The Maldives DXpedition by DL7JAN and DL3GA, August/September 2004
The „last minute“ DXpedition.

After my last expedition to the Austral Islands, Jan/DL7JAN asked me if he could join in on the next trip. Since nothing special developed, we discussed a few suitable 'targets'. However, it didn't really work – for various reasons. In late July, Jan called my on the phone. He had examined internet offers and came up with a vague plan to go to the Maldives – and he was anxious to go. I liked the idea and so we checked the usual things. The hotel manager had no general problems with our radio equipment. The Maldivian Post and Telecom Section offered a trouble-free guest license. The local travel agent helped to pay the fee and picked up the paper for us, so we didn't even have to visit the Telecom office. Only the original air carrier had problems to carry more and oversized luggage. So we switched to LTU, using their offer of extra 30 kg per person and oversize at no extra cost (THANK YOU, LTU). Now we were in business. We had 116 kg of baggage clearance, including carry-on pieces. And we would need that...

In a meeting at my home, we listed what we had available. Two IC-706s with a power supply each (thanks to Egon, DL2IX, for the second one), an ALS-600 linear, plus two laptops for logging. The antennas were a LP5 antenna for the upper bands, a dipole for 30m and a Butternut HF2V for 40 / 80m (thanks to Harry, DK2GZ). Along with the usual peripherals, there was not much margin for clothes etc. But we made it after all.

___ Tuesday, August 24
In the morning, I drive to Jan with a looong antenna, a biiig suitcase and a heavy backpack in the trunk. We complete some final work on the equipment and then Jan's parents take us to Frankfurt airport. Jan has enough time to buy a spare cable connecting his camera to the computer – the original had stayed at home. The plane leaves a little late, but that's normal these days, isn't it... Oh, and by the way, we're flying to Colombo first, then to Male. A pity that we didn't apply for a license in 4S...

___ Wedesday, August 25

The flight is smooth, but as usual, I don't find much sleep. We have to exit the aircraft in Colombo and go through parts of the check-in procedure to get back in. Another hour before we arrive at our final destination, the Maldive Islands. Our oversized antenna packages leave the plane a little late. Now the customs officers can focus their attention on us. But we don't seem to look like bad guys so we take this hurdle, too. We get the originals of our licenses (important!). Then we are taken to Kandooma Island by speedboat – a nice ride. Good thing that we both have a stable stomach. After a warm welcome by the manager, we explore the small island and try the sweet water pool after it got dark (it is illuminated and geogeous). For the first night, we have to stay in a standard room, tomorrow we can move to the air conditioned room that we booked. We use the time to catch up with sleep.

___ Thursday, August 26
After the breakfast, we find out that we can NOT move to the room we booked... Some first mosquito bites end my hopes that they might not be present on this island. It starts to rain like mad. At noon, we get the news that we can change to another room. Being a little surprized about this sudden chance, we move with all the luggage before inspecting the place. It turns out to be situated in very dense vegetation. We might punch the vertical antenna through the green roof but no chance for anything else. We walk straight back to the reception to ask for another room. The staff is very willing to help but we can only have a room with sufficient antenna space tomorrow. So we spend the afternoon exploring the island and the ocean around.

The sweet water pool

___ Friday, August 27
After breakfast, we start assembling the LP5 antenna. This is quite a job, as usual. Just before noon, we can finally move to the targeted room. We feel a bit like home now... Lifting the LP5 up to the full length of the 10m mast is impossible with only two people. Maybe we can find someone to help us tomorrow. For a start, we leave it at approx. 6m. Jan does the first run on 15 SSB, I follow with some CW on 17m. Both times, the propagation on the band seems to quit before the predicted period, but the antenna points to JA. After dinner, 20m SSB works well again to EU with the proper antenna direction.

