top of page
Mar 217 min read

OJ0T - Market Reef


OJ0T Update (May 10)


Logs have been uploaded to LoTW and QRZ.com, but before you switch tabs to check your QSOs, please note the following:


Log errors: We are aware there are some errors in our logs, for various reasons. For example, we know we had some issues with RFI, knocking out the data communication to the radio. This sometimes caused the frequency/mode to be incorrect for a small number of QSOs. If you believe you are affected by this (and worked us on CW and/or SSB), feel free to get in touch and we will check our logs to do the necessary corrections. We might also have done typos entering your callsign in the log, in which case you should reach out so we can confirm.


Unfortunately, and as mentioned earlier, the FT4/FT8 logs are final. The log files are ridiculously large, and the amount of work required to manually inspect every callsign request is a tremendous job. Therefore, we’ve decided to trust the software leaving it as-is. If you’re NIL there are many reasons for this, most commonly the last RR73 exchange being unsuccessful. It is known that WSJT-X attempts to complete the QSO a couple of times before giving up and moving on.


For what it’s worth, there will be many more opportunities to work OJ0 in the future via other DXpeditions. Rumour has it there’s at least one OJ0 activity again, in autumn this year.



OJ0T Update (May 07)


Some of you may have noticed that we adopted the “Worst Expedition Ever” title on our homepage and QRZ.com profile. This is a humorous response to the negative comments we saw on the clusters underway. No offense taken, but we were curious how we could be the worst. Ever. Like, ever?


We also decided name our team the “Worst Expedition Team” from now on. Hopefully this will lower people’s expectations for our future DXpeditions.


Let’s look back. What did the Worst Expedition Team do this time?


  • Fully funded the DXpedition themselves, no sponsors required

  • Donations were optional (but highly appreciated!!)

  • Spent months with planning and organizing

  • Took time off from work, family duties, chores

  • Required no payments for QSL, logs being uploaded to LoTW shortly

  • Minimal sleep each night during operation to work as many as possible

  • Dedicated time to work operators with special requests, just to be nice, not for money


If that makes us the worst, then we will wear the badge “Worst Expedition Ever” with great pride.



You can see more pictures in the link of the source.



OJ0T Update (May 04)


The last station went QRT 0500Z this morning, and the operation is now over.


At the time of writing this we are driving off the ferry from Åland to Sweden, and all team members are exhausted but happy with the days spent on Market Reef.


An update along with pictures coming up soon.



OJ0T Update (May 03)


We are now pretty much QRT except for Kristoffer, LB0VG, who chained himself to the chair, refusing to stop before the boat leaves. This is your last chance to work OJ0T – he will try 60m FT8 before we come running with the bolt cutters.


Approximately 25,000 contacts are in the log, despite having difficult conditions. Our goal was to activate the higher bands, but unfortunately 10m and 12m openings were miniscule and mainly worked using FT8.


Big thanks to everyone who supported us and called in underway.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Only three hours left of operation before we start taking stuff down.


So far we have logged around 24,000 contacts, where ~2,000 are dupes. We strongly encourage our callers who have already worked us to let others who don’t have Market Reef, either on the band/mode in question or maybe as ATNO.


Now, let’s see if we can hit 25k before the time runs out.



OJ0T Update (May 02)


Approaching 20k in the log total, including dupes. However, we had some problems with our Clublog stream but about 95% should have been uploaded. This means: if you can’t find your call in the Clublog search function, you may still be on our local logs. We will upload our logs as soon as we get home, and then – and only then – you will know if you have been logged incorrectly, or not at all.


Please have patience and bear with us. We are trying our best out here.


Contacts made on FT4/FT8 will not be modified or changed, they are final.


If you can’t hear us on a certain band it’s because it’s not good propagation from OJ0. We have tried 10m and 12m FT8 multiple times, but despite our best efforts only a very few could hear us. We will keep trying until we are QRT.


Skeds are still welcome, but keep your expectations low.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


We just hit 18,000 QSOs in the log, where 1,500 are dupes. The pileups are seemingly endless. If you have worked before on a band/mode combo, please give others a fair chance and avoid being a dupe. Our logs shows several operators having worked us multiple times on the same band/mode combo — sometimes two or three times in the same pileup, which effectively means taking someone else’s opportunity to get in touch.


Tonight, around 1900Z, we will try FT8 on 80m on 3.547 MHz for an hour or so. This is to give a our friends in Korea a shot. Operators from other countries, being unable to work us due to local regulations, are also welcome to call in.


