7O8AD & 7O8AE – Yemen (2024)

• [UPDATE] – Yemen humanitarian aid:

We have completed our second 400W solar panel installation in Yemen, and will proceed with another 10 families that will receive lights and fans. Its great to see OQRS money spent on this. If you want to support you can still paypal kenneth@opskar.no and label it “solar panels”. (Info / pics courtesy LA7GIA).

• [JANUARY 7] – Yemen humanitarian aid:

We have completed our first installation in the village of Dhihamri! Installation is a 400W solar panel, battery, charger, 10 lamps for light in rooms and 3 fans that provide some cooling during hot months. We will proceed with installing 200W panels for families that currently do not have any electricity at all. This will be a much needed installation for them, you can imagine how it is living without electricity. You can support our fundraiser by donating via paypal kenneth@opskar.no – any amount is appreciated. So far we have received $900 in donations and Shani and myself add another $9000 from the OQRS. (Info / pics courtesy LA7GIA).

• [DECEMBER 14] – Yemen Humanitarian Aid

Thanks to the following persons for their generous donation to our humanitarian fundraiser: W2OR, N4EFS, KD0PO, K0DEQ, N1GFV, AB3CV, N2AJ, LA7XK, W5VY, SP9IVZ, LA4HIA, N7NR, W0GJ, W3ICM, LB1QI, DO4UB and Clif Power. In total they provided $820. In addition Shani HA5DDX and myself Ken LA7GIA each donated $4600 ($9200 in total) from the OQRS so in total with all donations we have $10,000 as per today.

Our fundraiser is now aimed to help people in the village of Dhihamri where we stayed and provide them with electricity. We are installing 200W and 400W solar panels, with charger and battery. We also provide fans for cooling and lamps for light in their houses. We hope to provide for as many as 10-20 families that currently have very limited electricity with the possibility for an upgrade or a complete new solar panel system. Many families today don’t have electricity or they only have a small 50W panel that is not sufficient for cooling during summer. Such a 400w solar panel can produce annually around 500 kWh solar energy. Knowing that annual consumption for a US household is 10000 kWh pr year, and my own house consumes 30.000 kWh (!) – we realize that 400W is not much.

You can still help us in improving the electricity in Dhihamri village by donating via paypal kenneth@opskar.no , pse label donation “humanitarian aid”. We will provide more photos as we do the installation.

73 Ken 7O8AD and Shani 7O8AE

• [NOVEMBER 29]

Here’s the QSL preview for both 7O8AD & 7O8AE (thanks LA7GIA)

• [NOVEMBER 19] – Ken 7O8AD/ LA7GIA says:

First class service from ARRL Award Manager Sharon Taratula for going to the office on a Sunday to process the 7O8AD and 7O8AE LoTW certificates that we received today! To clarify, priority will be given to all our 200 upfront supporters! After that LoTW will be uploaded for OQRS Direct requests.

• [NOVEMBER 16] –

We are quite satisfied with the stay. We ended on 57,000 QSOs. Our flight is departing tomorrow. Thanks for being in the pileups and having fun with us. Logs will be uploaded ASAP. Please QRX.

If possible please donate to the humanitarian fundraiser by using the same paypal. Many people have done this already. It will be used locally in Dhihamri to provide electricity (solar panels) to local families. A monetary donation will be given to UNCHR Yemen. They need our support. PayPal to kenneth@opskar.no

We would like to thank our local guide and helpers. Adnan was with us for twelve days in the camp. Together with Abdullah they took care of everything related to logistics. It is because of my guide’s connections with the local community that we were able to stay at Dhihamri.

• [NOVEMBER 15 @ 1500z] – Both ops Ken LA7GIA (as 7O8AD) and Shani HA5DDX (as 7O8AE) announce they will go QRT between 2200z today (Wednesday) and 0200z tomorrow (Thursday). At the moment they continue to be very active on CW, SSB & RTTY. A reminder that logs will be online once the DXpedition is finished and they are back home.

• [NOVEMBER 12] –

Team in good spirits and approaching 50K QSOs. Ken (7O8AD) decided not to do anymore 160m. The counterpoise for 160m is now in the main camp. It’s being used for the 80m antenna. I might figure out the 30m interaction issue tomorrow and then perhaps use the 80m pole. The stay here in Yemen has exceeded all my expetactions. I’m not thinking of the radio stuff but of the island and the people. This is a very nice location. More and more tourists are arriving here. One Russian tourist came this week and another is comming in January. Spare parts are difficult to find. The hospitality is great and we have had a very good stay here. Tourism is increasing. This is very good for the island. Still facilities are not what we might be used to. There is of course a lack of infrastructure.

