N2PIG claims 1st terrestial TransAtlantic qso on VHF

Bottom · Main · VHFLinks · DXpeditions · Software · WSJT

On March 20th, 2002, ~2300UTC, DK3XT posted the following to the <meteor-scatter>, <hsms>, <144mhzeu> internet eMail reflectors and to the <vhf@eu> board of the packet radio net :

Friends,
this is no hoax ! Received following email a couple of minutes ago, plus an exciting phone-call
from Alex, N2PIG himself, confirming the contents of his mail.
He is on site, still checking his email for skeds !

This is Alex, N2PIG.
Three weeks ago, I went to eastern Newfoundland, CANADA, to establish a high power
2m & 70cm station, with the intent of working my XYL, Debra, VA3PIG, in Europe.
The next week, my XYL and I traveled to western IRELAND, where we established a similar station, mindful of the 26dBW-at-Antenna limit.
Last week I returned to my Newfoundland portable, leaving my XYL, in IRELAND, at IO41vs.
On Saturday night, 16 March, 2002, I "flipped the switches" on, at the Canadian Station.
In the last five days, Debra & I have been communicating across the Atlantic Ocean, at an approximate Great Circle Distance of 1890miles/ 3000kilometers, on 2 Meters, using WSJT !!!
St. Patrick's Day, Sunday, we managed an exchange of Call Signs.
On Tuesday, yesterday, we completed an full exchange, in less than four hours !
Today, in the early morning, we exchanged the salutations: "God Bless America", from Newfoundland, and a partial "Greetings from Ireland" .
Full details of the event will be available in a Web-Site, we are soon to construct...
It was a few years in dreaming, planinng, and training for this DXPedition, and still
Mr. Murphy accompanied us. However, we were well prepared for him, and he was most co-operative, in the end.
Debra has now dis-assembled her station and has begun her journey back to Canada, where I shall rendezvous with her, in Toronto, late Thursday.
I now invite European Amateurs, using WSJT, on 2 Meters, who think they have a reasonable chance at a QSO with me, in GN38mb, to be the next persons to "cross the Atlantic".
>From 23Z this evening to 06Z in the morning, I am prepared to work any EU Stations who wish to try. I shall be simplex on 144.2 Mhz USB, using North American default. If you wish a SKED, pse e-mail me at dutkewych211@msn.com, I will check for mail between 2215-2230Z.
Regrettably, at 06Z, I must knock-down the P/VO1 station, for transport. Therefore, this is your only "window of opportunity" to work me at
Old Perlican, Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland, CANADA.

Let's hope the rocks ionize well, tonight.
Best Luck & Great DX !!!
Alex, P/VO1/N2PIG

Forwarded by
Bernie dk3xt/ab7iy
http://www.meteorscatter.net
"Make More Miles On VHF"
http://www.qsl.net/dk3xt/

The next day, Mar 21st, DK3XT posted the following :

Subject: Re:Details of trans-atlantic WSJT QSO ?
Date: Thu, 21 Mar 2002 17:39:34 +0100
>...
>...would like to know more before challenging it. more information please!
>...
Hi folks,
Last night, Mar 20th, 02 at 2134UTC, N2PIG's (Alex) mail arrived at my provider's server.
I downloaded and read his note at around 2210UTC (that's the same note that I later forwarded
to the <Meteor-scatter>, <144mhzeu> and <HSMS> internet mailing reflectors, as well as to the <vhf@eu> board of the packet radio net).
Frankly, I was more than sceptical, an expedition of that big a dimension, finished with an even bigger success, run by a husband-and-wife-team ?
I checked Alex's call with qrz.com (turned out okay), then checked weather condx in Newfoundland
(turned out okay, too). Still not convinced, and considering that it was turning close to midnight on a workday in Europe, I decided not to forward Alex's message...
- and then the phone rang -
with an excited Alex, N2PIG on the far end. He basically confirmed the contents of his message, and, yes, he's on site in Newfoundland right now, waiting for some pings from Europe, and they've kept the preparations for and the fact of the DXpedition "very, very secret". He said that they've shot a lot of pictures and there will be a website later.

So I then hurried to forward his note to the mail reflectors and to packet radio, hoping that at least a couple of hams over here would read it and try to get into contact with him, despite of short notice and late hour.
Wonder who did ?
I haven't heard of Alex since, guess, he's in Newfoundland taking down his station or is on his way back to Pulteney/NY. Let's hope for a nice website with pics - and a nice wav-file !!

To all, thanks for your patience; and to Alex, thanks for your call
(guess, I haven't done so last night) and once you're home,
please drop us a line.
73,
Bernie dk3xt/ab7iy (in Germany, JN49fe)
http://www.meteorscatter.net
"Make More Miles On VHF"
http://www.qsl.net/dk3xt/

• Follow-up report in EI7GL's Ireland VHF News, August 2003 :
N2PIG filing claim for the Brendan Trophy, decision of the Brendan Trophy Award Panel

Top · Main · VHFLinks · DXpeditions · Software · WSJT

Pages also available from

You're here : <http://www.qsl.net/dk3xt/taclaim.htm> updated Jan 1 st, 2005