How the idea for DXpedition was born
3B9DJ to Rodrigues Island (IOTA AF017).
First, some information about this destination. Rodrigues, called the Cinderella of
Mascarén, is an island that is part of the Mascarene Islands. Politically and
administratively, Rodrigues is a dependent territory of the Republic of Mauritius. It is
located
in the middle of the Indian Ocean, 560 km northeast of the island of Mauritius. The
island is 18 km long, 8 km wide and includes 200 km of lagoons and 7 km
coral reefs. The capital is Port Mathurin, which has 6,000 inhabitants. The total
population of the island is 40,000 thousand people of mainly African origin.
According to the information available on the Most Wanted ranking, Rodrigues is ranked
161st. The first idea to visit this island was born in Friedrichshafen, at the biggest
amateur radio meeting in Europe, which David OK6DJ and Milan OK7GU visited in June
- Over a beer they agreed that Milan would like to try amateur DX expedition
operation. The choice fell on this island. In the autumn of 2024 David, together with
with Ruda OK2ZA, participated together with radio amateurs from OM in the expedition
to Cocos (Keeling) Island under VK9CV and agreed that Ruda would go also and that
he would take his XYL Janice with him on vacation. After returning from Friedrichshafen
they search and buy accommodation in Le Refuge resort via booking.
On 23 December 2024, after the announcement of the presidential elections in
Mozambique and the subsequent violent riots, the CDXP team decides to postpone the
expedition, planned for January 2025, for one year in view of the security situation in that
country.
Shortly after that Palo OK1CRM contacts David OK6DJ if he could with them on the
3B9DJ expedition. Word was given, immediately another ticket was bought and
accommodation was arranged through booking in the same resort. The last one to join
to the expedition team, is Petr OK1BOA, one month before departure, when he will solve
his work duties.
And so team 3B9DJ is complete with David OK6DJ, Milan OK7GU, Ruda OK2ZA with
his XYL Janice, Palo OK1CRM and Petr OK1BOA. Afterwards there is a discussion
about what equipment and what antenna systems to bring. The main restriction is due to
the weight limit per person for luggage, which is 1 x 23kg suitcase for the hold and 12kg
luggage for the deck. The choice falls on 2x Spiderbeam, on one mast vertical on 80m
and INV L on 160m, vertical on 40m and 30m and dipoles on 17m and 12m. Technique
to transmit 2x IC-705, 2x TS-480 and SUN SDR. As PA we are carrying 4x JUMA 1KW
and a borrowed 500W ACOM 500S PA from sponsor ACOM.
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23.3.2024
Day of departure to Rodrigues Island. Palo OK1CRM and Milan OK7GU go to David
OK6DJ in Dolní Kamenice, meet at 07:30, load all luggage into OK7GU’s car and drive
to Prague airport. Ruda OK2ZA and his XYL Janička are going to Prague to the airport
from Moravia from Sudice near Trebic and Petr OK1BOA lives in Prague, it is close to
the airport, he has the easiest way from us. Meeting at the airport in Prague is at 08:30.
There is a final weighing of the luggage, we move various things to fit the weight limit to
the plane. We have to add two more bags to our tickets, we are taking a lot of stuff with
us for the broadcast. At 12:20 we leave for Paris and then from Paris in the evening to
Mauritius Island and then finally to Rodrigues Island on the third flight. In Mauritius at
the airport we wait for Peter OK1BOA, who flew
from Paris on another train two hours after us.
24.3.2024
Arrival at Rodrigues Island. After normal check-in, two cars are waiting for us outside the
airport, we load all our luggage and are taken to the resort where we will stay and
broadcast. We immediately set about surveying the terrain and within an hour it is
decided where we will put the antennas. First, we are given a covered outdoor patio in
front of one of the condo units by the owner where we can set up a transmitting station.
We set up our tables and chairs and immediately start unpacking everything we need to
begin the dispatch. We plug in the imported reducers from the English standard used on
the island to our European standard. According to the slogan “wireless telegraphy needs
a lot of wires”.