Then there’s the boring part. Our ride back to Sweden arrives early Saturday morning, so tomorrow at around 1800Z we will start taking down our antennas. We will work even more SSB and CW, only running FT8 during breaks or at night time. This is of course being supervised by an operator, a task we are taking on shifts.



OJ0T Update (May 01)


We are closing in on 13,000 QSOs in the log.


Kristoffer moved his antenna farther away from the antenna park to reduce interference from other stations, with excellent results.


It’s extremely difficult to log weak stations with impatient operators calling on top, regardless of mode. We encourage you to have patience and listen operators calling. Let’s say, hypothetically, we’re working a weak 2E0 station, then IU2 need not reply. Such interruption slows down the logging dramatically – in worst case we simply have to QRT and QSY to another band/mode.


Not sure you’re in the log? Keep an eye on our Clublog live stream!



OJ0T Update (Apr 30)


Quick Tuesday update:


  • We are now QRV on 6m, and have already made a few QSOs.

  • 4m is available upon request – let us know if you want to try!

  • 160m dipole is deployed and will be put to use tonight

  • 10m and 12m to NA is a priority, we frequently check for openings

  • More than 11,000 QSOs in the log



OJ0T Update (Apr 29)


First off, let’s start with a status update:


We have deployed most antennas and all four stations are on the air most of the time. About 4,000 contacts so far. We’re trying our best to focus on the upper bands, such as 10-12-15-17, but conditions are not optimal at all times.


More activity on 160m, 60m, 30m will follow the next few days.


Second, we kindly ask our callers to please listen to the operator!


We truly appreciate everyone calling in, and we kindly ask everyone to follow some sort of etiquette when it comes to pileups. Do not interrupt an ongoing QSO, and do not respond when we’re calling someone else. Even if a letter in the suffix happens to match one in your prefix, or the numbers are similar.


The means fewer QSOs per minute for us, which decreases everone’s chance of ending up in the log – and this includes you, too.



OJ0T Update (Apr 26)


Yes! We are on the air, one day prior to expected DXpedition start. Day one has consisted mainly of testing, equipment setup, etc. If you’ve hear us online, somewhat sporadically, that’s why. We only got a few bands resonant in our antenna park before the daylight vanished and we had to go back inside the lighthouse. Tomorrow we will do some minor adjustments, and then we go all-in.


We have arrived in Eckerö, Åland, and are now awaiting our transport to Market Reef.



OJ0T Update (Apr 25)


Finally – we are on the way! Underway we will discuss the operation, such as a band plan schedule, and so on. Hopefully we didn’t forget anything crucial back home.


Tor, LA3WAA, behind the wheel. Bjørn, LA1UW, being co-driver and looking out for speed traps!



OJ0T Update (Apr 22)


Yesterday the team started loading the equipment into the van. Boxes and crates of radio equipment, power amplifiers, hundreds of meters of RG213, antennas, and so on. Checklists being ticked daily, still more stuff waiting to be added.


Kristoffer also did some final tests on his homebrew 1k2 PA, and it appears to work as a charm! Maybe we can convince him to stress test it on 160m later?


Big thanks to Karl Erik, LA9KOA, who generously borrowed us his Starlink equipment, thus giving us extra security in terms of internet connection. The Clublog streams will now be running 24/7, giving all contacts the opportunity to double-check that you’re in the log.


During our previous visit in 2023 we donated a 12el 2m Yagi to Market Reef. If we find the time we might put it to use and attend the 2 meter FT8 Activity Contest, which takes place on May 1st, 1700Z-2100Z. Keep in mind if it’s too windy we can’t deploy the antenna. It’s also very early for any 2m activity in the Nordic region, so keep your expectations low.


All operators are excited and struggle with the anxious feeling of “what have I forgotten..?”



OJ0T Update (Apr 11)


16 days left until we leave!


Tor, LA3WAA, has finished his vertical. It’s now awaits the final fine-tuning that we will do on Market Reef. It supports 40-10 meters, with an additional inverted-L for 80 meters.


Bjørn, LA1UW, has finished his 6m/4m beam and apparently satisfied with the result.


Kristoffer, LB0VG, is nearly finished building his homebrew power amplifier. Test bench measurements are looking very promising!



OJ0T (Mar 21)


Ops: LA1UW, LA3WAA, LB5SH & LB0VG


Bands: 6M - 160M


Modes: CW, SSB & FT8


Qsl Info: Qsl via EA5GL


Start Date - End Date: Apr. 27 - May. 04



Notes: OJ0T will mainly be used on SSB and CW. On FT8 we will also use our personal CEPT prefixed callsigns, e.g. OJ0/LA1UW.



919 views

Recent Posts

See All

Comentarios

bottom of page