SU8IOTA DX-pedition First Ever IOTA DX-pedition from an Egyptian Island

  Location: White Rock (Norus) island (AF-099) in the Mediterranean Sea (Matruh Region) Egypt.

  Longitude : 27degree 14 Minute 7 Second.  Latitude : 31 degree 22 Minute 0 Second

  Activation date: July 31st to August 9th,2005.

    DX-pedition members: Said Kamel (SU1SK) - Hossam El Shenawy  (SU1HM)                                         Tarek Abdulla (SU2TA) - Sayed Abdel Samei(SU1SA).                        

We received our license on a very short notice only 29 July, and the operation duration starts from  July 31st to the 9th of August.  as we are going to head to Matruh early morning to.There was a problem in reaching any of the three islands Hashafat El- Qutt, Komfis, and Ishaila. Said SU1SK had been combing in the Matruh region for the  3 days ( 31July - 2 Augst ) to determine the best location for the DX-pedition.                   

and The Team are to follow in a short while. I finally located another island called Norus (means Seagull) Island that complies with IOTA requirements. It lies in open sea outside the port of Matruh. At low tide the distance from the nearest land is about 400 metres. here a photos that I took from  the island .                                                               

 

 

Camping on this island is no't easy (impossible) so we are obliged to return back before sunset. I am go to started operation  Aug. 3 from 16:00z to 17:00z. for the first          transmission. The operation was dayly.  just last day of the DX-pedition ( 8-8-2005)     working from 23:00 UTC to open a Window to all hams in North America & Canada . I    faced a lot of difficulties and many problems in this night  really was very bad night .!    Anyway i back safe to home.!!                                                                                           Everybody here is happy despite the fact that the rest of the team didn't manage to follow me there because of the Very short notice. I managed to make around 2000 QSOs with stations from Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, and Australia. This is not a large number but knowing that I spent more than three days looking for a suitable island to operate from, And that I was by myself alone and was not rightly equipped ( No any support or sponsors ). I seek the help of three Young kids Ali, Omar, and Abdel Rahman who did really a very good job to assist me.  (my kids helped a lot!) They had to go every morning to the island and leave before sunset.

 

 The working conditions were very poor: a Kenwood TS-440, a 20m dipole and SU1SK's car battery! Despite these poor coditions  I make about 2000 QSOs with stations in five continents.With the experience gained from this dx-pedition, we hope to be able to prepare a full scale dxpedition Soon from the same place or New place maybe 2006 !! we will going to keep you informed.  All  informations update & The New News will be on.                             www.qsl.net/su1sk                      or                         http://www.qrz.com/su8iota             

Thanks for everybody who contacted or tried to contact SU8IOTA during the dx-pedition.

 White Rock AF-099 Most Wanted IOTA Groups 

Thanks from our hearts to Roger Balister, G3KMA the RSGB IOTA Manager and the IOTA management for the efforts they exerted in the course of verifying this activity.