Palo OK1CRM and David OK6DJ are building Spiderbeam, Ruda OK2ZA dipoles on 17
and 12m. First QSO logged on 24.3. at 16:23 UTC with SP5VYP, transmitting on 17m
and 15m. The very first day was a nice evening opening on 12m. Soon we go to bed,
after 24 hours of flying and building several antennas we are tired. We have less than
2.000 QSOs in the log.
25.3.2024
After breakfast, Palo OK1CRM and Ruda OK2ZA start building two verticals on 40 and
30m and the rest of the team continues to install the transmitting sites. The sky is clear,
the sun is scorching and it is very hot, but after 3 hours the verticals are standing
including cabling and radios. So by the second day we have 5 antenna systems in
place, with vertical on 40m that can be used on 15m. The conditions were not very good
during the day, which is
normal in this part of the world. So we’re transmitting FT8 and checking the strength of
the signals to see if conditions improve. The opening on the bands doesn’t come until
the afternoon local time, so we’re transmitting CW, SSB and FT8. We have more in the
log
10,000 QSOS. We arranged with the hotel operator to have lunch and dinner with them,
although we had originally paid for accommodation with breakfast only.
26.3.2025
We are going to build a vertical on 80m and INV L on 160m, all on one mast, including
radials. We are building the mast furthest from the accommodation area on a hill. That
day.
it’s very muggy and hot again. But everything will stand up without problems and PSF is
perfect on both antennas. The plan was to do 2x100m Beverage, due to the weather it
was not possible, it started to rain in the afternoon. At the same time we were building
verticals, Petr OK1BOA prepared the second Spiderbeam. Unfortunately there was a
problem with PSV. The coaxial cable was checked and the connectors had to be redone.
Then everything was OK and we have
an additional antenna is available. In the evening we also broadcast on 80m and 160m.
Signals from the opposite stations were not very strong, but still we managed to log a
large number of QSOs. We are also transmitting on other bands, with almost 11,000
QSOs in the log at the end of the day. In total in 3 we have 22.000 thousand QSOs in
the log, something incredible.
27.3.2025
Early in the morning Ruda OK2ZA gets up thinking that there might be a nice opening
17 and 12m. Unfortunately it didn’t happen. We have experience from expeditions from
Africa that it did
at this time of the morning usually. After breakfast Ruda OK2ZA repairs his Juma PA, in
which the power transistor “went out”. It was inadequately screwed and soldered after
the previous repair at Juma and there was not enough hot conductive paste under it.
The repair was successful in field conditions (how else!!!) and we have a full setup again.
During the morning Robert 3B9FR arrives for a visit, bringing some of his equipment in
his car, including a PA and TX that are not working. Ruda OK2ZA and Milan OK7GU set
about repairing them. It’s challenging, it’s very hot, they are investigating and fixing
everything possible on the veranda.
Petr OK1BOA starts to build Robert’s Momobeam – 6el. antenna on 6m, it takes about
two hours. He prepares the mast and after connecting it he measures the PSF.
Everything is
and we’re ready to transmit on the 6m band. During day we manage to log 230 QSOs
on FT8. That day there was a nice opening of the 10 and 15m bands from the morning,
which lasted all day and evening. We are trying again the 80 and 160m bands. The
signals from the counter stations are weak and have to be patiently mined out of the
noise on the band. Milan OK7GU manages to log several dozen call signs there.
David OK6DJ installed a borrowed 60cm dish from 3B9FR, connected Sunar QRP setup
and SP3SXB transverter and logged first QSO on 23cm band.
28.3.2025
The conditions on the bands were worse than on previous . QSOs could be made only
on 12 and 10m. Other bands are without CW or SSB activity, only FT8 is passing
through.
During operation we find a fault on one Spiderbeam, just a PSV problem there.
The disassembly goes quickly, the problem in the PL connector is solved and
Spiderbeam is again
in operation. In the afternoon we build beverage, 100m on EU and USA. It’s almost one
way from this location. In the evening when transmitting on the 80 and 160m bands, you
can the call signs much better. Manage to log KH6, HK, PY and many others, both from
the EU and US.
