[QRT] W8S – Swains Island (2024)

[QRT] – A little earlier than expected, W8S is now QRT. The team made 90K QSOs and lots of people happy! Good job, guys.

[UPDATE @ 0800Z] – Many thanks to Martin PA4WM for sharing pictures of his time on Swains. A few are re-posted below with credit. Today, at approx 10:00z, W8S will go QRT. Online log here

[OCTOBER 16 @ 1130z] – We received word that camp teardown has started. The W8S blue camp is now down and part of the red camp is being dismantled soon. Currently W8S is running three stations 30/60FT8 and 17CW. The 6m beam will be down soon too.

[OCTOBER 16 @ 0700z] – 40 minute video showing Johannes PA5X running SSB pileup at W8S. PS: Reminder that the team go QRT on October 17th at 14:00z

[OCTOBER 15] – Wonderful to see the DX-WORLD flag on Swains Island – thanks W8S team, and to Alex PA1AW, W8S Pilot, Website and Social Media updater!

On behalf of the W8S Swains 2023 team please find send attached a team picture featuring the DX-World flag. We again would like to thank you for your support helping to make the Swains Island DXpedition possible.

[OCTOBER 14] – Videos (via W8S webpage) showing KO8SCA and PA5X working the Magic Band, aka 6m.

[OCTOBER 14 @ 0730Z] – Over 70K QSOs now for the Swains team. Reminder: QRT on October 17th.

@dx-world

[OCTOBER 12] via W8S website

It was the start of the shift for Johannes PA5X, when he started calling CQ on the DXpedition frequency 14.181 on 20m SSB. As most of the time nobody is scrolling on the bands anymore and for minutes W8S Swains called CQ without any response.

In need for a cluster spot, Johannes turned the dial to 14.188 where he heard someone with the call EA5JZ 20dB over S9 having a conversation with another Ham. The conversation was, believe it or not, EA5JZ (Paul Thomson) wanting to work the Swains DX pedition and telling to the other Ham that it was an ATNO for him. It was at that time that W8S OM Johannes PA5X started to call EA5JZ and told him that he was the luckiest Ham of the moment, with the DX pedition calling him and asking for a cluster spot.

EA5JZ Paul couldn’t believe his ears and was wondering if the W8S call was genuine. Assuring EA5JZ that this was really W8S, Paul was a really happy OM and was able to log W8S as an ATNO! The cluster spot was made and the pile-up started! Thank you Paul!

[OCTOBER 12 @ 1430Z] – Team member Martin PA4WM has posted many photos of the W8S DXpedition on his personal Facebook page. With credit to him we have re-published a few below – thanks Martin!

[OCTOBER 11] – via Facebook the team post a short video with a new challenge they say — heavy rain.

[OCTOBER 10] – via W8S website; click the gallery below to visit their website.

The weather gods are in favor of the W8S Team today! Lots of overcast skies make it possible for them to work with 4 operators (off-duty) on the 160m vertical. While others are operating some of the operators take some time from their scheduled rest to built up the last antenna! The 160m vertical stands and is ready for action.

• 6m EME:

The first attempts on 6m were unsuccessful. There was a one-way copy and that is not enough. There will be another attempt in a few hours if there is a moon pass suitable for Europe. The team is confident that their learning curve will result in QSOs.

• Greyline:

The team is aware that this morning they missed the last hour of the European grey line and the first hour of the East Coast grey line on 80m. This was necessary because they all had to do antenna work. Since all antennas are now up and working, expect full attention during the greyline on 80m and top band.

The team is fully aware that not everything is going as expected and therefore the expectation cannot be fully met yet. Despite the extreme conditions in which to work, the ambition is as high as ever and the team is doing everything possible to meet expectations.

@dx-world

[OCTOBER 10 @ 17:15z] – At this time, KO8SCA & PA5X on Swains join K3LR at DX Engineering for DXpedition chat.

[OCTOBER 10 @ 0430z] – Definitely something to bookmark – livestreaming feed from Swains island by the team.

In addition, the team will be doing a live interview with Tim K3LR on his DX Engineering show live at 17:15 UTC today October 10. See above ^^

[OCTOBER 9] – click on the small picture gallery to visit the W8S website.

Although the images of the island look very tropical and idyllic, the reality is different. Temperatures around 40 C and very high humidity make conditions particularly tough. Building the station required a great deal of effort from the entire team. This is also one of the reasons why the construction of the stations took a little longer than hoped.

Unfortunately, due to the necessarily changed location of the blue camp, the PC network between the camps is not yet fully functional. This is the main reason for the delayed first log upload and also an obstacle for communication between the operators and the pilot team.

The feedback the Pilots get from you will be collected and shared with the team. It is not that the situation can be changed “on the spot” but this will be taken into account in the planning of the comming days. This is a DXpedition with a lot of demand from all over the world. So yes, the attention will be spread all over the world with where possible extra attention for the more difficult areas.

Finally, some images of Swains, but believe me it is not a vacation outing.

@dx-world

[OCTOBER 8] – via W8S website:

The Team continued to set up antennas in the simmering heat. By times it is unbearable, the heat is so strong that we have to take many breaks, which slows down the progress. Furthermore a lot of work has been done on the station setup and the High Power Bandpass filters have been setup. We had a good run on various bands and try to maintain an even balance over the various bands.

The 40m phased array was setup today and works great! Tomorrow the last antennas for 80m and 160m as well as 2x K9AY RX antennas will be setup.

The Team is in good spirit, but also exhausted from all the hard work in the heat. Since today we’re fully operational with 4 stations on at all times. We’re now working in our rotating schedule, which comprises of shifts of 3,4 and 5 hrs. We’re doing our best to work as many as possibleofyou!