The antennas in the backyard

___ Saturday, August 28
The predicted morning run to JA doesn't happen. Only some EU is coming in on 17m CW. The overall condx must be rather bad. No response to Jan's calls in SSB, but CW brings a few QSOs... The EUs keep calling me on 17m CW. After lunch, we bring the LP5 mast to full length and install the 30m dipole. The lowband vertical is assembled but the foot piece that we prepared at home will not be enough to keep the antenna up – the sandy ground is just too loose. Jan tries to continue on 15m SSB – no response. But only one CQ in CW and off he goes with a pileup. My CQ on 17m RTTY is also not heard, maybe the RTTY enthusiasts are busy with the contest on 15 and 20m. 17m CW works fine but the signals from EU are often weak now. After dinner, Jan gets no reply in SSB again, while CW runs and runs. Since we didn't find time to erect the vertical, my run on 30m CW rounds off our day with 200 QSOs in 100 minutes. Feels good !

___ Sunday, August 29
The beacons from VK6, JA and RR9 on 12m are loud and clear this morning, but only three QSOs in 40 minutes – one of them even from RA3. Jan keeps trying SSB without success, while CW runs. In the afternoon, we decide to start using the linear, as SSB is no longer bringing results. And indeed, things get much better now. The SSB callers are back, the CW pileups grow. In three hours, I work 330 QSOs on 17m CW, mostly EU. When ever the last callers seem to be worked, another DX cluster spot lets another wave of them come.

Impressive tree cluster in the center of the island

___ Monday, August 30
I wake up at four o'clock and get out of bed to try 30m to North America. A few callers from EU are very weak, most of EU is asleep. K1AR finds me CQing and spots me on the CLX, bringing another handful of W1 and W2 to frequency. But then strong QRN appears, along with a heavy shower outside. I go back asleep. The known situation in the morning: Good signals from the asian beacons on 12m, but almost no takers of our CQ. We erect the HF2V vertical – the SWR is not promising. We can use the matchbox to run it with full transmit power, but back home it was resonant without that. We'll give it a try... We intensify RTTY on 15, 17 and 20m. After a long run on 15m, we try 12m CW with linear amp. And the miracle happens, over 150 QSOs to all parts of EU (yesss). The evening is very busy – the pileups on 20m RTTY and 30m CW won't end. At two o'clock in the morning we fall into our beds.

___ Tuesday, August 31
Checking the beacons shows that we have Sporadic-E-conditions, as 4S, ZS and 5Z are loud on 10, 12 and 15m and everything else is just marginal. I call CQ, altering between 10m and 12m CW and SSB – no answer. The upper bands don't really get a chance today. In the evening, I can work some 17m RTTY, but the signals are rather weak. From the friends back home, we get some tips to improve the resonance of the lowband vertical. We'll try that tomorrow. Jan has a heavy pileup on 20m SSB, it looks like there is still a lot to be done. My 30m CW operation runs out of callers after about an hour, the following CQ in RTTY gets no answers. OK, catching up with sleep won't hurt us.

___ Wednesday, September 1
Half-time. The morning condx continue to be weak, and still little response from JA. We use the time to install the radials on the HF2V and tune it. Finally, the SWR on 40m is 1.3. No resonance anywhere on 80m, but one thing at a time... The linear amp is the reason for the noise on the low bands and the bad news is that even 17m and 15m are affected now. We concentrate on CW and the digital modes, where the linear is not needed so badly, but we hope to fix the problem before the weekend. After some more CW and RTTY on 17, I start PSK and my first ever pileup catches me unprepared for split operation. I am not very quick but over 60 QSOs get into the log. The evening provides much better condx than yesterday. 20m is humming and 30m can not be brought to an end. Many good signals make it into the 30m RTTY log. And last but not least, the 40m log is now growing a bit.

___ Thursday, September 2
I get up for another try on 30m to the USA. I hear some stations (N2NB was the strongest) but they don't hear me. The linear amp problem still won't let me use power. After breakfast, we open both the linear amp and the power supply. They are both a little dirty from the intensive air flow when running, but there is nothing obvious that could improve the situation. It looks like we have to give up hope on this and fix it back home. We received a note from 8Q7QC, Ibrahim, and we call him back by telephone. He is interested in our equipment and we arrange a sked for the late afternoon. The radio activities are low today, few takers of our CQs. Jan suffers the rage: „I want my pileup, and I want it NOW !!!!“. We meet T98LBC (Lothar, DJ7ZG and Babs, DL7AFS) on the band, they seemingly started their activity today. The evening has a number of power failures for us. First they hit us when we are off air, but later Jan's 20m RTTY pileup is affected. The 30m run brings in many QSOs in CW and RTTY, keeping me busy till 2.30 local time.

