April 10–27, 2025 | Anegada Island | 123,500+ QSOs and Counting
Expedition Update: Final Days of High-Impact Operations
After 10.5 days of non-stop activity, the VP2VI team has logged 123,500 QSOs with 26,800 unique callsigns—despite challenging propagation conditions. With 6.5 days remaining, the focus shifts to filling "white spots" on:
✔ 160m CW (top priority)
✔ 60m CW, 80m SSB, 40m SSB
✔ 6m (50 MHz) – limited by TEP propagation
Team Statement: "We actively manage band/mode timeframes to balance global demand. Cluster requests won’t change our strategy—we’re optimizing for the majority." – DL8LAS @ VP2VI
Key Achievements & Challenges
By the Numbers (as of April 19)
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102,000 QSOs at halftime (8.5 days in)
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5 stations running 24/7 (SSB, CW, FT8, RTTY)
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Antenna Setup:
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Directional beams (North-facing compromise for EU/NA)
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Beverage RX arrays for 160m/80m
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Shared 80m/160m vertical with band-pass filters
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Controversies Addressed
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"Beaming Only Europe" Myth:
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Spiderbeams point true North (fair for EU/NA)
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Lower bands use omnidirectional antennas
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Actual QSO Distribution: 60% EU, 25% NA, 12% Asia
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"FT8-Only Laziness" Accusations:
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FT8 used during off-peak hours or to relieve operators
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Human vs. FT8 QSOs: Nearly equal despite computer advantage
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No Sponsorships:
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100% self-funded (except for loaned RF2K-S amplifiers)
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Final Push: What’s Left?
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160m CW: Weak signals but critical for ATNO hunters
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60m CW/RTTY: Limited activity planned
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6m (50 MHz): Monitoring PSKReporter for openings
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QSL Fixes: Missing logs from internet outages restored
Reminder: "If you missed us, just call again—we’re happy to log you!"
Community Reactions
✅ VA2GK: "Worked all bands 10m–80m SSB/CW—excellent ops!"
⚠️ Wes N7WS (SW USA): "Extremely hard to break EU pileups."
🔥 Erik EI4KF: "Found them on 80m CW, 160m FT8, and 60m FT8 in 10 minutes—signals booming!"
How to Support
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Donate via Club Log OQRS (helps offset costs)
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Follow Live Logs: VP2VI Club Log
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Watch Livestream: DX-World VP2VI Page
Final QRT: April 27, 2025 @ 12:00Z
Blog Summary
This highly successful VP2VI DXpedition has overcome logistical hurdles (customs drama, antenna setups) and propagation challenges to deliver 123K+ QSOs. With days left, the team prioritizes 160m CW and rare slots. A self-funded effort praised for professional operations—despite conspiracy theories!
Source: DX-World.net | Live updates: @dxworldnet
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