I am now officially in the VP8DOZ log

I've just checked the VP8DOZ South Georgia online log and my QSO on 17m SSB is in there! Very relieved to have this early confirmation  of my QSO with the ninth most wanted DXCC according to Clublog. That's my 314th country worked, although only 312 of those are current DXCCs.

VP8DOZ South Georgia in the log - another new DXCC, #312!!

A NASA image of South Georgia island.

When I heard that Denis VP8DOZ was going to be QRV from South Georgia for a couple of months, I was hopeful that I might get a QSO, despite the fact that he is an inexperienced operator. That part of the world (the South Sea, almost at Antarctica) is quite workable from here, as the path is mostly over salt water. Several Irish hams made it into the log over the past number of days, so I knew I was in with a chance. Denis seems to be QRV from around 20:00z for an hour or so each night, always on 17 metres, on 18.160 Mhz, and usually listening 5 Khz down.

Last night I got my chance. He was weak on my hexbeam, but just about hearable. I shouted. He came back with EI8HKC - it turned out that Pat EI8H was calling him too. So I stood by while Pat worked him and then he said "five to ten down" so I called on 18.153 and in no time at all I could hear what sounded distinctly like "echo india two kilo charlie, five and five".

However, despite the fact that the online log was updated today, I find that I am not in it. An email to log manager Paul ZL4PW confirms that my call was "busted" and he will fix it!

This is DXCC #312 for me, another all-time new one (ATNO). I'm delighted to get him into my log. I will look for the QSL card at the earliest opportunity.

A photo of my rig immediately after I worked VP8DOZ.

South Georgia - so near and yet so far

Mike VP8CMH/GM0HCQ

Mike VP8CMH was active briefly from South Georgia Island yesterday evening as VP8SGK. He did, after all, manage to get to the island but his operation was extremely brief and, sadly, he chose 15 metres instead of 17 or 20, so there was no chance for EI. When I arrived home from work, I did briefly hear him. All I heard was "Victor Papa Eight" and then noise. I heard nobody calling him. He was working simplex. Several spots suggested Africa and Middle East were working him, but hardly any EU, and definitely no EI.

I had worked Mike as VP8CMH/MM on 17m CW and 20m CW over the previous evenings, and found him quite workable. Unfortunately when his brief moment on South Georgia finally came, he was on 15m. So that was an opportunity to work an All-Time New One that sadly didn't happen.

I worked him on Tuesday evening when the ship was moored alongside South Georgia. That's the irony of the situation. I know I could have worked him when he was on the island, but by the time he got there, 15 metres was closed to Europe.

Ah well. What can one do? It's another of the 31 remaining DXCC that I need that will have to wait for future activations. In the meantime, there are probably a few dozen people out there who have Mike in their log from VP8/G and are delighted. So well done to those who made it in.

And for those who didn't? Our day will come!