Lots of sharp-edged coral debris on the beach.
A neighbour island in the background

___ Friday, September 3
Conditions are really down today. Only with the help of the friends in DL, I can run 17m CW and SSB. But my signal in EU is weak and gets QRM and splatter from time to time. Jan experiences the same on 15m. Often, a callsign disappears in the QSB and another one appears instead. This doesn't allow quick operation. We do a picture-taking walk across the island and end up at the scuba diving base to ask for a trial on monday. But we may also go right now, and we do. It's a nice feeling to breathe under water, but I see a white shark (in my mind) and decide not to add this to my hobbies. The evening keeps us busy on 20m in all modes, followed by 30m. After some QSOs mostly with EU in CW and PSK, I am asked to try RTTY on 40m - a few takers hear my signal. I go back to 30m RTTY and work a few stateside stations with my 100W. OK??? This may be the time to try if I can use the linear, switching it on and off to avoid the noise floor it produces. But believe it or not: NO NOISE FLOOR !?!? I can work a nice run to the USA without that problem. A handful of EUs is patiently waiting in the background and is afterwards rewarded with a QSO. Another handful of USA follows. At four in the morning, I fall to bed - I will miss breakfast...

___ Saturday, September 4
Jan gives another chance to JA - they have shown increased interest on the low bands. But on the high bands, the situation remains the same as before: few takers. Only RTTY is a bit better, there is a russian contest increasing overall activity. We hide from the Asian SSB contest, which doesn't seem to create a lot of activity anyway. The 20m activity in the evening cools off now. After a run on 30m CW, RTTY and PSK find low response. Looks like this job is done. We use the linear amp on 40m successfully, but the sked with DL doesn't happen - a JA pileup appears instead. And the 30m path to USA keeps me up until 5 o'clock this morning. Will I ever find sleep before we go home ?

___ Sunday, September 5
The morning condx to EU are not really good but bring a long run on 17m CW. The following 15m is a bit tired and all signals are quite weak, but they keep coming. Another opening on 12m boosts the count for this band, even on 10m a few QSOs are done with good signals. People seem to come home and get to their stations now, as 17m lets me do another long CW run and a portion of RTTY also. We still read „thanks for a new one“ in RTTY from time to time. 20m is still very busy and 30m is now cooling off in the evening. Surprizingly, the HF2V has a bad SWR again, we can't find anything wrong and give it up for tonight. Some more 30m nets another bunch of US stations.

___ Monday, September 6
It's snorkeling day - I rent equipment and we take the morning boat to the reef. An amazing adventure of its own and an absolute must for a visitor of these islands. Even snorkeling at the little reef right off the beach offers a superb variety of fish in all colors and sizes. Jan starts 15m and meets good conditions with strong signals. In the hotel lobby, I run into M0TUK. He just arrived, and comes to our chalet for a brief visit. But he is here for scuba diving, no radio stuff. We have an extended run on 12m CW and also SSB this time. It is so much more fun to work on this band because there is much less QSB. However, we quit it in favour of the requested SSTV QSOs which we do on 15m. The most DX station in SSTV is PY7ZZ, Fred in Olinda. We finish our activity with 15m CW, 20m CW/SSB/RTTY and a few more CW QSOs on 40m.

___ Tuesday, September 7
It's dismantling time. First we take down the HF2V and the 30m dipole, then the Log-Periodic. This attracts a number of 'spectators' again. Everything is in our room when we go for lunch. Before packing it, we clean the dirtiest pieces, most of all the 10m mast.

If you wondered about our dull sound...

___ Wednesday, September 8
We leave the island with beautiful weather and calm water. Only the last few minutes before arrival at the airport are a little more bumpy. Passing security is somewhat lengthy (you get used to this...) but the rest of the journey is nice and smooth. Over the Arabic peninsula, it gets dark and we have beautiful views on Bahrain, Ankara and Budapest. The first direct QSL requests have already arrived. And of course, the question „where do we go next?“ has already been discussed. Be surprized !