Malcolm Hamilton GM3TAL described the DXpedition that he and his XYL Sue made to Swaziland for two weeks in August 2009 to operate 3DA0SS near Mbabane with an international group of six operators. They also visited the Swazi Scouts International Campsite near Mbabane, the Eswatini "Fair Trade" Swazi Kitchen and made a safari to Kruger National Park in South Africa, to the north of Swaziland.
Many thanks to Malcolm for allowing us to share his photographs.
Six operators plus Sue joined force to put on a relatively low-key DXpedition which nevertheless made 21,775 QSOs in 114 countries in the two weeks of operation, in spite of being near sunspot minimum.
The callsign 3DA0SS stands for "Swazi Scouts".
Rear: Gerry M0VAA, Malcolm GM3TAL, Mike NC4MM
Front: David GI4FUM, Yuri UT5EL, Sue XYL-GM3TAL, Tony G4LDL
Other participants were Hal ZS6WB (A051 antenna & keps), Andy 3DA0TM (resident amateur),
Daniel ZS6JR (rigs & antennas) and Bob (driver & "fixer").
Swaziland is a land-locked independent kingdom in the northeast of South Africa.
The DXpedition was operated from a resort near Mbabane in the northwest of Swaziland.
It was chosen because a fully-equipped amateur radio station with DX antennas was available
to rent in the resort from Daniel ZS6JR, avoiding the need (and expense) to bring equipment.
The Swazi Scouts International Campsite (see below) is also located near Mbabane.
Holiday cabin in which Malcolm and Sue stayed.
No, that is not a vertical antenna at the rear, but an (essential) lightning conductor in this stormy tropical area.
The 24m lattice tower with the DX antennas provided by Daniel ZS6JR at the resort.
The antennas were:
Cushcraft A4 at 24m agl for 10 / 15 / 20m
A3WS at 20m agl for 24m and 17m
4 square - sloping dipoles for 40m
Vertical for 80m and 160m.
An intrepid operator climbing the 24m tower.
Sue was Radials Manager - no small job with 100 radials to lay!
.....................................................................................................
EQUIPMENT
(Provided on-site by Daniel ZS6JR)
Transceivers: Kenwood TS-850, Yaesu FT1000MP, Elecraft K3.
Linear Amplifiers: Icom IC-2KL (500W), Tokyo HL-1K (500W).
.............................................................................................
OPERATORS
Malcolm GM3TAL / 3DA0MH and Sue, from near Dunfermline.
Gerry McGowan M0VAA / 3DA0VA from Stockport
Tony Bettley G4LDL / 3DA0TB from Swindon
Mike Matzinger NC4MM / 3DA0MM from Oak Ridge NC
Yuri Gorets UT5EL / 3DA0EL, a crack CW operator, from Dnepropetrovsk
David HUtchinson GI4FUM / 3DA0DJ from Antrim
Team Hamilton working through the AO-51 satellite.
Hal ZS6WB provided a printout the AO-51 keps and loaned his Arrow 2m / 70cm antenna.
Using an FT817 rig they made the first Madagascar - 3DA0 QSO and worked a Russian /MM.
.....................................................................................................
SWAZI SCOUTS INTERNATIONAL CAMPSITE near Mbabane
Malcolm (an active Scouter back home in Dunfermline) and Sue were greeted enthusiastically when they visited the Swazi Scouts International Campsite where they set up basic antennas and ran a station.
A simple sloping dipole for 40m was set up at the campsite.
Now why didn't I think of that: nice morse practice set used by the Scouts.
Sue conducted a training session for the Scouts, asking them questions about the Scout Law and Promise.
Scout Promise in English and siSwati
On my honour, I promise to do my best,
To do my duty to God, the King,
To help other people at all times
And to keep the Scout Law.
Ngekwetsembeka kwami,
Ngiyetsembisa kutsi ngitawenta konkhe lokusemandleni ami,
kusebentela Nkulunkulu, neNkhosi yakaNgwane,
kusita bantfu ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi,
nekugcina umtsetfo weMavulandlela.
Most of the Scouts could do it in English, but Sue and Malcolm struggled with the siSwati!
.....................................................................................................
ESWATINI FAIR TRADE SWAZI KITCHEN
Visit to the Eswatini Swazi Kitchen whose "Fair Trade" products
including honey, marmalade and curry sauces are sold in the UK.
..................................................................................................
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA
Kruger Park rules say "keep inside your car with the windows closed".
One tourist didn't.
This large elephant refused to let Malcolm and Sue past,
so they had to make a 40 mile detour to reach their destination!
The Sac Spider - one species likes to spend the day in the folds of curtains,
bedding and clothing hanging on a clothesline and yes, they do bite - potentially fatally!
Black Mamba - you don't want to meet one of these when tree-climbing with antennas!
A favourite memory - seeing the African sunrise and the Moon setting.
... and the sun setting over Africa.