8Q7QQ, MJ64se, Velidhu Island, North Ari Atoll, Maldives

2010 DXpedition

Team Members

HB9QQ / 8Q7QQ, Pierre (50 MHz) SK 2011

HB9CRQ / 8Q7RQ, Dan (DXpedition leader, 144 MHz)

HB9EHJ / DF8DX, Bodo (1296 and 144 MHz and QRP shortwave)

DL2NUD, Hermann (432 and 144 MHz)

Equipment

50 MHz: 7el yagi, peamp, no elevation, 400W at dipole

144 MHz: 1x28cross-yagi, preamp, az/el rotator, 400W at dipole

432 MHz: 1x38el yagi, no preamp, armstrong az/el, 100W at dipole

1296 MHz:1x59el yagi, no preamp, armstrong az/el, 80W at dipole

Results

6m: 7 QSOs (all JT65a), 7 initials, 3 DXCC, 3 continents

2m: 220 QSOs (all JT65b), 204 initials, 39 DXCC, 5 continents

70cm: 12 QSOs (11 JT65b, 1 CW), 12 initials, 9 DXCC, 1 continents

23cm: 14 QSOs (all JT65b), 14 initials, 9 DXCC, 2 continents

The 8Q7QQ Story

Pierre, HB9QQ was many times in 8Q7 and operated shortwave and 50 MHz terrestrial with his 8Q7QQ call. Dan HB9CRQ approached his good friend Pierre in early 2009 and asked him, if he would be interested to join forces for a 4-band EME DXpedition to 8Q7. Pierre was immediately „on fire“. Pierre and Dan prepared the 50 and 144 MHz stations and tested all equipment at Pierre’s radio QTH in Sternenberg (a nice VHF hilltop location). It was winter and there was a lot of snow on the ground and temperature well below 0°c. They were working on the white snow for hours, their fingers got stuck to the aluminum tubes and their feeds were freezing… and they dreamed of the white sand and 30°c… when rebuilding this antennas in 2 month! Hermann, DL2NUD did contribute his DXpedition proven 432 MHz station and Bodo, HB9EHJ his 1296 MHz equipment. Since Pierre was more then 10 times vacationing on Velidhu Island, he knew the hotel management and of course which bungalow is best for shack and antennas. All reservations and the individual license applications were done well in advance.

We arrived well at Male International Airport and had no problems with customs, since we had our 8Q7 licenses with us. Now we had to catch a seaplane to fly to Velidhu Island on North Ari Atoll. This was a 40 minutes flight to the west. All went well, but due to quantity and weight of our luggage they could not load all at once. So we had to wait for the next plane to bring the rest. Fortunately the plane arrived early next morning. Finally all equipment arrived save. We started building the 50 and 144 MHz antennas on the beach in front of our shack bungalow. It was great to stand in the warm white sand sweating in more than 30°c hot air! Imagine, we were assembling 10m long antennas and tube-towers almost the same size. Within few minutes there were many resort guests wondering what we are doing. Luckily we could convince them, that our hobby does no harm to them and will not interfere with their vacation. The 50 and 144 MHz antennas were up and running for 10 days. The 432 and 1296 MHz antennas and the beach-shack were only installed during night (luckily the moon-times did cooperate!). We were QRV 2 nights on each band.