29.3.2025
We arranged to rent a car and drive around the island. On TX, we’re turning on FT4 on
all bands. One of us stays to watch the TX and PC and the others leave at 10:00 local
time in the morning, with the understanding that we will first go to the viewpoint of the
highest peak of the island, Mont Limon, with an altitude of 398 m. We leave the car in
the car park below the summit and have to walk the rest of the way up the hill. After
about 15 minutes we stand on the top and get an incredibly beautiful view of most of the
island. We do the necessary paperwork and go to one
of the local sandy beaches. On the way we want to stop somewhere for lunch,
unfortunately we find out that the local restaurants close at 2:00 pm on Saturdays. We
are late. We spend some time on the beach, the Indian Ocean is incredibly warm and
everywhere is clean and not crowded. On the way back, we stop at one of the many
barbecue places along the road and sample the local specialties. By nightfall we arrive
at QTH, tired but determined to broadcast. Pile ups are underway on both SSB and
CW. At night we are again QRV on 80 and 160m. Unfortunately we can’t listen on
beverage, but strong signals are coming through.
30.3.2025
David OK6DJ gets up every morning at 03:00 local time and transmits alternately on 30
and 40m. There is a lot of interest in QSOs at this time. Again, like every day, there is
no
in the morning what to do, because the bands are closed, so only FT8 traffic is running
on TX, where it is still less or more busy and someone is still calling. We switch
between one and 6 slots depending on the number of callers. More slots means weaker
signal for the calling stations, so with less callers we reduce the number of slots. It’s a
current trend, these conditions are here every day. Today, for the first time, we’re also
broadcasting RTTY traffic. First QSO is in the log on 17m at 09:23 UTC with OK1ALX.
Petr OK1BOA and Ruda OK2ZA are many teletype QSOs during the day and during
the following ones. In the afternoon, when the bands open, we add QSOs on CW and
SSB. Among other things, we also transmit every day on the 6m band with FT8, CW
and SSB traffic. The Monobeam borrowed from Robert 3B9FR is a really good antenna.
After being set up by Petr OK1BOA, it brings many nice QSOs to the log both from Asia
and the EU. Milan OK7GU has been working this band almost all day. When the band
is closed, he is working CW traffic on different bands. In the night hours we are again
working 80m and 160m bands. Unfortunately beverage is not working again, so QSOs
are made only on listening on 80m vertical and INV L on 160m. Still, there will be more
QSOs in the log.
31.3.2025
After breakfast we go to check the beverage. We find that it is broken off at the end near
the resistor and ground. The last part goes over a dirt rocky road at about 3m high.
We didn’t expect a car with a taller body to come through here. Unfortunately, it did. The
repair is quick and easy. Like every day, we’re QRV on all the bands, and although
this country is on 161st place of Most Wanted, the interest in QSOs is high. Petr
OK1BOA is starting to transmit SSB also on 20m, where we had almost no QSOs.
1.4.2025
We to go to Giant Tortoises Park, where they keep giant tortoises. It’s a protected park
of 20 hectares, where, in addition to the turtles, there are 110,000 endemic and native
plants. We let FT4 and FT8 go to TX, one of us stays to keep watch and the others go on
the trip. On our return, we all sit down again at the TX and broadcast. We find that the
bands are not as busy as in previous . There is more interference, especially on the 40,
80 and 160m bands. Signal reception fluctuates a lot.
2.4.2025
The bands are closed. We’re transmitting FT4 and FT8, where at least some signals are
coming through. We don’t know what’s going on. There’s no activity on 6m either. Milan
OK7GU is regularly active on this band every day. Every day he is logging many nice
QSOs both CW and SSB. The first band that is opening up a bit is 15m around 13:00
UTC. On CW some signals are coming through, but they are weak and some QSOs fail
to complete because there is a big signal leak during the transmission. After some time,
both SSB and CW can be transmitted on the other bands.