• [NOVEMBER 9] – Info and pictures from Ken LA7GIA via Media Officer, Steve N2AJ:

All ok here. The plan is to QRV at 160/80 and 20m from 19:00 UTC and operate until sunrise, propagation dependent. I will work 80m if no conditions on 160m. I also will do CW/FT8. On 160m yesterday it was very congested. For 160m I will listen up 1 to 2. Many DXers work us multiple times in a row in the space of just a few minutes. This is not good practice. Please be considerate with dupes. If there is CW conditions on 160/80 I will do CW. If not, then I will try FT8. I am only running 100W, but I can hear very well in this noise free location. Please only call me if you hear me. The log upload will be done after DXpedition. The internet here is intermittent and poor. We have almost 35,000 QSOs now. Approximately 50% human mode CW/SSB and 50% FT8.

• [NOVEMBER 8] Info from Ken LA7GIA via Media Officer, Steve N2AJ:

We will try 40m today. 12m is the band with most CW QSOs. I will focus on 40/160 and 80m the next few days if conditions are good. We are waiting for the tent to arrive before we can set up the low band camp. It should be completed tonight. It will be very basic with just a tent, table, radio, coax, antenna, and generator. I will confirm once we have that done. The current plan is to QRV on 160m CW at around 19:00 UTC +/- at 1.825 kHz +/-

Ken and I discussed sunrise times for various locations. He asked me for the A & K Index predictions for the next three days. He told me he received a thunderstorm warning for the next few days and asked me to find out if there were any cyclones in the area. I got him all the information he requested. No cyclones coming. Eight days with possible thunderstorms. 73 de Steve N2AJ

• [NOVEMBER 7] – Update from Ken, LA7GIA / 7O8AD:

The 40m antenna is up and working well. I will be operating on 40m tonight. The 160m antenna is installed as a full size vertical up on a mountain hill. I could not finish the tuning as sunset came. It was too dangerous to complete the tuning at that time. The risk analysis was easy! I will finish the tuning for 1825 kHz tomorrow.

Some bad news. The main FT8 radio is now QRT. I am now running CW and FT8 on the backup radio as SO2R, so please bear with me. It is with 60W. The 160m antenna is 30m from the beach with radials going all the way down to the ocean. Please understand that for the 160m to happen there is some real effort for us. We have to setup a 3rd camp only for this band. We have to move the generator to this camp and back. There is some logistics involved before sunset and after sunrise. 160m activity will require some manpower every day and will reduce the other activities. Tomorrow around 15:00 UTC I should know the time for 160m operation. I worked some W7 on 40m but signals were weak. More photos tomorrow. Now for an outdoor shower.

• [NOVEMBER 6] – Ken 7O8AD reports:

All is well. Now have three radios operational at the main camp. One is used for CW and two are used for FT8. Shani has one radio used for SSB at the beach camp. We might try to install the 80m vertical or a half sloper on a mountain. If not, then it will be a 12m top-loaded version. We may need to source some more materials. I worked U.S. stations on 10 CW at 12:00 UTC but they were extremely weak. Of course many EU stations were calling on top as usual. Please ask EU to please standby when we work the US! This is called Ham Spirit.

Pictures credit Ken LA7GIA via Media Officer Steve N2AJ.

• [NOVEMBER 5] – Ken 7O8AD reports:

We have around 8000 QSO’s as of Sunday lunchtime. We had some issued with RFI and station interference. We solved this. I also had some CW keyboard issues. We are using a Hungarian version where Z and Y are in the opposite location! My brain was confused ha ha, but now it’s ok. We have started FT8. We plan to assemble the 80/40 antenna. This will be done prior to sunset due to the heat here. It’s too warm for us from the North!! Hopefully we will be QRV on 80/40 later. For SSB please spot us if you work us if we are not spotted already. All is good here. It is an excellent location!! It must be the most peaceful place on earth. There is really amazing nature.

This morning there was movement on the bands ✅🎙️🌎#7O8AD we could #RX it on #24mhz #ssb, they’re #TX from Socotra Island at 🇾🇪Yemen #hamradio #dx @DX_World
DX4ever❤️ pic.twitter.com/iJsBwgjj1P

— Óscar L. (@ea1dr) November 5, 2023

• [NOVEMBER 4 @ 0900Z] – QSL manager M0OXO reports the log will only be online (or available) once the duo return home (mid-November). Meanwhile, as of 1420z today, the team have not been QRV on FT8. Beware of the pirate station:
• [NOVEMBER 4 @ 0400Z] – Ken 7O8AD

Yesterday we were tuning antennas before sunset 17:00 local time (14:00 UTC). The 30m and 15m verticals are up. Soon 20/17m. We were tired and went to bed at midnight. I slept under the open sky. Today we will set up a second camp 10m from the beach. It will take a few hours.” A bit later Ken said, “We have 10m, 15m, 17m, 20m, 30m up now.

