OPDX Special Bulletin 1455.1 March 7, 2020

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


SUBSCRIBE TO THE OPDX MAILING LIST::
kb8nw@hotmail.com?subject=subscribe

UNSUBSCRIBE TO THE OPDX MAILING LIST:
kb8nw@hotmail.com?subject=unsubscribe

OPDX WORLD-WIDE WEB HOME PAGE (provided by John, K8YSE):

http://www.papays.com/opdx.html

NOW ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/kb8nw_opdx

ALSO VISIT THE NORTHERN OHIO DX ASSOCIATION'S WEB PAGES AT:

http://www.nodxa.org/
http://www.facebook.com/NorthernOhioDxAssociation

Excerpts and distribution of The OPDX Bulletin are granted as long as KB8NW/OPDX/BARF80 receive credit.
To contribute DX info, please send via InterNet Mail to:

kb8nw@hotmail.com
- OR -
kb8nw@arrl.net

Information can now be faxed to the following phone line at:
1-419-828-7791 (F A X only!)

Back to the OPDX Index
Back to the NODXA
Back to the EIDX Network