The Ohio/Penn Dx PacketCluster
DX Special Bulletin No. 1455.1
BID: $OPDX.1455
March 7, 2020
Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW
Provided by BARF80.ORG (Cleveland, Ohio)
Written/Sent from Strongsville, Ohio
Thanks to the Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society, Northern Ohio DX Association, Ohio/Penn PacketCluster Network, the AB5K's AR Clusters Network, KE4KY, WA4DAN and YASME for the following DX information. VP8PJ SOUTH ORKNEY DXPEDITION NEWS (Update). Reported by Pilot Glenn, KE4KY on March 7th, 2:12am (EST), that the VP8PJ team has left Signy Island. During the mid day, logs for the VP8PJ operation were uploaded to: https://www.m0urx.com/oqrs/logsearch.php?dxcallsign=VP8PJ The team went QRT on March 6th, at 0100z. Current statistics show (as this is being written), as of 1708z March 7th, VP8PJ work 82232 total QSOs with 20657 Unique callsigns. QSO Modes: 40222/CW, 13979/SSB, 27128/FT8, 1/PSK and 2440/RTTY. By Continent: 766/AF, 1/AN, 5393/AS, 44110/EU, 29133/NA, 601/OC and 3754/SA. The following are VP8PJ media pages to watch: The VP8PJ Web page is at: https://sorkney.com The VP8PJ Twitter page is at: https://twitter.com/SouthOrkneyDX The VP8PJ Groups.io group is at: https://groups.io/g/VP8PJ VK9W WILLIS ISLANDS DXPEDITION NEWS (New DXpedition). Murray Adams, WA4DAN, informs OPDX of the following: The 2016/2019 CY9C team, and the upcoming Sable Island DXpedition CY0C team, is pleased to announce our next DXpedition. After the Sable CY0C DXpedition, we will be going to Willis Island VK9W in 2021. Eight operators from those two teams will comprise the 2021 Willis Island DXpedition team. Boat arrangements have already been made. We are currently working with the Australian government for the necessary permits. Much more information will be released in the coming months. YASME NEWS (Press Release, dated March 7th, contact Martti Laine, OH2BH). [edited] VP2VB AND YASME SAILS AGAIN — AS IT WAS 60 YEARS AGO -- Starting on Tuesday March 10, 2020, an International group now in New York will set sail to the British Virgin Islands and activate the VP2VB call sign for 6 days focusing on low-bands with two stations. The team roster is KO8SCA, Adrian; OH2BH, Martti; OH2GEK, Niko; and VE7NY, Sandro. Their pilot stations are Don, K8MFO; Steve, N2AJ; Ken K4ZW; and Pertti, OG2M. QSL via OH2BH. Danny Weil, VP2VB, was a British watchmaker with a sense of adventure. His initial sailing voyage was to the British Virgin Islands on a sail- boat named YASME. (Yasme is derived from “yasume”, Japanese for “to make tranquil.”) Legendary DXer Dick Spencely, KV4AA, became aware of Danny’s aspirations, and suggested that he combine amateur radio with his ambitious travel itinerary. Spencely taught Danny CW and helped him secure the call VP2VB. During the period 1955 – 1962, Danny operated from several locations in the Caribbean, as well as the Pacific. The Don Chesser (W4KVX) DX Magazine chronicled all of those operations. All was not “smooth sailing.” There were at least three YASME sailing vessels. One blew up in a British harbor before ever going to sea. Another sank in the Caribbean near St. Vincent, and another went down near Papua – New Guinea. Not to be deterred, Danny was always able to raise funds and find sponsors for securing a new vessel. The Hallicrafters Company supplied him with ham radio equipment. Other companies did the same. Danny’s last expedition into the Pacific included stops at HC8 and FO8 – Clipperton. The latter was a particularly harrowing experience and life threatening. Danny’s new wife, Naomi, was with him at the time. The Mexican Navy had to rescue Danny and tow YASME to California. Danny went solo to several more stops in the Pacific before retiring from DXpeditioning. He eventually settled in Texas, where he opened a small shop. There was no more ham radio activity from Danny, although he listened frequently on a Collins receiver. Don, K8MFO, remembers Danny’s distinctive operating style. In spite of starting from scratch and developing his skills in massive pileups, Danny became a very good CW operator. He didn’t waste much time, usually termi- nating his QSOs with a snappy “DIT DIT.” Danny’s activities provided the reason to create the YASME Foundation with Dick Spencely – KV4AA conducting aggressive fund raising. Of course, later on, Lloyd, W6KG, and Iris, W6QL Colvin were the most prominent faces of YASME, continuing their travel under the original spirit of Danny Weil and his sailboat, YASME. The VP2VB call sign for this DXpedition will, of course, count for the Yasme Award, the first activation of VP2VB in more than 60 years. The upcoming VP2VB DXpedition will return to the first historical traces of Danny Weil in the British Virgin Islands under a special authorization of the local Telecom authority to pay homage for those early years of DXing that should not be forgotten. Danny was a true adventurer and the spirit continues. Ken Claerbout, K4ZW Director, Vice-President and Secretary The Yasme Foundation Board of Directors: Ward Silver, NØAX, President Ken Claerbout, K4ZW, Director, Vice-President and Secretary Rusty Epps, W6OAT, Director and Treasurer Fred Laun, K3ZO, Director Martti Laine, OH2BH, Director Robert Vallio, W6RGG, Director Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T, Director Marty Woll, N6VI, Director James Brooks, 9V1YC, Director
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