@dx-world

[OCTOBER 7] – Special thanks to team members Martin PA4WM and Johannes PA5X for sharing these pictures & video directly from Swains Island. The latest news (as found on the official W8S website) is re-posted here too.

Yesterday end of local morning we landed on Swains. We offloaded all materials in 4 separate runs from landing craft to shore; it took till mid afternoon. We split up into red camp and blue camp teams and started building up antennas. We got 6 antennas up between half afternoon and sunset, conditions were tough with heat, heavy rain and mosquitoes. We started running 30m CW last night (local time) and afterwards we continued on 30m + 20m FT8. This local morning again 30m CW and now 12m CW and 20m FT8. In the meantime we’re setting up more antennas and will soon start up the 2nd camp (blue camp). Worked lot of EU + AS this early morning around 15:00-19:00 UTC 07 October 2023 on both 20m + 30m.

@dx-world

[OCTOBER 7] – Just after 0830z, W8S started operations from Swains Island on 30CW. First signals recorded below by DX-World.
Please note that due to the later than expected start by the team because of recent inclement weather, the DXpedition itself will not be extended beyond the original date.

@dx-world

@dx-world

[OCTOBER 7 @ 0755Z] – With all the zig-zagging (as shown on the W8S tracker belonging to team member PG5M) it’s clear antennas are being set up along the shore on Swains. While we all wait on their first signals, might be a good idea to familiarise yourself with the the Plan if you haven’t already.

[OCTOBER 6 @ 2300Z] – All W8S team members are on the island and busy setting up. QRV expected approx 0600Z on October 7.

[OCTOBER 6 @ 1530Z] – Look who’s arriving at Swains Island.

[OCTOBER 6 @ 0445Z] –

We are now at 40% of the trip to Swains. We are doing well and no seasicknesses anymore. Spirit is high. Good support from Alex Jennings and his team.

[OCTOBER 5] – Team member Martin PA4WM reports:

After our preparations on American Samoa we boarded the Manu’atele minutes ago and are sailing out of Pago Pago Harbour and enroute to Swains Island! See you all on the airwaves out of Swains atoll. If all goes well we’ll have Starlink working for internet from Swains.

Full departure to Swains Island info here

The initial schedule was slightly delayed by the inclement weather and due to other commitments of the Government operated vessel, serving the local island communities.

After a decisive meeting with the local Port Authorities, which was attended by some of the W8S Swains Team members, the final go-ahead was given and the W8S Swains Team was allowed to board the ‘Manu’atele’ en route to Swains on Wednesday evening LT.

After departure from American Samoa and on the way to Swains, the ‘Manu’atele’ will drop some cargo at the neighbouring island of Manu’a and afterwards sail directly to Swains. A 30 hour journey lies ahead for the W8S Swains Team and the supporting crew.

Upon arrival at Swains, the W8S Swains Team and support crew will offload the ‘Manu’atele’ at high tide and go ashore with a landing craft, sailing up and down several times to offload all the cargo.

After the landing, the W8S Swains Team will start working in the simmering heat to set up the 2 operating camps and start operating hopefully during the local night, beginning on October 7, 2023 at 06:00 UTC.

You can track the ‘Manu’atele’ using the GPS tracker link on our website. As soon as the W8S Swains Team are on the island, a Starlink internet connection will be set up to keep the DX community updated, but more importantly the radio stations will be installed asap to start working you all!

[OCTOBER 4] – Following on from yesterday’s radio interview, if you missed it then you can listen here:

[OCTOBER 3] – Earlier today (local morning Pago Pago time) the W8S team were interviewd by radio host Joey Cummings of 93KHJ (South Seas Broadcasting Inc.) For those who missed the interview it will be available soon as a podcast (we’ll update this post when it’s available). DX-World was provided with two exclusive pictures of the team at the radio station.

[OCTOBER 3 @ 2300Z] – Due to adverse weather, the Government operated vessel Manu’atela, which will bring the W8S Team to Swains, is delayed by 24 hrs. The Manu’atela will supply the island of Manu’a today and return for loading the items of the W8S team tomorrow on American Samoa, weather permitting. The team will continue their preparations and hope to depart the day after tomorrow (04 October 2023) for Swains, delaying the start date of the activation by 1 day to the 5th of October 2023.

[OCTOBER 2 @ 2100Z] – Here we have team W8S adding their signatures to the DX Engineering banner that team KH8RRC took with them to American Samoa earlier this year, and also signed.

Meanwhile, the team’s been busy with final preparations and some sight-seeing. The journey to Swains begins soon…Click on the pictures below to visit the official W8S website.

[OCTOBER 2 @ 0700Z] – The Swains team pictured with local radio host Joey Cummings. A reminder the team will arrive at Swains on October 4 (local).

[SEPTEMBER 30] – Click on the pictures below to read about the “To Do” list and the tasks at hand.

[SEPTEMBER 29] – After all arriving safely and meeting in KH6, the team spent the day sight-seeing before catching the overnight flight to Pago Pago. By 1000z on September 29th the team had arrived KH8. Some pictures with captions courtesy of the W8S team.

[SEPTEMBER 28] – The first group (KO8SCA, PA5X, NG7M) arrived in Hawai. The rest of the team will join them soon.

[SEPTEMBER 27 @ 1000Z] – The team are on their way to Hawaii. The day after they will fly to Pago Pago (KH8), where they will stay for a few days before boarding the ship that will take them to Swains Island. In Pago Pago they will buy the last supplies, do the final check of all the equipment, configure the laptops and radios and – if they have time – work for a few hours under KH8/their own callsign.

On October 4th the team will reach Swains Island and they will spend the remaining daylight building as much as possible antennas in both camps. They hope to have the first signals out that same night under the callsign W8S. All is depending on the circ*mstances during the landing and on the island.