Rockall expedition 2023

While browsing twitter this morning I spotted a post about

A chance to catch a rare IOTA for those that chase IOTA.

cheers
john
m0vaz

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I have a feeling this is was due to take place last year but was postponed. Good luck to them! Rockall is difficult to land on, harder to live on and can be completely washed over in heavy seas.

According to this Rockall: Scottish adventurer launches an expedition to the 'edge of existence' | HeraldScotland
the radio operation may only be for 24 hours.

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Per day that’s possibly not far removed from the Bouvet per day price!!

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Here are some details we heard from Emil DL8JJ about 2 weeks ago:

Callsign: MM0UKI
Das Team:
G0VJG , Nobby – SSB;
DL8JJ, Emil – CW;
Cam Cameron -Teamleader und Wohltätigkeitsprojekt-Organisator

Nach dem Einrichten vom Camp werden wir versuchen eine Woche lang 24x7 QRV zu sein.

Bänder: 40M-10M, 2 Stationen FT-857D 100W (als Reserve Elecraft KX2- Elecraft und IC-705-Lixnet SG), Honda Generator, Notebooks, Vertikal Multiband Antennen und BPF werden im Gepäck sein.
FT8 ist auch geplant (KEIN Automatik mode)

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Well having met Emil a few times, if anyone has the skills to get ashore and summit Rockall then he has.

So what is Nobby Styles call?

Both on their own website and The Herald they refer to a “ham radio broadcast”… something which is specifically banned by the UK amateur licence. I know it’s being pedantic but “ham radio transmissions” is just as easy to say and is also correct :wink:

EDIT, Nobby is G0VJG

EDIT2: But apparently Nobby is “reaching out” so he goes on the plonk list :imp:

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Some friends sailed out to Rockall a few years ago. A couple of the crew were going to climb the rock, but even though the weather was calm the Atlantic swell made a landing attempt too dangerous.
Good luck to them in their attempt this year.
Andy
MM7MOX

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I worked “MM0RAI” in 2011. A group of Belgian operators activated the island for some hours.
So it is possible.
Here is a report about it:
Belgian radio enthusiasts make rockfall on Rockall - BBC News

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I managed to get a QSO with the 2023 Rockall expedition (MM0UKI) late on Wednesday night (2350z) on 40m SSB (op Nobby). I had hoped to work it on CW and FT8 too, but that op (Emil, also a prominent SOTA activator) only seemed to be on 20/17/15 when I was available, so no RX in Cheshire.

I was listening in also last night on 40m, and the behaviour on the RX frequency was appalling. I couldn’t quite work out how so many people did not understand it was split operation, and persisted in calling on the RX frequency, some for more than two hours. I also couldn’t understand the flawed logic of the band policemen trying to advise others the error of their ways while loving the sound of their own voice and further QRMing the frequency! As for the shouting, swearing, tuning-up and playing music, I found myself transported back in time to CB channel 14 in 1983.

I must admit I was surprised to hear two well-known UK SOTA chasers persistently calling on the RX frequency. And further surprised that neither of them seemed to twig that the Rockall op might be listening on a different frequency, and therefore couldn’t possibly hear their calls - and that neither of them understood what “5 to 10 up” meant!

I believe that they operated through the night last night and started to pack down this morning. I expect they are sailing back today.

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NOT GUILTY M’LUD…

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You don’t stand accused Phil! There are plenty of other “well-known UK SOTA chasers” as well as you! I couldn’t imagine you not knowing how to call a DX station that was working split anyway - mind you, I was flabbergasted that the two I did hear were clueless about it!

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Yes Tom, I would have also been surprised had I been listening. Presumably this was on SSB, all the swearing etc as well. I confined my calls to two contacts, one CW and one FT8 on the Wednesday and then lost interest in further bands slots/mode.

73 Phil

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Yes, it was on 40m SSB. That was the only band/mode I heard them on.

That said, I have been sworn at on CW while activating. Many years ago now, obviously no ID, but the fist was unmistakable!

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Despite the occasional moans about some minor bad practice, SOTA seems to be thankfully clear of the behaviour you describe.

THANK GOODNESS! It’s why I don’t bother with contesting or chasing DX. It would be nice to speak to them on Rockall (having sailed round it a few times), but I think I’ll cut the grass instead and save myself for SOTA.

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FB Tom,

Let’s face it though, the two ops on Rockall one who is @DL8JJ Emil, a notable SOTA CW QRQ activator that has done some spectacular mountain climbing for SOTA, did a great job in marketing the expedition to Rockall, spotlighting amateur radio in the main media, and working so many stations (I understand well over 3000 contacts) on several bands and all the main modes in current use on HF.

I think the effort deserves a small donation to their chosen charity.

73 Phil G4OBK

PS Latest new update:

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I would not be surprised if some of the call signs you heard on Nobby’s calling frequency were actually play- backs from DQRMers. There are folks who record callers on the listening frequency and rebroadcast them afterwards on the calling frequency.
Happened to me many times! Heard myself calling- and a pile of policemen calling me an idiot!
So beware- there are some evil folks out there!

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Tom,

I was away over the bank holiday weekend and unable to attempt working MM0UKI. However, I got home late last night around 10pm and was sat at my radio by around 11pm and caught maybe the last 45mins of Nobby operating. I was equally appalled and found myself wondering whether any of those morons had ever got out of their comfy chairs and made an effort to go up a summit and work /P in less than ideal conditions. Towards the end, I heard Nobby repeatedly say ‘G3 station only’ and when I quickly flicked over to the split frequency … it revealed the many morons that took no notice - I was shocked! … and that’s aside from those that opt to ‘tune’ on the RX freq. They all seemed oblivious to the fact that Nobby was probably knackered; sat in the dark (?) & perched on the edge on a rock 163nm from land !!

(ps: I appreciate your attempt to work me during the 1st 144 Backpackers… maybe better luck next time?)

73, Lea

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What?? … do licenced operators actually do that??

A few months back I heard a well known local-ish operator telling others that someone had been calling CQ using his callsign.
Not sure if the perpetrators were licenced or not :expressionless:

Well- some licensed OPs do much more. I suppose many of you remember Nino from Sicily who thought he owned the DX calling frequency on 14 MHz…

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Ah 14.195 USB, what happened to him?

Yes.

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