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3B9C Dxpedition to Rodrigues Island, 2003
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3B9C Diary

During the DXpedition, the web site was updated "live" from Rodrigues Island. Recent updates are produced in the UK.

This page has become the 3B9C diary, leading to a sequence of daily stories and pictures. From time to time, new items will be added to the page.

Monday 10, May 2004
Now is the time to send in your QSL cards. The 10 man QSL team have started the mammoth task of sending direct and bureau QSL cards, a job which is expected to last several years.

COntainer ready to goThursday 15, April 2004
Today, we finally say goodbye to Rodrigues Island, as the remaining members of the team fly home. The container is packed and starts its slow sea journey back to the United Kingdom.


John, G3WGVWednesday 14, April 2004
John, G3WGV reports on the work in hand to pack everything ready for the return home.

Nigel, G4KIU takes a look at the amazing number of web visitors.
 


The 3B9C TeamTuesday 13, April 2004
The log from 3B9C shows 153,113 QSOs.

Read about the final morning of operation and see the initial breakdown of QSOs by band and mode.


SunriseMonday 12, April 2004
3B9C is QRT.

The station closed at sunrise local time this morning. We thank you for your participation in our DXpedition.


Beverage endSunday 11, April 2004
150,000 QSO mark reached. Satellite QSOs now made via FO-29, plus more SSTV. LF bands are in poor shape.

We close operations on Monday morning at local sunrise.


Stake in the groundSaturday 10, April 2004
It took three hours to remove this stake from the ground. The first antennas are dismantled, but plenty remain. We are aware of some pirate activity with our callsign.


SSTVSaturday 10, April 2004
More activity on SSTV.

See some of the pictures sent and received from the 3B9C station. We are pleased to have given a new country to all those in the log.


Bob, GU4YOXFriday 9, April 2004
As well as the web site, the 3B9C team deal with over 75 incoming emails a day. These emails give us a flavour of opinions from around the world, and help us to address issues on the bands.


SSTVThursday 8, April 2004
We are planning some more SSTV operation today or tomorrow.

RTTY and PSK are our best modes on HF, while operations continue on the LF bands.


30m Trident beamWednesday 7, April 2004
Various DXpedition records have been broken by 3B9C.

Read the announcement on our expected close down time at the end of the DXpedition.


Cows in the antanna fieldTuesday 6, April 2004
How many DXpeditions suffer from cows in the antenna field? We do!

Discover why 3B9C isn't on every band/mode at any moment in time.


80m matsMonday 5, April 2004
We are suffering an unacceptable number of duplicate contacts on the same band/modes. Please help by reading our guidelines. RTTY & PSK are busy and do review our 160m/80m operation.


6m antennasSunday 4, April 2004
Move to the US generals part of the bands. More on RTTY and PSK. EME activity continues and we try satellite as well. Plenty of other operational news today.


Nigel "Spider" G4KIUSaturday 3, April 2004
The 3B9C web site has been updated daily live from Rodrigues Island. This means, we have been able to bring you the latest news and pictures as the DXpedition progresses. However, running the web from the island isn't all that easy.


Meeting 3B8CFFriday 2, April 2004
Some members of the team returned home today.

While in transit at Mauritius, they were surprised by a visit from Jacky, 3B8CF.


Worked all coconutsThursday 1, April 2004
WAC - Worked All Coconuts.

Our special award program, today only.


EME in progressWednesday 31, March 2004 - SPECIAL UPDATE
Today, history was made with the first 70cm EME QSO from Rodrigues.

Read the story of this historic contact.


Coral quarryTuesday 30, March 2004
New team members arrive. Other take a trip around the island.

RTTY now active daily on the HF bands.


Monday 29, March 2004
3B9C is now active on RTTY, using 20m, 15m and 10m.

We have now also made eight band DXCC.


100,000 QSOsSunday 28, March 2004
3B9C celebrates two special events. We have now made 100,000 QSOs, making us the second largest DXpedition ever. 3B9C made the first ever EME QSO from Rodrigues Island.


160m switchesSaturday 27, March 2004
We have had some issues with one of the online servers and have taken it out of use. We talk about log corrections and the WPX contest continues.
 


View of the bayFriday 26, March 2004
Please about our revised operations during the WPX contest this weekend.

More updates on other bands and operations.



160m to W6Thursday 25, March 2004 - SPECIAL UPDATE
3B9C is delighted to have worked KA6W on 160m today.

Read more about this special QSO.

 


Rainbow over the yagisThursday 25, March 2004
Our strategy over the WPX Contest will be to work SSB only on the six contest bands. There will be plenty of activity on CW and SSB on the WARC bands and 6m.



Typical stationWednesday 24, March 2004
With around 62,000 QSOs in the log, we examine the breakdown of contacts by band and by continent. The story so far.



K3NATuesday 23, March 2004
Working the "Gentleman's Band" and more problems with antennas. News on our operations on 150m and 6m.


Monday 22, March 2004
Discover how we bottled out on the 40m radials.

Eric, K3NA reports on 40m openings.


20m beam close to shack twoSunday 21, March 2004
Over 23,000 contacts in the log now. Our prediction software is proving valuable, especially now we can add real date from the 3B9C logs.

Learn today about how the operator shift system works.


SunriseSaturday 20, March 2004
Our first full day on the bands resulted in over 12,000 contacts. Many stations have already worked us on nine bands and multiple modes. We had some issues with the 80m antennas today.


Friday, 19 March 2004 : 2000 UTC
3B9C went on air at midnight local time.

We look forward to seeing your call in the log.


Titanex preparationsFriday, 19 March 2004 : 1300 UTC
Preparations near completion. Due to the strength of the tides, the team are moving the 160m Titanex antenna this afternoon.

Equipment is almost ready and the computer network, with 24 machines, is working well.

We are on target for launching 3B9C on time later tonight.


15m CW beamThursday, 18 March 2004
Today was antenna day, with the majority of the aerials being completed. In addition, preparations in the shacks moved on, in readiness for some testing this evening.


Unloading the containerWednesday, 17 March 2004
Our first full day on the island saw the unloading of the container. Everything had to be transported across the island by truck, which took half of the day. Antenna building started by mid afternoon.


Arrival in RodriguesTuesday, 16 March 2004
The team arrived on Rodrigues late this afternoon. After exhausting journeys and a 40 minute drive across the island to the hotel, the team met for dinner and then went for a well eared sleep.


Monday, 15 March 2004
The last update from the United Kingdom was made at Heathrow airport by webmaster Nigel, G4KIU. We anticipate that the next update will come from the Cotton Bay Hotel on Rodrigues Island sometime on 18 or 19 March 2004.

October 2003 to 14 March 2004
This web site was launched in October 2003. The webmaster, Nigel G4KIU, has made almost daily updates since launch. By 15 March 2004, the site had over 135 individual pages and a large number of pictures.
 
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