A message from EI9FBB, the team leader of 7Q7EI with a short status report of the DXpedition :

We are getting lots of requests for 160m CW. This will NOT be happening. Due to high local noise levels we will NOT be working CW on 160m. Only FT8 is possible. We have had some success on 80m CW and we try to maximise these QSOs each day.

Yes, I’m sure it is frustrating for the general public to be thinking that we are only working FT8 on LF, but I assure you, CW is or preferred mode (by far). There are still many ‘bugs’ in the FT8 programme but you must remember, this is still a BETA TEST which is working well for us on 160m. Without it, we would not be QRV on 160m at all.

80M CW will be maximised for our remaining days – we need every QSO in or log.

Other than that, I can say that our frequent electricity outages have stabilised a bit now – we hired a generator locally to power our radios, and we have now a reliable internet source. Shortly after sunrise, we have a period with zero propagation when all bands are closed for a few hours and only the Big Guns get through.

A fellow DXpeditioner once told me ‘it’s the going into the unknown that makes the adventure’ and we are certainly having an adventure!

I’m confident that we’ll make the 30,000 QSOs and make the GDXF Mega DXpeditions Honour Roll.

Vy 73 de Dave EI9FBB