Later we find out that there was a solar flare on the sun, which explains why
conditions on the bands deteriorated so rapidly. This trend continued until the end
of the expedition. In the evening and at night there is a beautiful opening in the 10
and 12m bands almost every day. The pile ups are huge.
3.4.2025
The conditions on the bands are the same as on the previous days. The bands are
closed. Improvement is coming in the afternoon, we are trying to be active on all bands
where we can. We are slowly discussing how we will proceed with dismantling the
antennas, which antennas we will leave until the last day and which we will start
dismantling among the first. We are arranging a ride to the airport on the day we return
home.
4.4.2025
Here comes the dismantling of the first antennas. First we pack 2x Spiderbeam and the
mast on which were simultaneously vertical on 80m and INV L on 160m, including
radials. For each band we had 5x40m radials on 160m and 5x20m on 80m.
The sky is cloudless, the sun is scorching, so even considering the fatigue it is quite
challenging. We leave verticals on 30 and 40m, dipoles on 12 and 17m and 6el antenna
on 6m. When conditions improve, we settle back to TX and try to be active on the
remaining bands.
5.-6.4.2025
Departure day. We wake up early in the morning. We continue dismantling the
remaining antennas and Beverage. We are packing everything, weighing the luggage,
wrapping it in foil and taping it. We sit down to our last lunch and after that at 13:30
local time we are driven by 2 cars to the airport. We say goodbye to the owner, go
through the necessary check-in, enjoy a last coffee at a local bistro and at 16:45 local
time we fly to Mauritius. Here we wait for two hours and fly to Paris and then Prague.
The flight from Mauritius to Paris takes almost 12 hours. This is where the problems
arise. The plane lands a little late and is parked a long way from the main concourse.
Some of us have tickets to connect to Prague 2 hours after landing. Unfortunately
everything takes an awfully long time. It took over half an hour before they let us off the
plane and onto the buses that were ready. Another long time was spent in the bus itself,
it felt like we were taking public transport across half of Prague. Anyone who knows CDG
airport knows how huge it is. When we finally got to check in at the department where
they do the screening for those coming into the EU from non-EU destinations, it was
clear we would not make our connection to Prague. The next thing we know, after we
were supposed to take the closest flight to Prague, we receive news that our tickets for
that flight have been cancelled. We had to seek information from Air France, where we
solved the problem with the delay of the previous flight. Since all the flights were
with Air France, so without any problems they rebooked the tickets for the next flight to
Prague two hours later, where we flew without any problems. Well, there was another
problem in Prague, news came that 3 of our bags had not arrived. So we have to go to
baggage claim again to solve this problem. There we find that one suitcase that arrived
with us in Prague is badly damaged. We successfully claimed this and after the claims
clerk filled out all the paperwork, we left the airport and returned home. The two lost
bags were brought back the very next and the third one only two days later. The
suitcase claim is pending.
Summary.
Throughout our stay, we were very much helped by a working internet WiFi connection
from the owner of Le Refuge resort (free of charge in the price of accommodation).
