again. This resulted in dupe QSOs. But that happens too, and we are glad that in the end everyone who called in is in the log.
It ended up being a wonderful adventure to this destination. We took it as a bit of a vacation at first, where we would sit behind the TX and transmit for a while. Each of us guessed how many QSOs we would make in total.
Neither of us had any hope that we would make 79,000 QSOs. The pile ups from the beginning were huge, the interest in QSOs was enormous, and if it hadn't been for the deteriorating conditions in our second week, there would have been more QSOs.
We thank all the stations that made contact with us and believe we gave many a new band spot or a whole new country.
We can clearly declare the expedition a success, the number of contacts exceeded the target. As far as technology is concerned, one Juma PA had to have a transistor replaced and the fan on the other one stopped working.
In total, we consumed 962 kWh of electricity during the expedition.
We would like to thank our sponsors ACOM for lending us the PA and MDXC for their financial support.
Summary:
Total running time - 13 days
Total number of QSOs - 79.038 QSOs
Detailed statistics - https://clublog.org/charts/?c=3B9DJ#r
RIG - 2 x Kenwood TS-480HX, 2 x Icom IC-705, SunSDR Pro2, SunSDR QRP, transvertor, SP3SXB, 4 x PA JUMA, 1 x PA ACOM
Antennas - 2 x Spiderbeam, vertical 40m, 30m and 80m, INV L 160m, dipole 12m and 17m, 6m - 6el Momobeam, 100m Beverage, QO-100 - 60cm dish
Links:
Acom - https://www.acom-bg.com/
CDXP - https://www.cdxp.cz/
CLUBLOG - https://clublog.org/logsearch/3B9DJ
DX4WIN - https://dx4win.com/
DXlog - https://dxlog.net/
Facebook 3B9DJ - 3B9DJ
MDXC - MDXC
QO100 - QO100
Team 3B9DJ - 3B9DJ
18.4.2025
Team 3B9DJ
