ZS8W – Marion Island

Hello Dave!

Anytime I ship a tube overseas it makes me nervous. Glad it made it over the pond. Let's talk on the air soon!

N0UN

 

ZS8W activities to resume. Full info only on DX-World

https://www.dx-world.net/zs8w-marion-island/

 

Great news!

 

AUDIO - ZS8W 15CW

https://audio.com/dx-world/audio/zs8w-15cw

 

Interesting and somewhat controversial read here:

https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-...as-foreign-radio-hobbyist-sets-up-at-station/

 

"There are very stringent antenna restrictions at sub-Antarctic research bases such as Marion because birds often fly into the wires and get injured, so very unlikely he will be allowed to erect his own antennas and will just have to use the existing wideband dipole at the base."

When I visited St Kilda Island Group off the west coast of scotland in the early 2000s I was initially refused permission to operate and the authorities used exactly the same excuse. However after 6 months of perseverance and getting an MP involved we were given the green light to go. The Island is a site of special scientific interest and a world heritage site, but it is also (or was at that time) a military base for the rocket testing off the west coast of Scotland. The Island has two very large remote radar "golf ball" heads right on top of the Islands accompanied by two at least 100ft latice towers for various radio antennas to do with the rocket range. I can assure you the base of each antenna was not waist deep in dead birds. I think birds need a little more credit for avoiding obstacles in the air. If you take appropriate safety measures, the birds flying into wires etc, is a red herring. If the guy does the work he was hired for, what is the problem with what he does in his leisure time? Age is just a number. I know several radio hams who have gone on expeditions into their 80s.

Tom
GM4FDM

 

Pointing out that such restrictions are in place does not mean that I agree with them; I'm merely highlighting the bureaucratic obstacles that Amateur Radio is up against nowadays at remote islands such as these.

I faced exactly the same issues when I was based at Macquarie Island for 14 months - no antennas allowed, could only use the base radio station's existing three HF Vee-beams (spaced 120 degrees apart hanging from a single guyed lattice tower). Even when these were lowered for maintenance purposes, had to get a permit from Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife Service (TASPAWS) HQ in Hobart just to haul them back up again! Maintaining the HF dipoles, VHF antennas and wind-turbines at the various field huts around the Island was a bureaucratic nightmare for the same reason.

Birds can of course easily spot and avoid a lattice tower but wire antennas are a much more difficult navigational hazard for them to avoid, so says the TASPAWS chief ornithologist. However, like you, I too believe this to be something of a red-herring as I never found any dead birds who'd garrotted themselves piling up under any radio antennas at the main base or any of the field huts either.

I did find the body of an elephant seal pup that had somehow gotten under the wildlife fence and impaled itself on a grounding stake under the Aviation LF NDB antenna one time, though. This resulted in a post mortem and the base manager convening various meetings with the seal biologists, TASPAWS, Uncle Tom Cobley & All etc.; the outcome being I was shunned by the Greenies on base for a while ("It's all your fault, Al!") and the NDB transmitter, associated loaded vertical antenna & extensive ground radial system being slated for removal the following year by my successor. Such is the power of the Environmental lobby in the 21st century.

As regards leisure time - well, take it from me that's always in very short supply indeed during annual re-supply at any scientific base in the Antarctic or sub-Antarctic and anyone sat around twiddling their thumbs or twiddling radio-knobs would not be viewed in a favourable light by his co-workers is all I'm pointing out. Although I have to say Marion Island's scheduled three week re-supply window seems inordinately long - most places it's only around 5-7 days (bad weather factoring-in included).

As regards age, government Antarctic agencies normally only employ their own nationals and all have strict upper age limits, primarily for legal & insurance purposes, 'duty of care' in remote environments etc. Usually around 55 to 60 absolute max. for summer-only visitors and supply vessel officers & crew; much more stringent for wintering-over personnel. For example, the British Antarctic Survey usually only hires single people in the 20-35yr age bracket.

73, Alan VK0MM / VK0LD / VK6CQ

 

Yuris ZS8W now on 80m working NA FT8
Andre ZS1F

 

Latest ZS8W news update provided by DX-World

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https://www.dx-world.net/zs8w-marion-island/

 

Despite rumors of pirates etc., my FT8 QSO's on 5/5 on 40m and 80m have been confirmed on Clublog.
N7ZO in the Pacific Northwest.

 

Yes, mine are there as well.

 

The ZS8W log is currently up to date with most recent QSOs added earlier today (10 & 12m)

 

Heard Trump wants to buy Marion Island

 

Latest ZS8W update and QRT info

https://www.dx-world.net/zs8w-marion-island/

(PS: to the content scrapers or translators, at least have the common decency to credit or quote where the info originated from - you know who you are).