Yuris, YL2GM will be active as ZS8W from Marion Island, Prince Edward Islands, IOTA AF - 021, 21 April - 16 May 2025.
He will operate on 160 - 6m, CW, SSB, Digital modes.
Recent DX Spots ZS8W
ZS8W Log search Split operation will always be used. Yuris will listen on CW up 1 or more, and on 160 meters he will listen down 2 for Japan (1810- 1820). On SSB, he will be listening up 5 or more.
On FT8, if you see RR73 from ZS8W, then you are in the log and can stop your transmissions. There is no need to transmit RR73 or 73 message.
QSL via LOTW, ClubLog OQRS.
QTH Locator - KE83wc.
ZS8W Marion Island News 23 April 2025
As of 13:00 UTC April 23 Yuris remains on the ship. Still no information about the start of disembarkation. So far only pirates are on the air and DX clusters, don't bother to work them. Information will be provided when Yuris makes it to the shore or when plans become known.
ZS8W Marion Island News 22 April 2025
S.A. Agulhas II has reached Marion island. But it is not clear yet, when disembarkation will start.
ZS8W Marion Island News 18 April 2025
The ship S.A. Agulhas II departed from the port of Cape Town in the afternoon of April 18, one day later than initially planned.
Lost in the ocean Prince Edward
In the third largest ocean of the globe - the Indian Ocean - two small islands of the Prince Edward Archipelago are lost two thousand kilometers from the southern coast of Africa. But despite the remoteness and complete detachment from civilization, the area is of considerable interest.
Discovered twice
At the end of the 17th century, Dutch travelers on the ship “Marseveen” led by Ruud van Gestings tried several times to find the unknown southern continent. During one of the expeditions, the group came across two strange islands formed by volcanic activity. One was named Dina, the other Marseven. To be fair, it should be noted that on some European maps they are called so to this day. And this, in general, is wrong, because the Scandinavians gave wrong coordinates and did not become discoverers. For some time - almost a whole century - they were forgotten. Until 1772, when in 1772 the French, led by Marion Dufrane, once again went in search of the southern continent, did not open these areas of land again, having determined their correct location. However, because of the severe weather, the explorers did not dare to leave the ship, limiting themselves to a description and name. The larger one was named Marion and the smaller one Prince Edward.
ZS8W. Marion Island. Logo.
Volcanoes, rocks and nuclear weapons
Marion is a typical volcanic landmass formed in several stages. Its relief is sharply heterogeneous, predominantly mountainous, with soils high in pumice and sulfur. The ancient Island volcano, which last erupted in 2004, shows no signs of activity today, but is the highest point. Prince Edward also has a mountainous surface and its own towering peak - the volcano - Van Zinderen. In the northeastern part there are several cliffs, the largest of which are Ship and Ross.
Officially, the first people - seal hunters and whalers - entered these lands in 1800, having already discovered ancient human sites here. Who they were and why they visited them earlier, it is difficult to say. Researchers, who later came here more than once, agreed that they could have been the same fishing groups.
And in the early 20th century, representatives of the Republic of South Africa equipped a weather station on the coast, successfully operating to this day, and immediately declared the territory the property of South Africa.
The islands are covered with fogs and mysteries. For example, once an American satellite spotted in the immediate vicinity of the flash, which tried to link it to an underwater test of nuclear weapons. Israel and South Africa were under suspicion. However, the fears were not confirmed.
The climatic conditions of the sub-Antarctic belt are harsh and unsafe. Almost ten months a year there are rains, periodically changing into drizzle and snow, and the strongest winds blow, whose gusts reach two hundred kilometers per hour. Average monthly summer temperatures do not exceed +15-18 degrees Celsius, and winter temperatures are around -5 degrees Celsius.
Getting to these places is not an easy task. The lack of airstrips and regular sea communication with the mainland makes such a desire almost impossible. The only sure option is rotary-winged aviation or research vessels, which, however, landing specialists at the meteorological station, do not stay here for long.
The islands are not empty - penguins live and cabbage grows on the islands
As already reported, there is no permanent population on the archipelago, but there are many representatives of animal life typical for northern latitudes. In the early nineties, expeditioners brought mice, which multiplied so much that they seriously threatened the ecosystem of the area, and then cats for rodent control. Currently, both have been safely exterminated and captured.
Huge colonies are formed by penguins and seals, seabirds - petrels, typhoons and albatrosses. A subspecies of the latter, the gray-headed albatross, is quite rare and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for its unique speed qualities. The bird has a huge wingspan - up to three and a half meters and can fly at a speed of up to 120 kilometers per hour. It can stay in such a state for more than 8 hours.
The local flora is not as rich as the fauna. There are a variety of mosses, fungi and lichens. The only real plant is the self-pollinating Kerguelen cabbage, a grass with large fleshy leaves. Imported from the Kerguelen archipelago of the same name, it is fully adapted to the harsh conditions, not afraid of strong winds and frequent frosts. It is edible and is used by sailors as a valuable storehouse of vitamin C.
In short, the habitat conditions on Prins-Edouard are close to extreme, which, however, does not prevent its exploration and future development.