A few months before arriving at Rodrigues, we were in contact with Robert 3B9FR. We
were arranging ahead of time how we could help Robert get his setup working so he
could be QRV on the bands again. Roberto was a frequent guest at Le Refuge. In the
very first few days he gradually started bringing a lot of his equipment and materials to
us. Gradually we got his older but functional TCVR ICOM IC756-PRO III, his older
transistorized Ameritron ALS-600 PA for KV, various KV wire antennas, also the ICOM
IC-7300, a new but unused Momobeam antenna for 6m, fitted and fired new tubes into
his older modified Hethkit PA for 6m (400W out), gradually set up and put into
operation the dish and rig for the QO-100 satellite (gave over 1000 QSOs on CW, SSB,
FT8 and FT4), uploaded the latest version of DXlog to Robert’s laptop, upgraded
DX4WIN for logging (TNX to DX4WIN author Paul KK4HD for sponsoring the latest
version for free
his DX4WIN) and gradually produced and added interfaces (RS232 to USB) and various
control cables to connect TCVRU and PA. We had to improvise with components to get
Robert’s setup working successfully. Some things, like spare power FETY for PA, basic
tools, soldering iron, V/A/Ohm meter and other small things Ruda OK2ZA had with him,
but where on the island to get just one ordinary NPN transistor and 1 resistor for keying
Robert’s TCVR from computer? It helped to unplug what we needed from other
equipment we had with us (a preamp for beverage). Robert’s setup was then used, with
his approval, for KV operation under 3B9DJ on CW and SSB as needed. The Ameritron
KV PA was putting a steady 400-500W into the antenna. Somewhat curious was the
first QSO on 6m. Robert’s new 6m Momobeam on a mast, for which we borrowed a
massive iron pipe next door at the construction site, was used for all 6m QSOs. It
worked great. We tested the freshly repaired and commissioned TCVR ICOM and 6m
tube PA Heatkit setup on the 6m band on SSB test CQ 6m after commissioning, hoping
that no one would call (hihi), because DXlog was not yet activated, only SSB was
working but no CW, and neither pencil nor paper was at hand.
But not that nobody called, immediately on the first CQ from 3B9DJ a lot of JA stations
came on 50.150 MHz, which we had to write down on a piece of paper. These first 6m
QSOs were then transcribed by Ruda OK2ZA into his DXlog. Moreover, right at the
beginning several JA wanted CW QSOs. So the first few CW QSOs on 6m were made
and logged by curiously whistling CW markers into the microphone (but it’s regular
CW!).
The 6m band opened up gradually at different times, first to the north-east and then to
the north-west towards the EU and USA towards the evening. In total we made 2500
QSOs on 6m.
The great DXLog used worked great in the network version, 5 PCs were connected
wirelessly to the local server and the data went online to the excellent Clublog to
Livestream.
So everyone in the world immediately online saw that he was logged in. Unfortunately,
we couldn’t prevent a few power outages, and then the whole system stopped working
for a short period of time. This manifested itself in the fact that the stations we made
QSOs with didn’t see it on Livestream, so they called us again. This was causing
to dupe QSOs. But it happens and we are glad that finally everyone who called is in the
log.
A wonderful adventure to this destination has come to an end. We took it at first as a
kind of vacation where we would sit behind TX and post for a while. Each us guessed
how many QSOs we would make in total.
Neither of us hoped that we would make 79,000 QSOs. The pile-ups from the beginning
were huge, the interest in QSOs was enormous, and if it hadn’t been for the
deteriorating conditions in the second week of our stay, there would have been more
QSOs.
We thank all the stations that have made contact with us and believe we have given
many a new band point or a whole new country.
We can clearly declare the expedition a success, the number of connections exceeded
the target. As far as technology is concerned, one PA Juma had to have its transistor
replaced and
the second the fan stopped working.
In total, we consumed 962 kWh of during the entire expedition.
We would like to thank our sponsors ACOM for lending us the PA and MDXC for their
financial support.
Summary:
Total operating time – 13 days Total
number of QSOs – 79.038 QSOs
Detailed statistics – https://clublog.org/charts/?c=3B9DJ#r
RIG – 2 x Kenwood TS-480HX, 2 x Icom IC-705, SunSDR Pro2, SunSDR QRP,
transvertor, SP3SXB, 4 x PA JUMA, 1 x PA ACOM
Antennas – 2 x Spiderbeam, vertical 40m, 30m and 80m, INV L 160m, dipole 12m and
17m, 6m – 6el Momobeam, 100m Beverage, QO-100 – 60cm dish
References:
Acom – https://www.acom-bg.com/
CDXP – https://www.cdxp.cz/
CLUBLOG – https://clublog.org/logsearch/3B9DJ DX4WIN
- https://dx4win.com/
DXlog – https://dxlog.net/
Facebook 3B9DJ – 3B9DJ Facebook
MDXC – MDXC
QO100 – QO100 Team
3B9DJ
C8K Mozambique 
OJ0L Market Reef
