"Hi Jack... " I like to make a suggestion. When anybody has an uncontrolled urge to go deep-end and hijack the thread - can they post it in invisible font? Or use attached handy label above to warn innocent bystanders. 73 Shirley
This is an "Amateur Radio News" thread about a message in a bottle. Please keep reasonably on topic - there are plenty of forums for yet another WinLink debate - but please not in a "news thread" about something utterly unrelated to WinLink and the topic of amateur radio privacy, encryption, compression and all those issues. Thank you Dave W7UUU
In keeping 'on topic' I note the following: When pitching bottles into the ocean, I'm sure that before casting it into the sea, said caster's companion probably said, "NO! You can't throw that out there ... you have to have an actual POLISH bottle from your mother country, you ninny!" Or, maybe not. The obviously staged pictures don't agree with each other; one is typed out clearly on an unrolled piece of paper and the other one purports to be almost blank with presumably some indentations which allow shading to reveal part of the message. Or maybe not. I think it was sort of implied that 40 (or 41?) folks were standing around when it was opened ... but I must have missed where it said that 40+ government employees 'worked' on this. Or maybe not. I plan to take a day off from work soon and sit around after having a glass of wine or two and think of something non-controversial to post here ... in order to watch hams make mountains out of molehills or argue with each other in their effort to 'out smart' their fellow radio aficionados. Or not.
two more for detectives What self-respecting Pole would wrote "...from Poland (Europe)...." Most commercially , machine made bottles have some kind of trade marks / data ON THE BOTTOM. This is so much fun.
If you read all the comments to the Register article, the bottle was likely dropped from the 'tour' ship Ortelius by a Polish doctor. The ship circled Bouvet on April 6 and 7, 2015, but was not able to put the 'explorers' onto the island using the ship's Zodiacs. A Register reader "SquidEmperor" contacted a Russian, Artemy Lebedev, who had blogged about that trip on the date noted in the message. In a Register reply comment, SquidEmperor announced that Artemy confirmed that the Polish doctor was on the boat at the time, and would contact her. The comment didn't say whether Artemy based her identity on her nationality alone, or if he recognized the fragment of the email address. His blog entry: https://www.tema.ru/eng/travel/bouvet/
Yep. Good catch. The problem is the dumb media's speculation that lists it as one of us 'borderline-insane' hams--like we're a bunch of basement dwellers put in a reckless position of exotic travel. As someone--one of MANY-- that sponsors DXpeditions, we need to remember that DXpeditioners are the ultimate environmental crusaders and international diplomats: They make friends; help out; enable; leave no trace--- AND PICK UP THE TRASH of others. When was the last time you heard a complaint about a DXpedition from the people who live there? 73 Chip W1YW
That's a great point Chip. Many hams let alone mass media outlets may not be aware most modern DXpedtions to deserted remote spots are embedded with scientific projects as well, and if to a populated disadvantaged area are combined with humanitarian efforts. There are more but below are a few examples of the latter, International DX Association, Inc. - INDEXA, a non-profit organization for the enhancement of amateur radio, worldwide peace, and friendship. Per ARRL, “INDEXA believes that many of the DXpeditions we support have a unique opportunity to perform humanitarian activities which will improve the lives of those indigenous people and communities they encounter on a DXpedition.” INDEXA said in a June 29 news release. “Humanitarian activities come in a variety of forms including education, medical, and dental assistance, infrastructure improvements, and physical donations of goods and other services.” EUDXF supports the 6O6O humanitarian fundraiser DXpedition to Somalia - "In conjunction with this trip they setup a humanitarian fundraiser where all donations received will be given directly to Doctors Without Borders in Somalia. Also the support received from the DX community will go to this humanitarian fundraiser. The operators will cover their own expenses. ... In 2016 Ken @LA7GIA did a similar fundraiser for Doctors Without Borders in Central African Republic as TL8AO. That fundraiser ended on 11000 USD. " Kanton Island T31T - Next to typically ham radio focused activity, we wish to connect our radio project with humanitarian aid mission addressed to little, isolated community of the Kanton Atoll. It’s inhabited by as little as 24 persons and their needs are often forgotten by local authorities and rest of the world. ... Apart from the ham radio activity, our other goal is to focus on delivering a new gears and equipment needed for of monitoring and prevention of natural disasters (such as early warning system of cyclones, earthquakes, tsunami). There are also necessary repairs to be done to the old, existing equipment. Without proper technical backup, the Kanton’s friendly and most welcoming community will much more be exposed to natural disasters and climate change’s side effects.There is also no fresh water on Kanton. Water maker machine will be very helpful for locals /they are using rain water to drink.
LMAO - ironic retort if typical American hand-gesture is included - however its been co-opted too much and I respect my DL YL and Brazilian friends so will pass on making it a meme .