For the past few evenings, there’s been a big pileup from about 7.025 MHz to 7.028 MHz. I guessed that it was some new DXpedition that I hadn’t heard about and just tuned around it. Well, last night, curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to find out what all the fuss was about.
As it turns out, it’s VP8ORK, on the South Orkney Islands. According to the VP8ORK QRZ.Com page:
The Microlite Penguins DXpedition team will be activating the South Orkney Islands (DXCC VP8/O, IOTA AN-008) from January 27 to February 8, 2011. Safe and reliable Antarctic transportation has been secured by the experienced RV Braveheart, and activity will be on all HF bands 160m-10m using SSB, CW and RTTY.
For more information, go to http://www.vp8o.com.
Even though I’m only an occasional DXer, I decided to jump into the pile last night. One reason for this is that I happen to live on Orkney Drive here in Ann Arbor, MI.
After about 15 minutes, though, I got bored and tuned downband, where I happened to run into 9Y4VU on Trinidad and Tobago. Not as good a catch, perhaps, but still the first Trinidadian for me.
As for working VP8ORK, I’ll keep trying. Maybe I’ll get lucky with them, too.