• [QRV ] – Just after 1500z, 7O8AD closely followed by 7O8AE started operations from Socotra island, Yemen. First recording (7O8AD) below by Media Officer and Pilot Station, Steve N2AJ.

7O8AD recorded by Pilot Station and Media Officer @N2AJ ⬇️https://t.co/Id5jCBAJ7E pic.twitter.com/L6KTIvvgiK

— DX World.net (@DX_World) November 3, 2023

• [NOVEMBER 3 @ 1400Z]

Ken and Shani have reached the campsite. Ken says, “We’re tuning antennas now before sunset 1700 local time (1400 utc). 30+15 vertical is up and soon 20/17m. Tomorrow we setup a 2nd camp 10m from the beach.”

• [NOVEMBER 3 @ 0845Z] – Pilot Station, N2AJ reports:

Ken LA7GIA and Shani HA5DDX have landed on Socotra Island. Ken reports that they have cleared customs and collected their luggage. He says, “All good here.” They will go to a nearby town to purchase materials and clothing. After that they will travel to the camp. The camp is one hour away from the town.

• [NOVEMBER 2 @ 1845Z] Ken LA7GIA reports:

I landed in Abu Dhabi. All is Ok. I will meet Shani later today or tomorrow morning. We will arrive at Socotra 08:00 UTC tomorrow. We hope to be QRV by late evening. Our local support team has prepared the grounds for us. The generator has been tested and maintained. Some antenna and camp materials that we need have been sourced. Due to the weight limitations on the flight we had to prioritize what we could bring with us. I will have to buy some clothing upon our arrival.

• [INITIAL INFO] – We want to thank the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Republic of Yemen for assisting us.

Two operators will be QRV Nov 3^rdto Nov 16^{th –} licenses issued are 7O8AD (Ken LA7GIA) and 7O8AE (Shani HA5DDX). Tent and generator operation, limited facilities at Dhi Hamri, grid locator LK72CQ. IOTA AF-028.

Follow the Garmin tracker @LA7GIA Two generators, one main and one spare. 2-3 stations on the airwith focus on CW/SSB.

• 7O8AD Ken: 1 x CW + 1 x FT8 (SO2R light)
• 7O8AE Shani: 1 x SSB

It means 7O8AE is the SSB call and 7O8AD is the CW/FT8 call.

100W RIGs: Three 100W stations. No amplifier due to weight restrictions.

Thanks to Expert Electronics for sponsoring us with a SunSDR2 DX!

• Band: 160-10m. No band plan, use the VFO. FT8 will be WSJT-X F/H or MHSV – never on standard frequency.
• Antennas: Verticals and VDA close to saltwater, clear beach take off.

All antenna support material will be constructed on the spot by material we can source locally. For that reason 40-10m will be installed first, then 160+80m.

Especially for 160/80m it means splicing wood poles and make a temporary support structure for the (toploaded) wire – so please be patient for low band.

Media officer/WW Pilot: Steve N2AJ,stevousa@aol.com

ALL questions during the operation to Steve, team will not monitor or answer any emails. We have no internet access, as we only have satellite connection to pilot via Garmin + HF. Updates will be posted here (Editor: and DX-World)

QSL manager M0OXO– LOG will be uploaded AFTER DXpedition.

OQRS will open once Charles receives the logs. ALL QSL questions to Charles, team will not answer any questions related to QSL or LOG.

Donations/OQRS for both callsigns is via paypalkenneth@opskar.noAll upfront supporters will get their LoTW + Direct QSL cards automatically.

OQRS Direct, OQRS Buro or Direct mailed. No paper buro cards. Complete log will be uploaded to LoTW.

No busted callsign enquiries for FT8, if your computer gets lost, work us again.

I will personally make a humanitarian donation to UNCHR Yemen once I return home – anyone wanting to support this humanitarian fundraiser can use the PayPal address – and please label that separate donation “Humanitarian aid”. 500 houses in Socotra, Yemen were partially or fully damaged during a cyclone last week. All humanitarian donations will be transferred 100% to UNCHR Yemen, and everyone who contributes will be listed and thanked.

Thank you!

73 Ken, LA7GIA